diff --git a/src/components/eventBus.js b/src/components/eventBus.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b7292718a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/eventBus.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import Vue from "vue";
+export const EventBus = new Vue();
diff --git a/src/components/init.js b/src/components/init.js
index 79501b3e10..d96e968e64 100644
--- a/src/components/init.js
+++ b/src/components/init.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import BatteryIcon from "./quad-status/BatteryIcon.vue";
 import FC from '../js/fc.js';
 import MSP from '../js/msp.js';
 import PortUsage from '../js/port_usage.js';
+import PortPicker from './port-picker/PortPicker.vue';
 import CONFIGURATOR from '../js/data_storage.js';
 
 // Most of the global objects can go here at first.
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ i18next.on('initialized', function() {
             BetaflightLogo,
             StatusBar,
             BatteryIcon,
+            PortPicker,
         },
         data: betaflightModel,
     });
diff --git a/src/components/port-picker/FirmwareVirtualOption.vue b/src/components/port-picker/FirmwareVirtualOption.vue
index b3f4703bf0..b3a11a4a35 100644
--- a/src/components/port-picker/FirmwareVirtualOption.vue
+++ b/src/components/port-picker/FirmwareVirtualOption.vue
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
   >
     <div class="dropdown dropdown-dark">
       <select
+        id="firmware-version-dropdown"
         class="dropdown-select"
         :title="$t('virtualMSPVersion')"
       >
@@ -43,12 +44,12 @@ export default {
 };
 </script>
 
-<style>
+<style scoped>
 #firmware-virtual-option {
     height: 76px;
     width: 180px;
     margin-right: 15px;
-    margin-top: 16px;
+    margin-top: 0px;
     display: none;
 }
 .dropdown {
@@ -148,19 +149,6 @@ export default {
     cursor: pointer;
 }
 
-/* Fix for IE 8 putting the arrows behind the select element. */
-.lt-ie9 .dropdown {
-    z-index: 1;
-}
-
-.lt-ie9 .dropdown-select {
-    z-index: -1;
-}
-
-.lt-ie9 .dropdown-select:focus {
-    z-index: 3;
-}
-
 .dropdown-dark {
     background: #636363; /* NEW2 */
     background: #3e403f; /* NEW */
diff --git a/src/components/port-picker/PortPicker.vue b/src/components/port-picker/PortPicker.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d91ea31f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/port-picker/PortPicker.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<template>
+  <div class="web-port-picker">
+    <FirmwareVirtualOption :is-virtual="port === 'virtual'" />
+    <PortsInput v-model="port" />
+  </div>
+</template>
+
+<script>
+import FirmwareVirtualOption from "./FirmwareVirtualOption.vue";
+import PortsInput from "./PortsInput.vue";
+
+export default {
+  components: {
+    FirmwareVirtualOption,
+    PortsInput,
+  },
+  data() {
+    return {
+      port: 'manual',
+    };
+  },
+};
+</script>
+
+<style scoped>
+.web-port-picker {
+    display: flex;
+    margin-left: auto;
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/src/components/port-picker/PortsInput.vue b/src/components/port-picker/PortsInput.vue
index baac2eda6f..f17cda70ac 100644
--- a/src/components/port-picker/PortsInput.vue
+++ b/src/components/port-picker/PortsInput.vue
@@ -8,48 +8,21 @@
         id="port"
         class="dropdown-select"
         :title="$t('firmwareFlasherManualPort')"
+        @value="value"
+        @input="$emit('input', $event.target.value)"
       >
-        <option value="virtual">
-          {{ $t("portsSelectVirtual") }}
-        </option>
         <option value="manual">
           {{ $t("portsSelectManual") }}
         </option>
+        <option
+          v-if="showVirtual"
+          value="virtual"
+        >
+          {{ $t("portsSelectVirtual") }}
+        </option>
       </select>
     </div>
     <div id="auto-connect-and-baud">
-      <div id="auto-connect-switch">
-        <label style="display: flex; align-items: baseline">
-          <input
-            type="checkbox"
-            class="auto_connect"
-            title="Auto-Connect: Enabled - Configurator automatically tries to connect when new port is detected"
-            style="display: none"
-            data-switchery="true"
-          >
-          <span
-            class="switchery switchery-small"
-            :style="{
-              backgroundColor: isAutoConnect
-                ? '#ffbb00'
-                : '#858585',
-            }"
-          >
-            <small
-              :style="{
-                left: isAutoConnect ? '10px' : '0px',
-                transition: 'ease-in-out 0.2s',
-              }"
-              @click="isAutoConnect = !isAutoConnect"
-            /></span>
-          <span
-            i18n="autoConnect"
-            class="auto_connect"
-            title="Auto-Connect: Enabled - Configurator automatically tries to connect when new port is detected"
-          >{{ $t("autoConnect") }}
-          </span>
-        </label>
-      </div>
       <div id="baudselect">
         <div class="dropdown dropdown-dark">
           <select
@@ -57,7 +30,6 @@
             v-model="selectedBaudRate"
             class="dropdown-select"
             :title="$t('firmwareFlasherBaudRate')"
-            :disabled="isAutoConnect"
           >
             <option
               v-for="baudRate in baudRates"
@@ -74,10 +46,20 @@
 </template>
 
