diff --git a/firmware/console/binary/tunerstudio.cpp b/firmware/console/binary/tunerstudio.cpp
index 7a38967d96..8bf837bd5e 100644
--- a/firmware/console/binary/tunerstudio.cpp
+++ b/firmware/console/binary/tunerstudio.cpp
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ static void resetTs() {
 void printTsStats(void) {
 #if EFI_PROD_CODE
 #ifdef EFI_CONSOLE_RX_BRAIN_PIN
-	efiPrintf("Primary Channel RX", hwPortname(EFI_CONSOLE_RX_BRAIN_PIN));
-	efiPrintf("Primary Channel TX", hwPortname(EFI_CONSOLE_TX_BRAIN_PIN));
+	efiPrintf("Primary UART RX", hwPortname(EFI_CONSOLE_RX_BRAIN_PIN));
+	efiPrintf("Primary UART TX", hwPortname(EFI_CONSOLE_TX_BRAIN_PIN));
 #endif
 
 	if (false) {
diff --git a/firmware/console/binary/tunerstudio_io_serial_ports.cpp b/firmware/console/binary/tunerstudio_io_serial_ports.cpp
index 4297933c0e..6bff431c77 100644
--- a/firmware/console/binary/tunerstudio_io_serial_ports.cpp
+++ b/firmware/console/binary/tunerstudio_io_serial_ports.cpp
@@ -40,8 +40,10 @@ class SerialTsChannel;
 
 		TsChannelBase* setupChannel() {
 #if EFI_PROD_CODE
-			efiSetPadMode("Primary Channel RX", EFI_CONSOLE_RX_BRAIN_PIN, PAL_MODE_ALTERNATE(EFI_CONSOLE_AF));
-			efiSetPadMode("Primary Channel TX", EFI_CONSOLE_TX_BRAIN_PIN, PAL_MODE_ALTERNATE(EFI_CONSOLE_AF));
+			// historically the idea was that primary UART has to be very hard-coded as the last line of reliability defense
+			// as of 2022 it looks like sometimes we just need the GPIO on MRE for instance more than we need UART
+			efiSetPadMode("Primary UART RX", EFI_CONSOLE_RX_BRAIN_PIN, PAL_MODE_ALTERNATE(EFI_CONSOLE_AF));
+			efiSetPadMode("Primary UART TX", EFI_CONSOLE_TX_BRAIN_PIN, PAL_MODE_ALTERNATE(EFI_CONSOLE_AF));
 #endif /* EFI_PROD_CODE */
 
 			primaryChannel.start(engineConfiguration->uartConsoleSerialSpeed);
@@ -71,8 +73,8 @@ class SerialTsChannel;
 
 		TsChannelBase* setupChannel() {
 #if EFI_PROD_CODE
-			efiSetPadMode("Secondary Channel RX", engineConfiguration->binarySerialRxPin, PAL_MODE_ALTERNATE(TS_SERIAL_AF));
-			efiSetPadMode("Secondary Channel TX", engineConfiguration->binarySerialTxPin, PAL_MODE_ALTERNATE(TS_SERIAL_AF));
+			efiSetPadMode("Secondary UART RX", engineConfiguration->binarySerialRxPin, PAL_MODE_ALTERNATE(TS_SERIAL_AF));
+			efiSetPadMode("Secondary UART TX", engineConfiguration->binarySerialTxPin, PAL_MODE_ALTERNATE(TS_SERIAL_AF));
 #endif /* EFI_PROD_CODE */
 
 			secondaryChannel.start(engineConfiguration->uartConsoleSerialSpeed);
@@ -86,7 +88,10 @@ class SerialTsChannel;
 
 void startSerialChannels() {
 #if HAS_PRIMARY
-	primaryChannelThread.Start();
+	// todo: invert setting one day?
+	if (!engineConfiguration->disablePrimaryUart) {
+		primaryChannelThread.Start();
+	}
 #endif
 
 #if HAS_SECONDARY
diff --git a/firmware/integration/rusefi_config.txt b/firmware/integration/rusefi_config.txt
index d0b7a8b4d1..ba7d5f1530 100644
--- a/firmware/integration/rusefi_config.txt
+++ b/firmware/integration/rusefi_config.txt
@@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ end_struct
 	uint16_t tps2SecondaryMin;;"ADC", 1, 0, 0, 1000, 0
 	uint16_t tps2SecondaryMax;;"ADC", 1, 0, 0, 1000, 0
 
-	bit unused1464b0
+	bit disablePrimaryUart
 	bit fuelClosedLoopCorrectionEnabled;+Enables lambda sensor closed loop feedback for fuelling.
 	bit isVerboseIAC;+Print details into rusEfi console\nenable verbose_idle
 	bit unused1464b3
diff --git a/firmware/tunerstudio/rusefi.input b/firmware/tunerstudio/rusefi.input
index 404724bf3a..07c5c61cf4 100644
--- a/firmware/tunerstudio/rusefi.input
+++ b/firmware/tunerstudio/rusefi.input
@@ -3563,6 +3563,7 @@ cmd_set_engine_type_default					= "@@TS_IO_TEST_COMMAND_char@@\x00\x31\x00\x00"
 
 				;			Racing Features->Launch Control
 	dialog = smLaunchControl, "Launch Control Settings EXPERIMENTAL"
+	    field = "disablePrimaryUart",                   disablePrimaryUart
         field = "Enable Launch Control",               	launchControlEnabled
 		field = "Activation Mode",                      launchActivationMode
 	    field = "Switch Input",                     	launchActivatePin,  {launchActivationMode == 0 && launchControlEnabled == 1}