diff --git a/src/SerialConsole.cpp b/src/SerialConsole.cpp
index b7854b2cf..e7355db29 100644
--- a/src/SerialConsole.cpp
+++ b/src/SerialConsole.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ void consolePrintf(const char *format, ...)
 #endif
 }
 
-SerialConsole::SerialConsole() : StreamAPI(&Port), RedirectablePrint(&Port)
+SerialConsole::SerialConsole() : StreamAPI(&Port), RedirectablePrint(&Port), concurrency::OSThread("SerialConsole")
 {
     assert(!console);
     console = this;
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ SerialConsole::SerialConsole() : StreamAPI(&Port), RedirectablePrint(&Port)
     emitRebooted();
 }
 
+int32_t SerialConsole::runOnce()
+{
+    return runOncePart();
+}
 
 // For the serial port we can't really detect if any client is on the other side, so instead just look for recent messages
 bool SerialConsole::checkIsConnected()
diff --git a/src/SerialConsole.h b/src/SerialConsole.h
index e7b8af34f..d1f2abac8 100644
--- a/src/SerialConsole.h
+++ b/src/SerialConsole.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  * Provides both debug printing and, if the client starts sending protobufs to us, switches to send/receive protobufs
  * (and starts dropping debug printing - FIXME, eventually those prints should be encapsulated in protobufs).
  */
-class SerialConsole : public StreamAPI, public RedirectablePrint
+class SerialConsole : public StreamAPI, public RedirectablePrint, private concurrency::OSThread
 {
   public:
     SerialConsole();
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ class SerialConsole : public StreamAPI, public RedirectablePrint
         return RedirectablePrint::write(c);
     }
 
+    virtual int32_t runOnce() override;
+
   protected:
 
     /// Check the current underlying physical link to see if the client is currently connected
diff --git a/src/mesh/StreamAPI.cpp b/src/mesh/StreamAPI.cpp
index 0b959ddcb..d1213ac54 100644
--- a/src/mesh/StreamAPI.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/StreamAPI.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #define START2 0xc3
 #define HEADER_LEN 4
 
-int32_t StreamAPI::runOnce()
+int32_t StreamAPI::runOncePart()
 {
     auto result = readStream();
     writeStream();
diff --git a/src/mesh/StreamAPI.h b/src/mesh/StreamAPI.h
index 0f36ecb06..3196e96f8 100644
--- a/src/mesh/StreamAPI.h
+++ b/src/mesh/StreamAPI.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ valid utf8 encoding. This makes it a bit easier to start a device outputting reg
 after it has received a valid packet from the PC, turn off unencoded debug printing and switch to this packet encoding.
 
  */
-class StreamAPI : public PhoneAPI, protected concurrency::OSThread
+class StreamAPI : public PhoneAPI
 {
     /**
      * The stream we read/write from
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ class StreamAPI : public PhoneAPI, protected concurrency::OSThread
     uint32_t lastRxMsec = 0;
 
   public:
-    StreamAPI(Stream *_stream) : concurrency::OSThread("StreamAPI"), stream(_stream) {}
+    StreamAPI(Stream *_stream) : stream(_stream) {}
 
     /**
      * Currently we require frequent invocation from loop() to check for arrived serial packets and to send new packets to the
      * phone.
      */
-    virtual int32_t runOnce() override;
+    virtual int32_t runOncePart();
 
   private:
     /**
diff --git a/src/mesh/eth/ethServerAPI.cpp b/src/mesh/eth/ethServerAPI.cpp
index bb7dd927d..3b3b6bbc8 100644
--- a/src/mesh/eth/ethServerAPI.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/eth/ethServerAPI.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ void initApiServer(int port)
     }
 }
 
-ethServerAPI::ethServerAPI(EthernetClient &_client) : StreamAPI(&client), client(_client)
+ethServerAPI::ethServerAPI(EthernetClient &_client) : StreamAPI(&client), concurrency::OSThread("ethServerAPI"), client(_client)
 {
     DEBUG_MSG("Incoming ethernet connection\n");
 }
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ bool ethServerAPI::checkIsConnected()
 int32_t ethServerAPI::runOnce()
 {
     if (client.connected()) {
-        return StreamAPI::runOnce();
+        return StreamAPI::runOncePart();
     } else {
         DEBUG_MSG("Client dropped connection, suspending API service\n");
         enabled = false; // we no longer need to run
diff --git a/src/mesh/eth/ethServerAPI.h b/src/mesh/eth/ethServerAPI.h
index c92ab2f17..962841c80 100644
--- a/src/mesh/eth/ethServerAPI.h
+++ b/src/mesh/eth/ethServerAPI.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * Provides both debug printing and, if the client starts sending protobufs to us, switches to send/receive protobufs
  * (and starts dropping debug printing - FIXME, eventually those prints should be encapsulated in protobufs).
  */
-class ethServerAPI : public StreamAPI
+class ethServerAPI : public StreamAPI, private concurrency::OSThread
 {
   private:
     EthernetClient client;
diff --git a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiServerAPI.cpp b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiServerAPI.cpp
index 34a15f71b..78936176b 100644
--- a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiServerAPI.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiServerAPI.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ void initApiServer(int port)
     }
 }
 