 <script>
+import { get as getConfig } from '../../js/ConfigStorage';
+import { EventBus } from '../eventBus';
+
 export default {
+    props: {
+      value: {
+        type: String,
+        default: 'manual',
+      },
+    },
+
     data() {
         return {
-            isAutoConnect: false,
+            showVirtual: false,
             selectedBaudRate: "115200",
             baudRates: [
                 { value: "1000000", label: "1000000" },
@@ -96,6 +78,17 @@ export default {
             ],
         };
     },
+    mounted() {
+      EventBus.$on('config-storage:set', this.setShowVirtual);
+    },
+    destroyed() {
+      EventBus.$off('config-storage:set', this.setShowVirtual);
+    },
+    methods: {
+      setShowVirtual() {
+        this.showVirtual = getConfig('showVirtualMode').showVirtualMode;
+      },
+    },
 };
 </script>
 <style scoped>
@@ -173,55 +166,6 @@ export default {
     float: right;
 }
 
-#auto-connect-switch {
-    width: 110px;
-    float: left;
-    margin-top: 4px;
-    margin-right: 20px;
-}
-.auto_connect {
-    color: var(--subtleAccent);
-    font-family: "Open Sans", "Segoe UI", Tahoma, sans-serif;
-    font-size: 12px;
-}
-
-.switchery {
-    height: 14px;
-    width: 45px;
-    -moz-user-select: none;
-    -khtml-user-select: none;
-    -webkit-user-select: none;
-    -ms-user-select: none;
-    user-select: none;
-    box-sizing: content-box;
-    background-clip: content-box;
-
-    cursor: pointer;
-    display: inline-block;
-    position: relative;
-    vertical-align: middle;
-}
-
-.switchery-small {
-    border-radius: 20px;
-    height: 10px;
-    width: 20px;
-    margin-right: 5px;
-
-    background-color: var(--switcherysecond);
-    transition: border 0.3s ease 0s, box-shadow 0.3s ease 0s,
-        background-color 0.5s ease 0s;
-}
-
-.switchery small {
-    background: #fff;
-    border-radius: 100%;
-    box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgb(0 0 0 / 40%);
-    height: 10px;
-    width: 10px;
-    position: absolute;
-    top: 0;
-}
 #baudselect {
     width: 80px;
     float: right;
diff --git a/src/index.html b/src/index.html
index 2525dacf97..e758c4886b 100644
--- a/src/index.html
+++ b/src/index.html
@@ -26,54 +26,7 @@
             :firmware-id="FC.CONFIG.flightControllerIdentifier"
             :hardware-id="FC.CONFIG.hardwareName"
         ></betaflight-logo>
-        <div id="port-picker">
-            <div id="port-override-option">
-                <label for="port-override">
-                    <span i18n="portOverrideText">Port:</span>
-                    <input id="port-override" type="text" value="/dev/rfcomm0"/>
-                </label>
-            </div>
-            <div id="firmware-virtual-option">
-                <div class="dropdown dropdown-dark">
-                    <select id="firmware-version-dropdown" class="dropdown-select" i18n_title="virtualMSPVersion"></select>
-                </div>
-            </div>
-            <div id="portsinput" style="display: none">
-                <div class="dropdown dropdown-dark">
-                    <select class="dropdown-select" id="port" i18n_title="firmwareFlasherManualPort">
-                        <option value="loading" i18n="serialPortLoading">Loading</option>
-                        <!-- port list gets generated here -->
-                    </select>
-                </div>
-                <div id="auto-connect-and-baud">
-                    <div id="auto-connect-switch">
-                        <label>
-                            <input class="auto_connect togglesmall" type="checkbox"/>
-                            <span class="auto_connect" i18n="autoConnect"></span>
