diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt
index d79ce445c..2404ff116 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/UIState.kt
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ class UIViewModel @Inject constructor(
 
     private val _channels = MutableStateFlow(ChannelSet())
     val channels: StateFlow<ChannelSet> = _channels
+    val channelSet get() = channels.value.protobuf
 
     private val _quickChatActions = MutableStateFlow<List<QuickChatAction>>(emptyList())
     val quickChatActions: StateFlow<List<QuickChatAction>> = _quickChatActions
@@ -355,6 +356,8 @@ class UIViewModel @Inject constructor(
             }
     }
 
+    val adminChannelIndex: Int get() = channelSet.settingsList.map { it.name }.indexOf("admin")
+
     fun requestShutdown(idNum: Int) {
         try {
             meshService?.requestShutdown(idNum)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
index a82c5e60b..d91466143 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
@@ -463,6 +463,9 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
     /// My node ID string
     private val myNodeID get() = toNodeID(myNodeNum)
 
+    /// Admin channel index
+    private var adminChannelIndex: Int = 0
+
     /// Convert the channels array into a ChannelSet
     private var channelSet: AppOnlyProtos.ChannelSet
         get() {
@@ -543,6 +546,7 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
         initFn: AdminProtos.AdminMessage.Builder.() -> Unit
     ): MeshPacket = buildMeshPacket(
         wantAck = true,
+        channel = adminChannelIndex,
         priority = MeshPacket.Priority.RELIABLE
     )
     {
@@ -958,9 +962,10 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
         }
     }
 
-    private fun addChannelSettings(channel: ChannelProtos.Channel) {
+    private fun addChannelSettings(ch: ChannelProtos.Channel) {
+        if (ch.index == 0 || ch.settings.name == "admin") adminChannelIndex = ch.index
         serviceScope.handledLaunch {
-            channelSetRepository.addSettings(channel)
+            channelSetRepository.addSettings(ch)
         }
     }
 
@@ -1381,9 +1386,10 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
         })
     }
 
-    private fun setChannel(channel: ChannelProtos.Channel) {
+    private fun setChannel(ch: ChannelProtos.Channel) {
+        if (ch.index == 0 || ch.settings.name == "admin") adminChannelIndex = ch.index
         sendToRadio(newMeshPacketTo(myNodeNum).buildAdminPacket(wantResponse = true) {
-            setChannel = channel
+            setChannel = ch
         })
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ContactsFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ContactsFragment.kt
index 199f7a81c..35bdd7b3c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ContactsFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ContactsFragment.kt
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class ContactsFragment : ScreenFragment("Messages"), Logging {
             val node = nodes[if (fromLocal) contact.to else contact.from]
 
             //grab channel names from DeviceConfig
-            val channels = model.channels.value.protobuf
+            val channels = model.channelSet
             val channelName = if (channels.settingsCount > contact.channel)
                 Channel(channels.settingsList[contact.channel], channels.loraConfig).name else null
 
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ class ContactsFragment : ScreenFragment("Messages"), Logging {
         fun onContactsChanged(contacts: Map<String, Packet>) {
             // Add empty channel placeholders (always show Broadcast contacts, even when empty)
             val mutableMap = contacts.toMutableMap()
-            for (ch in 0 until model.channels.value.protobuf.settingsCount) {
+            for (ch in 0 until model.channelSet.settingsCount) {
                 val contactKey = "$ch${DataPacket.ID_BROADCAST}"
                 if (mutableMap[contactKey] == null) mutableMap[contactKey] = Packet(
                     0L, 1, contactKey, 0L,
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/UsersFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/UsersFragment.kt
index edbccdfb5..ff6ff5114 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/UsersFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/UsersFragment.kt
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class UsersFragment : ScreenFragment("Users"), Logging {
         private fun popup(view: View, position: Int) {
             val node = nodes[position]
             val user = node.user
-            val showAdmin = position == 0 // TODO add admin channel check
+            val showAdmin = position == 0 || model.adminChannelIndex > 0
             val popup = PopupMenu(requireContext(), view)
             popup.inflate(R.menu.menu_nodes)
             popup.menu.findItem(R.id.direct_message).isVisible = position > 0