diff --git a/app/build.gradle b/app/build.gradle
index 261a4eb12..3a832a351 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle
+++ b/app/build.gradle
@@ -173,9 +173,10 @@ dependencies {
 
     // location services
     implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-location:19.0.1'
-
     // For Google Sign-In (owner name accesss)
     implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-auth:20.1.0'
+    // ML Kit barcode scanning
+    implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-code-scanner:16.0.0-beta1'
 
     // Add the Firebase SDK for Crashlytics.
     implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics:18.2.6'
diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 2e1dd63ad..3445b3364 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -97,6 +97,9 @@
         <meta-data
             android:name="firebase_analytics_collection_enabled"
             android:value="false" />
+        <meta-data
+            android:name="com.google.mlkit.vision.DEPENDENCIES"
+            android:value="barcode_ui"/>
 
         <!-- we need bind job service for oreo -->
         <service
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/MainActivity.kt
index cfde7a990..c1a1fe840 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/MainActivity.kt
@@ -518,8 +518,7 @@ class MainActivity : BaseActivity(), Logging,
                 requestedChannelUrl = appLinkData
 
                 // if the device is connected already, process it now
-                if (model.isConnected())
-                    perhapsChangeChannel()
+                perhapsChangeChannel()
 
                 // We now wait for the device to connect, once connected, we ask the user if they want to switch to the new channel
             }
@@ -721,16 +720,16 @@ class MainActivity : BaseActivity(), Logging,
         }
     }
 
-    fun perhapsChangeChannel(url: Uri? = requestedChannelUrl) {
-        // If the is opening a channel URL, handle it now
-        if (url != null) {
+    private fun perhapsChangeChannel(url: Uri? = requestedChannelUrl) {
+        // if the device is connected already, process it now
+        if (url != null && model.isConnected()) {
+            requestedChannelUrl = null
             try {
                 val channels = ChannelSet(url)
                 val primary = channels.primaryChannel
                 if (primary == null)
                     showSnackbar(R.string.channel_invalid)
                 else {
-                    requestedChannelUrl = null
 
                     MaterialAlertDialogBuilder(this)
                         .setTitle(R.string.new_channel_rcvd)
@@ -967,6 +966,15 @@ class MainActivity : BaseActivity(), Logging,
             }
         }
 
+        // Call perhapsChangeChannel() whenever [changeChannelUrl] updates with a non-null value
+        model.requestChannelUrl.observe(this) { url ->
+            url?.let {
+                requestedChannelUrl = url
+                model.clearRequestChannelUrl()
+                perhapsChangeChannel()
+            }
+        }
+
         try {
             bindMeshService()
         } catch (ex: BindFailedException) {
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 4536fffdb..dabdbb5e4 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt
@@ -107,6 +107,20 @@ class UIViewModel @Inject constructor(
     private val _channels = MutableLiveData<ChannelSet?>()
     val channels: LiveData<ChannelSet?> get() = _channels
 
+    private val _requestChannelUrl = MutableLiveData<Uri?>(null)
+    val requestChannelUrl: LiveData<Uri?> get() = _requestChannelUrl
+
+    fun setRequestChannelUrl(channelUrl: Uri) {
+        _requestChannelUrl.value = channelUrl
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called immediately after activity observes requestChannelUrl
+     */
+    fun clearRequestChannelUrl() {
+        _requestChannelUrl.value = null
+    }
+
     var positionBroadcastSecs: Int?
         get() {
             _radioConfig.value?.preferences?.let {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ChannelFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ChannelFragment.kt
index f250b7cd9..50392eb6a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ChannelFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ChannelFragment.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package com.geeksville.mesh.ui
 
+import android.Manifest
 import android.content.ActivityNotFoundException
 import android.content.Intent
 import android.graphics.ColorMatrix
@@ -13,15 +14,15 @@ import android.view.ViewGroup
 import android.view.inputmethod.EditorInfo
 import android.widget.ArrayAdapter
 import android.widget.ImageView
-import androidx.activity.result.ActivityResultLauncher
+import androidx.activity.result.contract.ActivityResultContracts
 import androidx.fragment.app.activityViewModels
 import com.geeksville.analytics.DataPair
 import com.geeksville.android.GeeksvilleApplication
 import com.geeksville.android.Logging
 import com.geeksville.android.hideKeyboard
+import com.geeksville.android.isGooglePlayAvailable
 import com.geeksville.mesh.AppOnlyProtos
 import com.geeksville.mesh.ChannelProtos
-import com.geeksville.mesh.MainActivity
 import com.geeksville.mesh.R
 import com.geeksville.mesh.android.hasCameraPermission
 import com.geeksville.mesh.databinding.ChannelFragmentBinding
@@ -31,9 +32,11 @@ import com.geeksville.mesh.model.ChannelSet
 import com.geeksville.mesh.model.UIViewModel
 import com.google.android.material.dialog.MaterialAlertDialogBuilder
 import com.google.android.material.snackbar.Snackbar
+import com.google.mlkit.vision.barcode.common.Barcode
+import com.google.mlkit.vision.codescanner.GmsBarcodeScannerOptions
+import com.google.mlkit.vision.codescanner.GmsBarcodeScanning
 import com.google.protobuf.ByteString
 import com.journeyapps.barcodescanner.ScanContract
-import com.journeyapps.barcodescanner.ScanIntentResult
 import com.journeyapps.barcodescanner.ScanOptions
 import dagger.hilt.android.AndroidEntryPoint
 import java.security.SecureRandom
@@ -189,6 +192,52 @@ class ChannelFragment : ScreenFragment("Channel"), Logging {
         }
     }
 