-                        </label>
-                    </div>
-                    <div id="baudselect">
-                        <div class="dropdown dropdown-dark">
-                            <select class="dropdown-select" id="baud" i18n_title="firmwareFlasherBaudRate">
-                                <option value="1000000">1000000</option>
-                                <option value="500000">500000</option>
-                                <option value="250000">250000</option>
-                                <option value="115200" selected="selected">115200</option>
-                                <option value="57600">57600</option>
-                                <option value="38400">38400</option>
-                                <option value="28800">28800</option>
-                                <option value="19200">19200</option>
-                                <option value="14400">14400</option>
-                                <option value="9600">9600</option>
-                                <option value="4800">4800</option>
-                                <option value="2400">2400</option>
-                                <option value="1200">1200</option>
-                            </select>
-                        </div>
-                    </div>
-                </div>
-            </div>
-        </div>
+        <port-picker></port-picker>
         <div class="header-wrapper">
             <div id="quad-status_wrapper">
                 <battery-icon
diff --git a/src/js/ConfigStorage.js b/src/js/ConfigStorage.js
index 8cda5bd121..bef1fe3afa 100644
--- a/src/js/ConfigStorage.js
+++ b/src/js/ConfigStorage.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { EventBus } from "../components/eventBus";
+
 /**
  * Gets one or more items from localStorage
  * @param {string | string[]} key string or array of strings
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ export function set(input) {
     tmpObj[element] = input[element];
     try {
       localStorage.setItem(element, JSON.stringify(tmpObj));
+      EventBus.$emit(`config-storage:set`, 'element');
     } catch (e) {
       console.error(e);
     }
diff --git a/src/js/msp.js b/src/js/msp.js
index 9a600231e7..42c214bf92 100644
--- a/src/js/msp.js
+++ b/src/js/msp.js
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ import CONFIGURATOR from "./data_storage.js";
 import serialNWJS from "./serial.js";
 import serialWeb from "./webSerial.js";
 import { isWeb } from "./utils/isWeb.js";
+import { serialShim } from "./serial_shim.js";
 
-const serial = isWeb() ? serialWeb : serialNWJS;
+const serial = serialShim();
 
 const MSP = {
     symbols: {
diff --git a/src/js/port_handler.js b/src/js/port_handler.js
index 9b923fe346..40998156ef 100644
--- a/src/js/port_handler.js
+++ b/src/js/port_handler.js
@@ -135,12 +135,18 @@ PortHandler.check_usb_devices = function (callback) {
                 self.portPickerElement.append($('<option/>', {
                     value: "DFU",
                     text: usbText,
+                    /**
+                     * @deprecated please avoid using `isDFU` and friends for new code.
+                     */
                     data: {isDFU: true},
                 }));
 
                 self.portPickerElement.append($('<option/>', {
                     value: 'manual',
                     text: i18n.getMessage('portsSelectManual'),
+                    /**
+                     * @deprecated please avoid using `isDFU` and friends for new code.
+                     */
                     data: {isManual: true},
                 }));
 
