diff --git a/companion/src/eeprominterface.h b/companion/src/eeprominterface.h
index 56514109a..91da15e51 100644
--- a/companion/src/eeprominterface.h
+++ b/companion/src/eeprominterface.h
@@ -479,6 +479,7 @@ class GeneralSettings {
     int backgroundVolume;
     unsigned int mavbaud;
     unsigned int switchUnlockStates;
+    unsigned int hw_uartMode;
 };
 
 class CurveReference {
diff --git a/companion/src/firmwares/opentx/opentxeeprom.cpp b/companion/src/firmwares/opentx/opentxeeprom.cpp
index a6bb2e0de..fb8cf5203 100644
--- a/companion/src/firmwares/opentx/opentxeeprom.cpp
+++ b/companion/src/firmwares/opentx/opentxeeprom.cpp
@@ -2110,6 +2110,9 @@ Open9xGeneralDataNew::Open9xGeneralDataNew(GeneralSettings & generalData, BoardE
       internalField.Append(new SignedField<8>(generalData.varioVolume));
       internalField.Append(new SignedField<8>(generalData.backgroundVolume));
     }
+    if (version >= 216) {
+      internalField.Append(new UnsignedField<8>(generalData.hw_uartMode));
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/radio/src/myeeprom.h b/radio/src/myeeprom.h
index 64d168787..f06ef0ef6 100644
--- a/radio/src/myeeprom.h
+++ b/radio/src/myeeprom.h
@@ -239,7 +239,8 @@ enum BeeperMode {
   int8_t   beepVolume; \
   int8_t   wavVolume; \
   int8_t   varioVolume; \
-  int8_t   backgroundVolume;
+  int8_t   backgroundVolume; \
+  uint8_t  hw_uartMode;
 #elif defined(PXX)
   #define EXTRA_GENERAL_FIELDS uint8_t  countryCode;
 #else