diff --git a/meshtastic/__init__.py b/meshtastic/__init__.py
index c5aad39..633bd12 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__init__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__init__.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ BROADCAST_NUM = 0xffffffff
 MY_CONFIG_ID = 42
 
 """The numeric buildnumber (shared with android apps) specifying the level of device code we are guaranteed to understand"""
-OUR_APP_VERSION = 167
+OUR_APP_VERSION = 172
 
 
 class MeshInterface:
@@ -85,12 +85,13 @@ class MeshInterface:
     debugOut
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, debugOut=None):
+    def __init__(self, debugOut=None, noProto=False):
         """Constructor"""
         self.debugOut = debugOut
         self.nodes = None  # FIXME
         self.isConnected = False
-        self._startConfig()
+        if not noProto:
+            self._startConfig()
 
     def sendText(self, text, destinationId=BROADCAST_ADDR, wantAck=False, wantResponse=False):
         """Send a utf8 string to some other node, if the node has a display it will also be shown on the device.
@@ -316,7 +317,7 @@ class BLEInterface(MeshInterface):
 class StreamInterface(MeshInterface):
     """Interface class for meshtastic devices over a stream link (serial, TCP, etc)"""
 
-    def __init__(self, devPath=None, debugOut=None):
+    def __init__(self, devPath=None, debugOut=None, noProto=False):
         """Constructor, opens a connection to a specified serial port, or if unspecified try to
         find one Meshtastic device by probing
 
@@ -347,7 +348,7 @@ class StreamInterface(MeshInterface):
             devPath, 921600, exclusive=True, timeout=0.5)
         self._rxThread = threading.Thread(target=self.__reader, args=())
         self._rxThread.start()
-        MeshInterface.__init__(self, debugOut=debugOut)
+        MeshInterface.__init__(self, debugOut=debugOut, noProto=noProto)
 
     def _sendToRadio(self, toRadio):
         """Send a ToRadio protobuf to the device"""
diff --git a/meshtastic/__main__.py b/meshtastic/__main__.py
index f741952..f46844e 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__main__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__main__.py
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument("--ble", help="hack for testing BLE code (BLE is not yet supported for this tool)",
                         action="store_true")
 
+    parser.add_argument("--noproto", help="Don't start the API, just function as a dumb serial terminal.",
+                        action="store_true")
+
     global args
     args = parser.parse_args()
     logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG if args.debug else logging.INFO)
@@ -125,7 +128,8 @@ def main():
         if args.ble:
             client = BLEInterface(args.device, debugOut=logfile)
         else:
-            client = StreamInterface(args.device, debugOut=logfile)
+            client = StreamInterface(
+                args.device, debugOut=logfile, noProto=args.noproto)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":