diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
index 80f885c75..ab9084852 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
@@ -916,8 +916,6 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
     /// msecs since 1970 we started this connection
     private var connectTimeMsec = 0L
 
-    private val useOldApi = false
-
     /// Called when we gain/lose connection to our radio
     private fun onConnectionChanged(c: ConnectionState) {
         debug("onConnectionChanged=$c")
@@ -969,7 +967,7 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
             // Do our startup init
             try {
                 connectTimeMsec = System.currentTimeMillis()
-                if (useOldApi)
+                if (RadioInterfaceService.isOldApi!!)
                     reinitFromRadioREV1()
                 else
                     startConfig()
@@ -1231,7 +1229,7 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
         val parsed = MeshProtos.RadioConfig.parseFrom(payload)
 
         // Update our device
-        if (useOldApi)
+        if (RadioInterfaceService.isOldApi!!)
             connectedRadio.writeRadioConfig(payload)
         else
             sendToRadio(ToRadio.newBuilder().apply {
@@ -1261,7 +1259,7 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
         }
 
         // set my owner info
-        if (useOldApi)
+        if (RadioInterfaceService.isOldApi!!)
             connectedRadio.writeOwner(user.toByteArray())
         else sendToRadio(ToRadio.newBuilder().apply {
             this.setOwner = user
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/RadioInterfaceService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/RadioInterfaceService.kt
index c0b77ee78..fedf8e873 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/RadioInterfaceService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/RadioInterfaceService.kt
@@ -141,6 +141,11 @@ class RadioInterfaceService : Service(), Logging {
         /// If our service is currently running, this pointer can be used to reach it (in case setBondedDeviceAddress is called)
         private var runningService: RadioInterfaceService? = null
 
+        /**
+         * Temp hack (until old API deprecated), we probe for old API at connected
+         */
+        var isOldApi: Boolean? = null
+
         /// This is public only so that SimRadio can bootstrap our message flow
         fun broadcastReceivedFromRadio(context: Context, payload: ByteArray) {
             val intent = Intent(RECEIVE_FROMRADIO_ACTION)
@@ -399,6 +404,9 @@ class RadioInterfaceService : Service(), Logging {
                     debug("Discovered services!")
                     delay(500) // android BLE is buggy and needs a 500ms sleep before calling getChracteristic, or you might get back null
 
+                    isOldApi = service.getCharacteristic(BTM_RADIO_CHARACTER) != null
+                    warn("Use oldAPI = $isOldApi")
+
                     fromNum = service.getCharacteristic(BTM_FROMNUM_CHARACTER)!!
 
                     // We must set this to true before broadcasting connectionChanged