diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/UITask.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/UITask.cpp
index f003aa52..8ffb2c1f 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/UITask.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/UITask.cpp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ void UITask::renderCurrScreen() {
     if (_connected) {
       //_display->printf("freq : %03.2f sf %d\n", _prefs.freq, _prefs.sf);
       //_display->printf("bw   : %03.2f cr %d\n", _prefs.bw, _prefs.cr);
-    } else {
+    } else if (_pin_code != 0) {
       _display->setTextSize(2);
       _display->setCursor(0, 43);
       sprintf(tmp, "Pin:%d", _pin_code);
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp
index 1f528439..7eba79c9 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/main.cpp
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ class MyMesh : public BaseChatMesh {
   ContactsIterator _iter;
   uint32_t _iter_filter_since;
   uint32_t _most_recent_lastmod;
+  uint32_t _active_ble_pin;
   bool  _iter_started;
   uint8_t app_target_ver;
   uint8_t cmd_frame[MAX_FRAME_SIZE+1];
@@ -220,11 +221,6 @@ class MyMesh : public BaseChatMesh {
     if (!_identity_store->load("_main", self_id)) {
       self_id = mesh::LocalIdentity(&trng);  // create new random identity
       saveMainIdentity(self_id);
-
-    #if defined(BLE_PIN_CODE) && defined(DISPLAY_CLASS)
-      // start with randomly assigned BLE pin
-      _prefs.ble_pin = trng.nextInt(100000, 999999);
-    #endif
     }
   }
 
@@ -617,9 +613,6 @@ public:
     _prefs.bw = LORA_BW;
     _prefs.cr = LORA_CR;
     _prefs.tx_power_dbm = LORA_TX_POWER;
-  #ifdef BLE_PIN_CODE
-    _prefs.ble_pin = BLE_PIN_CODE;
-  #endif
     //_prefs.rx_delay_base = 10.0f;  enable once new algo fixed
   }
 
@@ -672,6 +665,20 @@ public:
       }
     }
 
+  #ifdef BLE_PIN_CODE
+    if (_prefs.ble_pin == 0) {
+    #ifdef DISPLAY_CLASS
+      _active_ble_pin = trng.nextInt(100000, 999999);  // random pin each session
+    #else
+      _active_ble_pin = BLE_PIN_CODE;  // otherwise static pin
+    #endif
+    } else {
+      _active_ble_pin = _prefs.ble_pin;
+    }
+  #else
+    _active_ble_pin = 0;
+  #endif
+
     // init 'blob store' support
     _fs->mkdir("/bl");
 
@@ -686,7 +693,7 @@ public:
   }
 
   const char* getNodeName() { return _prefs.node_name; }
-  uint32_t getBLEPin() { return _prefs.ble_pin; }
+  uint32_t getBLEPin() { return _active_ble_pin; }
 
   void startInterface(BaseSerialInterface& serial) {
     _serial = &serial;
diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
index 2457a306..17a699d4 100644
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ b/platformio.ini
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ build_flags =
   -D MAX_CONTACTS=100
   -D MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS=1
   -D DISPLAY_CLASS=SSD1306Display
-  -D BLE_PIN_CODE=123456
+  -D BLE_PIN_CODE=0   ; dynamic, random PIN
   -D BLE_DEBUG_LOGGING=1
 ;  -D ENABLE_PRIVATE_KEY_IMPORT=1
 ;  -D ENABLE_PRIVATE_KEY_EXPORT=1
@@ -196,6 +196,23 @@ lib_deps =
   ${Heltec_lora32_v3.lib_deps}
   densaugeo/base64 @ ~1.4.0
 
+[env:Heltec_WSL3_companion_radio_ble]
+extends = Heltec_lora32_v3
+build_flags =
+  ${Heltec_lora32_v3.build_flags} 
+  -D MAX_CONTACTS=100
+  -D MAX_GROUP_CHANNELS=1
+  -D BLE_PIN_CODE=123456
+  -D BLE_DEBUG_LOGGING=1
+;  -D ENABLE_PRIVATE_KEY_IMPORT=1
+;  -D ENABLE_PRIVATE_KEY_EXPORT=1
+;  -D MESH_PACKET_LOGGING=1
+;  -D MESH_DEBUG=1
+build_src_filter = ${Heltec_lora32_v3.build_src_filter} +<helpers/esp32/*.cpp> +<../examples/companion_radio>
+lib_deps =
+  ${Heltec_lora32_v3.lib_deps}
+  densaugeo/base64 @ ~1.4.0
+
 [env:Heltec_v3_companion_radio_wifi]
 extends = Heltec_lora32_v3
 build_flags =