diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index b9bf304..b7d07be 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@
 #define CFG_IS_TO_RF          false   // forward packets from internet to radio based on CFG_APRS_FILTER
 #define CFG_BEACON            false   // enable perdiodic beacon from CFG_APRS_RAW_BKN
 #define CFG_TEXT_PACKETS      false   // enable aprs text packets instead of binary for interoperability with other projects (disables KISS + AX.25!)
+#define CFG_TEXT_PACKETS_PREFIX false // // true - enable aprs-lora 3 byte prefix '<', 0xff, 0x01
 
 // Frequency correction for narrow band bandwidths
 #define CFG_FREQ_CORR         false   // true - correct own frequency based on received packet
diff --git a/esp32_loraprs.ino b/esp32_loraprs.ino
index af28ccf..5e08146 100644
--- a/esp32_loraprs.ino
+++ b/esp32_loraprs.ino
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ void initializeConfig(LoraPrs::Config &cfg) {
   cfg.EnableRepeater = CFG_DIGIREPEAT; // digirepeat incoming packets
   cfg.EnableBeacon = CFG_BEACON;  // enable periodic AprsRawBeacon beacon to rf and aprsis if rf to aprsis is enabled
   cfg.EnableTextPackets = CFG_TEXT_PACKETS; // enables text packets and disables KISS+AX25 binary frames for interoperability
+  cfg.EnableTextPacketsPrefix = CFG_TEXT_PACKETS_PREFIX; // enable aprs-lora 3 byte prefix '<', 0xff, 0x01
 
   // kiss
   cfg.KissEnableExtensions = CFG_KISS_EXTENSIONS; // radio control and signal reports
diff --git a/kiss_processor.cpp b/kiss_processor.cpp
index 1384675..cf20a5c 100644
--- a/kiss_processor.cpp
+++ b/kiss_processor.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ namespace Kiss {
 
 Processor::Processor()
   : disableKiss_(false)
+  , usePrefix_(false)
   , isRawIdle_(true)
   , state_(State::GetStart)
 {
@@ -65,9 +66,11 @@ void Processor::queueSerialToRig(Cmd cmd, const byte *packet, int packetLength)
   bool result = 1;
   if (disableKiss_) {
     // inject proprietary identifier
-    result &= serialToRigQueue_.unshift('<');
-    result &= serialToRigQueue_.unshift(0xff);
-    result &= serialToRigQueue_.unshift(0x01);
+    if (usePrefix_) {
+      result &= serialToRigQueue_.unshift('<');
+      result &= serialToRigQueue_.unshift(0xff);
+      result &= serialToRigQueue_.unshift(0x01);
+    }
     // TNC2, send as is, receiveByteRaw will deal with it
     for (int i = 0; i < packetLength; i++) {
       byte rxByte = packet[i];
@@ -118,7 +121,7 @@ bool Processor::processRigToSerial()
     int readCnt = rxPacketSize;
     for (int i = 0, j = 0; i < readCnt; i++) {
       byte rxByte = rigToSerialQueue_.pop();
-      if (disableKiss_) {
+      if (disableKiss_ && usePrefix_) {
         // filter out properietary identifier
         if ((i == 0 && rxByte == '<') ||
             (i == 1 && rxByte == 0xff) ||
diff --git a/kiss_processor.h b/kiss_processor.h
index 8e7f210..a60f2aa 100644
--- a/kiss_processor.h
+++ b/kiss_processor.h
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ private:
 
 protected:
   bool disableKiss_;
+  bool usePrefix_;
 
 private:
   bool isRawIdle_;
diff --git a/loraprs_config.h b/loraprs_config.h
index c365e5f..0b3916a 100644
--- a/loraprs_config.h
+++ b/loraprs_config.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ struct Config
   bool EnableRepeater;                  // true - digirepeat incoming packets based on WIDEn-n paths
   bool EnableBeacon;                    // true - send AprsRawBeacon to RF and APRS-IS if EnableRfToIs is true
   bool EnableTextPackets;               // true - use text plain messages insead of AX25 binary frames for interoperability with other projects
+  bool EnableTextPacketsPrefix;         // true - enable aprs-lora 3 byte prefix '<', 0xff, 0x01
 
   // external ptt tx control
   bool PttEnable;                       // true - enable external ptt control
diff --git a/loraprs_service.cpp b/loraprs_service.cpp
index f1d6497..fc7023b 100644
--- a/loraprs_service.cpp
+++ b/loraprs_service.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ void Service::setup(const Config &conf)
   config_ = conf;  
   beaconLastTimestampMs_ = 0;
   disableKiss_ = conf.EnableTextPackets;
+  usePrefix_ = conf.EnableTextPacketsPrefix;
 
   LOG_SET_OPTION(false, false, true);  // disable file, line, enable func