-WiFiServerAPI::WiFiServerAPI(WiFiClient &_client) : StreamAPI(&client), client(_client)
+WiFiServerAPI::WiFiServerAPI(WiFiClient &_client) : StreamAPI(&client), concurrency::OSThread("WiFiServerAPI"), client(_client)
 {
     DEBUG_MSG("Incoming wifi connection\n");
 }
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ bool WiFiServerAPI::checkIsConnected()
 int32_t WiFiServerAPI::runOnce()
 {
     if (client.connected()) {
-        return StreamAPI::runOnce();
+        return StreamAPI::runOncePart();
     } else {
         DEBUG_MSG("Client dropped connection, suspending API service\n");
         enabled = false; // we no longer need to run
diff --git a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiServerAPI.h b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiServerAPI.h
index 84a23be06..812408818 100644
--- a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiServerAPI.h
+++ b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiServerAPI.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * Provides both debug printing and, if the client starts sending protobufs to us, switches to send/receive protobufs
  * (and starts dropping debug printing - FIXME, eventually those prints should be encapsulated in protobufs).
  */
-class WiFiServerAPI : public StreamAPI
+class WiFiServerAPI : public StreamAPI, private concurrency::OSThread
 {
   private:
     WiFiClient client;
diff --git a/src/modules/Modules.cpp b/src/modules/Modules.cpp
index 9978f2487..96a6c0582 100644
--- a/src/modules/Modules.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/Modules.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 #endif
 #if defined(ARCH_ESP32) || defined(ARCH_NRF52)
 #include "modules/ExternalNotificationModule.h"
-#if !defined(TTGO_T_ECHO)
+#if (defined(ARCH_ESP32) || defined(ARCH_NRF52)) && !defined(TTGO_T_ECHO) && !defined(CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32S2)
 #include "modules/SerialModule.h"
 #endif
 #endif
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ void setupModules()
     new DeviceTelemetryModule();
     new EnvironmentTelemetryModule();
 #endif
-#if (defined(ARCH_ESP32) || defined(ARCH_NRF52)) && !defined(TTGO_T_ECHO)
+#if (defined(ARCH_ESP32) || defined(ARCH_NRF52)) && !defined(TTGO_T_ECHO) && !defined(CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32S2)
     new SerialModule();
 #endif
 #ifdef ARCH_ESP32
diff --git a/src/modules/SerialModule.cpp b/src/modules/SerialModule.cpp
index 33bae7746..f0374bb41 100644
--- a/src/modules/SerialModule.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/SerialModule.cpp
@@ -46,20 +46,25 @@
 
 */
 
+#if (defined(ARCH_ESP32) || defined(ARCH_NRF52)) && !defined(TTGO_T_ECHO) && !defined(CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32S2)
+
 #define RXD2 16
 #define TXD2 17
 #define RX_BUFFER 128
+#define STRING_MAX Constants_DATA_PAYLOAD_LEN
 #define TIMEOUT 250
 #define BAUD 38400
 #define ACK 1
 
+// API: Defaulting to the formerly removed phone_timeout_secs value of 15 minutes
+#define SERIAL_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT (15 * 60) * 1000UL
+
 SerialModule *serialModule;
 SerialModuleRadio *serialModuleRadio;
 
-SerialModule::SerialModule() : concurrency::OSThread("SerialModule") {}
+SerialModule::SerialModule() : StreamAPI(&Serial2), concurrency::OSThread("SerialModule") {}
 
-char serialBytes[Constants_DATA_PAYLOAD_LEN];
-size_t serialPayloadSize;
+char serialStringChar[Constants_DATA_PAYLOAD_LEN];
 
 SerialModuleRadio::SerialModuleRadio() : MeshModule("SerialModuleRadio")
 {
@@ -80,9 +85,15 @@ SerialModuleRadio::SerialModuleRadio() : MeshModule("SerialModuleRadio")
     }
 }
 
+// For the serial2 port we can't really detect if any client is on the other side, so instead just look for recent messages
+bool SerialModule::checkIsConnected()
+{
+    uint32_t now = millis();
+    return (now - lastContactMsec) < SERIAL_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT;
+}
+
 int32_t SerialModule::runOnce()
 {
-#if (defined(ARCH_ESP32) || defined(ARCH_NRF52)) && !defined(TTGO_T_ECHO) && !defined(CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32S2)
     /*
         Uncomment the preferences below if you want to use the module
         without having to configure it from the PythonAPI or WebUI.
@@ -178,19 +189,32 @@ int32_t SerialModule::runOnce()
 
             firstTime = 0;
 
