diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/MyPreferences.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/MyPreferences.kt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6573d1f41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/MyPreferences.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+package com.geeksville.mesh.model
+
+object MyPreferences {
+    val provideLocationKey = "provide-location"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt
index 2125b5978..20fdb0e99 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt
@@ -190,6 +190,15 @@ class UIViewModel(private val app: Application) : AndroidViewModel(app), Logging
     val bluetoothEnabled = object : MutableLiveData<Boolean>(false) {
     }
 
+    val provideLocation = object : MutableLiveData<Boolean>(getPreferences(context).getBoolean(MyPreferences.provideLocationKey, false)) {
+        override fun setValue(value: Boolean) {
+            super.setValue(value)
+
+            getPreferences(context).edit(commit = true) {
+                this.putBoolean(MyPreferences.provideLocationKey, value)
+            }
+        }
+    }
 
     /// If the app was launched because we received a new channel intent, the Url will be here
     var requestedChannelUrl: Uri? = null
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/SettingsFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/SettingsFragment.kt
index 6d16472f0..29b98e8eb 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/SettingsFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/SettingsFragment.kt
@@ -651,6 +651,9 @@ class SettingsFragment : ScreenFragment("Settings"), Logging {
         }
 
         binding.provideLocationCheckbox.setOnCheckedChangeListener { view, isChecked ->
+            // No matter what set our desired state in prefs
+            model.provideLocation.value = isChecked
+
             if (view.isPressed && isChecked) { // We want to ignore changes caused by code (as opposed to the user)
                 debug("User changed location tracking to $isChecked")
                 view.isChecked =
@@ -977,7 +980,7 @@ class SettingsFragment : ScreenFragment("Settings"), Logging {
             scanModel.startScan()
 
         // system permissions might have changed while we were away
-        binding.provideLocationCheckbox.isChecked = myActivity.hasBackgroundPermission()
+        binding.provideLocationCheckbox.isChecked = myActivity.hasBackgroundPermission() && (model.provideLocation.value ?: false)
 
         myActivity.registerReceiver(updateProgressReceiver, updateProgressFilter)
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/settings_fragment.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/settings_fragment.xml
index e5b024ae4..fefd3e54e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/settings_fragment.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/settings_fragment.xml
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:layout_marginStart="16dp"
-            android:text="Provide location to mesh"
+            android:text="@string/provide_location_to_mesh"
             app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
             app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/deviceRadioGroup" />
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 7e7f9e20f..ca7842553 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -115,4 +115,5 @@
     <string name="location">location</string>
     <string name="cancel_no_radio">Cancel (no radio access)</string>
     <string name="allow_will_show">Allow (will show dialog)</string>
+    <string name="provide_location_to_mesh">Provide location to mesh</string>
 </resources>