diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/MessagesFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/MessagesFragment.kt
index d552e4b6..b483a5a3 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/MessagesFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/MessagesFragment.kt
@@ -228,6 +228,17 @@ class MessagesFragment : ScreenFragment("Messages"), Logging {
     override fun onViewCreated(view: View, savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
         super.onViewCreated(view, savedInstanceState)
 
+        binding.sendButton.setOnClickListener {
+            debug("sendButton click")
+
+            val str = binding.messageInputText.text.toString().trim()
+            if (str.isNotEmpty())
+                model.messagesState.sendMessage(str)
+            binding.messageInputText.setText("") // blow away the string the user just entered
+
+            // requireActivity().hideKeyboard()
+        }
+
         binding.messageInputText.on(EditorInfo.IME_ACTION_DONE) {
             debug("did IME action")
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/drawable/ic_send_24.xml b/app/src/main/res/drawable/ic_send_24.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f0d63e17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/res/drawable/ic_send_24.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<vector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:width="24dp"
+    android:height="24dp"
+    android:viewportWidth="24"
+    android:viewportHeight="24"
+    android:tint="?attr/colorControlNormal"
+    android:autoMirrored="true">
+  <path
+      android:fillColor="@android:color/white"
+      android:pathData="M2.01,21L23,12 2.01,3 2,10l15,2 -15,2z"/>
+</vector>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/messages_fragment.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/messages_fragment.xml
index 42e81fb7..8a2f54ff 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/messages_fragment.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/messages_fragment.xml
@@ -23,19 +23,34 @@
         android:layout_width="0dp"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
-        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
         android:layout_marginBottom="8dp"
         android:hint="@string/send_text"
         app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
-        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintEnd_toStartOf="@+id/sendButton"
         app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent">
 
         <com.google.android.material.textfield.TextInputEditText
             android:id="@+id/messageInputText"
             android:layout_width="match_parent"
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+            android:maxLength="200"
             android:imeOptions="actionDone"
-            android:singleLine="true"
             android:text="" />
+
     </com.google.android.material.textfield.TextInputLayout>
+
+    <ImageButton
+        android:id="@+id/sendButton"
+        android:layout_width="64dp"
+        android:layout_height="0dp"
+        android:layout_weight="1"
+        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
+        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
+        android:layout_marginBottom="8dp"
+        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
+        app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/textInputLayout"
+        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/messageListView"
+        app:srcCompat="@drawable/ic_send_24" />
+
 </androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>
\ No newline at end of file