+            // in API mode send rebooted sequence
+            if (moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_PROTO) {
+                emitRebooted();
+            }
+
         } else {
 
-            // in NMEA mode send out GGA every 2 seconds, Don't read from Port
-            if (moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_NMEA) {
+            if (moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_PROTO) {
+                return runOncePart();
+            } else if (moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_NMEA) {
+                // in NMEA mode send out GGA every 2 seconds, Don't read from Port
                 if (millis() - lastNmeaTime > 2000) {
                     lastNmeaTime = millis();
                     printGGA(outbuf, nodeDB.getNode(myNodeInfo.my_node_num)->position);
                     Serial2.printf("%s", outbuf);
                 }
             } else {
+                String serialString;
+
                 while (Serial2.available()) {
-                    serialPayloadSize = Serial2.readBytes(serialBytes, Constants_DATA_PAYLOAD_LEN);
+                    serialString = Serial2.readString();
+                    serialString.toCharArray(serialStringChar, Constants_DATA_PAYLOAD_LEN);
+
                     serialModuleRadio->sendPayload();
+
+                    DEBUG_MSG("Received: %s\n", serialStringChar);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -201,9 +225,6 @@ int32_t SerialModule::runOnce()
 
         return INT32_MAX;
     }
-#else
-    return INT32_MAX;
-#endif
 }
 
 MeshPacket *SerialModuleRadio::allocReply()
@@ -221,16 +242,19 @@ void SerialModuleRadio::sendPayload(NodeNum dest, bool wantReplies)
 
     p->want_ack = ACK;
 
-    p->decoded.payload.size = serialPayloadSize; // You must specify how many bytes are in the reply
-    memcpy(p->decoded.payload.bytes, serialBytes, p->decoded.payload.size);
+    p->decoded.payload.size = strlen(serialStringChar); // You must specify how many bytes are in the reply
+    memcpy(p->decoded.payload.bytes, serialStringChar, p->decoded.payload.size);
 
     service.sendToMesh(p);
 }
 
 ProcessMessage SerialModuleRadio::handleReceived(const MeshPacket &mp)
 {
-#if (defined(ARCH_ESP32) || defined(ARCH_NRF52)) && !defined(TTGO_T_ECHO) && !defined(CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32S2)
     if (moduleConfig.serial.enabled) {
+        if (moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_PROTO) {
+            // in API mode we don't care about stuff from radio.
+            return ProcessMessage::CONTINUE;
+        }
 
         auto &p = mp.decoded;
         // DEBUG_MSG("Received text msg self=0x%0x, from=0x%0x, to=0x%0x, id=%d, msg=%.*s\n",
@@ -258,15 +282,13 @@ ProcessMessage SerialModuleRadio::handleReceived(const MeshPacket &mp)
 
             if (moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_DEFAULT ||
                 moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_SIMPLE) {
-                Serial2.write(p.payload.bytes, p.payload.size);
+                Serial2.printf("%s", p.payload.bytes);
             } else if (moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_TEXTMSG) {
                 NodeInfo *node = nodeDB.getNode(getFrom(&mp));
                 String sender = (node && node->has_user) ? node->user.short_name : "???";
                 Serial2.println();
                 Serial2.printf("%s: %s", sender, p.payload.bytes);
                 Serial2.println();
-            } else if (moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_PROTO) {
-                // TODO this needs to be implemented
             } else if (moduleConfig.serial.mode == ModuleConfig_SerialConfig_Serial_Mode_NMEA) {
                 // Decode the Payload some more
                 Position scratch;
@@ -286,8 +308,6 @@ ProcessMessage SerialModuleRadio::handleReceived(const MeshPacket &mp)
     } else {
         DEBUG_MSG("Serial Module Disabled\n");
     }
-
-#endif
-
     return ProcessMessage::CONTINUE; // Let others look at this message also if they want
 }
+#endif
diff --git a/src/modules/SerialModule.h b/src/modules/SerialModule.h
index 0130bbe2d..c853263b6 100644
--- a/src/modules/SerialModule.h
+++ b/src/modules/SerialModule.h
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
 #include "Router.h"
 #include <functional>
 
-class SerialModule : private concurrency::OSThread
+#if (defined(ARCH_ESP32) || defined(ARCH_NRF52)) && !defined(TTGO_T_ECHO) && !defined(CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32S2)
+
+class SerialModule : public StreamAPI, private concurrency::OSThread
 {
     bool firstTime = 1;
     unsigned long lastNmeaTime = millis();
@@ -19,6 +21,9 @@ class SerialModule : private concurrency::OSThread
 
   protected:
     virtual int32_t runOnce() override;
+
+    /// Check the current underlying physical link to see if the client is currently connected
+    virtual bool checkIsConnected() override;
 };
 
 extern SerialModule *serialModule;
@@ -65,3 +70,5 @@ class SerialModuleRadio : public MeshModule
 };
 
 extern SerialModuleRadio *serialModuleRadio;
+
+#endif