+    private fun zxingScan() {
+        debug("Starting zxing QR code scanner")
+        val zxingScan = ScanOptions()
+        zxingScan.setCameraId(0)
+        zxingScan.setPrompt("")
+        zxingScan.setBeepEnabled(false)
+        zxingScan.setDesiredBarcodeFormats(ScanOptions.QR_CODE)
+        barcodeLauncher.launch(zxingScan)
+    }
+
+    private fun requestPermissionAndScan() {
+        MaterialAlertDialogBuilder(requireContext())
+            .setTitle(R.string.camera_required)
+            .setMessage(R.string.why_camera_required)
+            .setNeutralButton(R.string.cancel) { _, _ ->
+                debug("Camera permission denied")
+            }
+            .setPositiveButton(getString(R.string.accept)) { _, _ ->
+                requestPermissionAndScanLauncher.launch(Manifest.permission.CAMERA)
+            }
+            .show()
+    }
+
+
+    private fun mlkitScan() {
+        debug("Starting ML Kit QR code scanner")
+        val options = GmsBarcodeScannerOptions.Builder()
+            .setBarcodeFormats(
+                Barcode.FORMAT_QR_CODE
+            )
+            .build()
+        val scanner = GmsBarcodeScanning.getClient(requireContext(), options)
+        scanner.startScan()
+            .addOnSuccessListener { barcode ->
+                if (barcode.rawValue != null)
+                    model.setRequestChannelUrl(Uri.parse(barcode.rawValue))
+            }
+            .addOnFailureListener {
+                Snackbar.make(
+                    requireView(),
+                    R.string.channel_invalid,
+                    Snackbar.LENGTH_SHORT
+                ).show()
+            }
+    }
+
     override fun onViewCreated(view: View, savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
         super.onViewCreated(view, savedInstanceState)
 
@@ -212,25 +261,14 @@ class ChannelFragment : ScreenFragment("Channel"), Logging {
         }
 
         binding.scanButton.setOnClickListener {
-            if ((requireActivity() as MainActivity).hasCameraPermission()) {
-                debug("Starting QR code scanner")
-                val zxingScan = ScanOptions()
-                zxingScan.setCameraId(0)
-                zxingScan.setPrompt("")
-                zxingScan.setBeepEnabled(false)
-                zxingScan.setDesiredBarcodeFormats(ScanOptions.QR_CODE)
-                barcodeLauncher.launch(zxingScan)
+            if (isGooglePlayAvailable(requireContext())) {
+                mlkitScan()
             } else {
-                MaterialAlertDialogBuilder(requireContext())
-                    .setTitle(R.string.camera_required)
-                    .setMessage(R.string.why_camera_required)
-                    .setNeutralButton(R.string.cancel) { _, _ ->
-                        debug("Camera permission denied")
-                    }
-                    .setPositiveButton(getString(R.string.accept)) { _, _ ->
-                        (requireActivity() as MainActivity).requestCameraPermission()
-                    }
-                    .show()
+                if (requireContext().hasCameraPermission()) {
+                    zxingScan()
+                } else {
+                    requestPermissionAndScan()
+                }
             }
         }
 
@@ -315,16 +353,18 @@ class ChannelFragment : ScreenFragment("Channel"), Logging {
             if (getString(item.configRes) == selectedChannelOptionString)
                 return item.modemConfig
         }
-
         return ChannelProtos.ChannelSettings.ModemConfig.UNRECOGNIZED
     }
 
-    // Register the launcher and result handler
-    private val barcodeLauncher: ActivityResultLauncher<ScanOptions> = registerForActivityResult(
-        ScanContract()
-    ) { result: ScanIntentResult ->
+    private val requestPermissionAndScanLauncher =
+        registerForActivityResult(ActivityResultContracts.RequestPermission()) { allowed ->
+            if (allowed) zxingScan()
+        }
+
+    // Register zxing launcher and result handler
+    private val barcodeLauncher = registerForActivityResult(ScanContract()) { result ->
         if (result.contents != null) {
-            ((requireActivity() as MainActivity).perhapsChangeChannel(Uri.parse(result.contents)))
+            model.setRequestChannelUrl(Uri.parse(result.contents))
         }
     }
 }