diff --git a/radio/src/edgetx.cpp b/radio/src/edgetx.cpp
index f0d256023..7ad534e09 100644
--- a/radio/src/edgetx.cpp
+++ b/radio/src/edgetx.cpp
@@ -209,9 +209,14 @@ void per10ms()
   }
 #endif
 
-  if (keysPollingCycle()) {
+  uint8_t keyActivity = keysPollingCycle();
+  if (keyActivity & KEY_ACTIVITY_KEYS) {
     inactivityTimerReset(ActivitySource::Keys);
   }
+  if (keyActivity & KEY_ACTIVITY_TRIMS) {
+    // Trims are controls, not keys, for backlight purposes
+    inactivityTimerReset(ActivitySource::MainControls);
+  }
 
 #if defined(FUNCTION_SWITCHES)
   evalFunctionSwitches();
diff --git a/radio/src/keys.cpp b/radio/src/keys.cpp
index 6fd15aa1a..f5f6b5200 100644
--- a/radio/src/keys.cpp
+++ b/radio/src/keys.cpp
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ uint16_t keyMapping(uint16_t event)
   return event;
 }
 
-bool keysPollingCycle()
+uint8_t keysPollingCycle()
 {
   uint32_t trims_input;
   pollKeys();
@@ -565,7 +565,12 @@ bool keysPollingCycle()
     if (evt) pushTrimEvent(evt | i);
   }
 
-  return keys_input || trims_input;
+  // Report trims separately so they count as controls, not keys, for the
+  // backlight. Nav hats (USE_HATS_AS_KEYS) are folded into keys_input.
+  uint8_t activity = 0;
+  if (keys_input) activity |= KEY_ACTIVITY_KEYS;
+  if (trims_input) activity |= KEY_ACTIVITY_TRIMS;
+  return activity;
 }
 
 #if !defined(COLORLCD)
diff --git a/radio/src/keys.h b/radio/src/keys.h
index 16d248701..f3324be23 100644
--- a/radio/src/keys.h
+++ b/radio/src/keys.h
@@ -186,7 +186,14 @@ void killTrimEvents(event_t event);
 bool keysGetState(uint8_t key);
 uint8_t keysGetTrimState(uint8_t trim);
 
-bool keysPollingCycle();
+// Activity flags returned by keysPollingCycle(). Trims are reported
+// separately so they can be treated as controls, not keys, for backlight.
+enum {
+  KEY_ACTIVITY_KEYS  = 0x01,
+  KEY_ACTIVITY_TRIMS = 0x02,
+};
+
+uint8_t keysPollingCycle();
 bool rotaryEncoderPollingCycle();
 
 // Holding the per-target combo (KEYS_LOCK_KEY1 + KEYS_LOCK_KEY2 from hal.h)