diff --git a/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/activities/DiscoveryActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/activities/DiscoveryActivity.java
index 62fa87aa1..e5121bccc 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/activities/DiscoveryActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/nodomain/freeyourgadget/gadgetbridge/activities/DiscoveryActivity.java
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ public class DiscoveryActivity extends AbstractGBActivity implements AdapterView
     private ScanCallback newLeScanCallback = null;
 
     // Disabled for testing, it seems worse for a few people
-    private final boolean disableNewBLEScanning = false;
+    private boolean disableNewBLEScanning = false;
 
     private final Handler handler = new Handler();
 
@@ -268,6 +268,11 @@ public class DiscoveryActivity extends AbstractGBActivity implements AdapterView
     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
 
+        disableNewBLEScanning = GBApplication.getPrefs().getBoolean("disable_new_ble_scanning", false);
+        if (disableNewBLEScanning) {
+            LOG.info("new BLE scanning disabled via settings, using old method");
+        }
+
         setContentView(R.layout.activity_discovery);
         startButton = findViewById(R.id.discovery_start);
         startButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@@ -395,11 +400,7 @@ public class DiscoveryActivity extends AbstractGBActivity implements AdapterView
             LOG.warn("Not starting discovery, because already scanning.");
             return;
         }
-        if (GBApplication.isRunningLollipopOrLater() && !disableNewBLEScanning) {
-            startDiscovery(Scanning.SCANNING_NEW_BTLE);
-        } else {
-            startDiscovery(Scanning.SCANNING_BTLE);
-        }
+        startDiscovery(Scanning.SCANNING_BT);
     }
 
     private void startDiscovery(Scanning what) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index cefc305e1..d64ba44da 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -252,6 +252,10 @@
     <string name="pref_auto_fetch_summary">Fetch happens upon screen unlock. Only works if a lock mechanism is set!</string>
     <string name="pref_auto_fetch_limit_fetches">Minimum time between fetches</string>
     <string name="pref_auto_fetch_limit_fetches_summary">Fetches every %d minutes</string>
+    <!-- developer/debug preferences-->
+    <string name="pref_disable_new_ble_scanning">Disable new BLE scanning</string>
+    <string name="pref_summary_disable_new_ble_scanning">Check this option if your device cannot be found during discovery</string>
+
     <string name="not_connected">Not connected</string>
     <string name="connecting">Connecting</string>
     <string name="connected">Connected</string>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml b/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml
index ff5ed9558..6813452de 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml
@@ -627,5 +627,12 @@
             android:defaultValue="false"
             android:key="log_to_file"
             android:title="@string/pref_write_logfiles" />
+        <CheckBoxPreference
+            android:layout="@layout/preference_checkbox"
+            android:defaultValue="false"
+            android:key="disable_new_ble_scanning"
+            android:summary="@string/pref_summary_disable_new_ble_scanning"
+            android:title="@string/pref_disable_new_ble_scanning" />
+
     </PreferenceCategory>
 </PreferenceScreen>