@@ -153,7 +159,7 @@ PortHandler.check_usb_devices = function (callback) {
             self.setPortsInputWidth();
             self.dfu_available = false;
         }
-        if (!$('option:selected', self.portPickerElement).data().isDFU) {
+        if ($('option:selected', self.portPickerElement).val() !== 'DFU') {
             if (!(GUI.connected_to || GUI.connect_lock)) {
                 FC.resetState();
             }
@@ -282,6 +288,9 @@ PortHandler.updatePortSelect = function (ports) {
         this.portPickerElement.append($("<option/>", {
             value: ports[i].path,
             text: portText,
+            /**
+             * @deprecated please avoid using `isDFU` and friends for new code.
+             */
             data: {isManual: false},
         }));
     }
@@ -290,6 +299,9 @@ PortHandler.updatePortSelect = function (ports) {
         this.portPickerElement.append($("<option/>", {
             value: 'virtual',
             text: i18n.getMessage('portsSelectVirtual'),
+            /**
+             * @deprecated please avoid using `isDFU` and friends for new code.
+             */
             data: {isVirtual: true},
         }));
     }
@@ -297,6 +309,9 @@ PortHandler.updatePortSelect = function (ports) {
     this.portPickerElement.append($("<option/>", {
         value: 'manual',
         text: i18n.getMessage('portsSelectManual'),
+        /**
+         * @deprecated please avoid using `isDFU` and friends for new code.
+         */
         data: {isManual: true},
     }));
 
diff --git a/src/js/serial_backend.js b/src/js/serial_backend.js
index 443d94e6a1..87e933ce27 100644
--- a/src/js/serial_backend.js
+++ b/src/js/serial_backend.js
@@ -24,11 +24,10 @@ import CryptoES from "crypto-es";
 import $ from 'jquery';
 import BuildApi from "./BuildApi";
 
-import serialNWJS from "./serial.js";
-import serialWeb from "./webSerial.js";
 import { isWeb } from "./utils/isWeb";
+import { serialShim } from "./serial_shim.js";
 
-const serial = isWeb() ? serialWeb : serialNWJS;
+let serial = serialShim();
 
 let mspHelper;
 let connectionTimestamp;
@@ -51,21 +50,25 @@ function disconnectHandler(event) {
 
 export function initializeSerialBackend() {
     GUI.updateManualPortVisibility = function() {
-        const selected_port = $('div#port-picker #port option:selected');
-        if (selected_port.data().isManual) {
+        if(isWeb()) {
+            return;
+        }
+        const selected_port = $('#port').val();
+
+        if (selected_port === 'manual') {
             $('#port-override-option').show();
         }
         else {
             $('#port-override-option').hide();
         }
-        if (selected_port.data().isVirtual) {
+        if (selected_port === 'virtual') {
             $('#firmware-virtual-option').show();
         }
         else {
             $('#firmware-virtual-option').hide();
         }
 
-        $('#auto-connect-and-baud').toggle(!selected_port.data().isDFU);
+        $('#auto-connect-and-baud').toggle(selected_port !== 'DFU');
     };
 
     GUI.updateManualPortVisibility();
@@ -86,9 +89,9 @@ export function initializeSerialBackend() {
 
     $("div.connect_controls a.connect").on('click', function () {
 
-        const selectedPort = $('div#port-picker #port option:selected');
+        const selectedPort = $('#port').val();
         let portName;
-        if (selectedPort.data().isManual) {
+        if (selectedPort === 'manual') {
             portName = $('#port-override').val();
         } else {
             portName = String($('div#port-picker #port').val());
@@ -100,9 +103,9 @@ export function initializeSerialBackend() {
             GUI.configuration_loaded = false;
 
             const selected_baud = parseInt($('div#port-picker #baud').val());
-            const selectedPort = $('div#port-picker #port option:selected');
+            const selectedPort = $('#port').val();
 
-            if (selectedPort.data().isDFU) {
+            if (selectedPort === 'DFU') {
                 $('select#baud').hide();
             } else if (portName !== '0') {
                 if (!isConnected) {
@@ -113,13 +116,17 @@ export function initializeSerialBackend() {
                     $('div#port-picker #port, div#port-picker #baud, div#port-picker #delay').prop('disabled', true);
                     $('div.connect_controls div.connect_state').text(i18n.getMessage('connecting'));
 
-                    const baudRate = parseInt($('div#port-picker #baud').val());
-                    if (selectedPort.data().isVirtual) {
+                    const baudRate = parseInt($('#baud').val());
+                    if (selectedPort === 'virtual') {
                         CONFIGURATOR.virtualMode = true;
-                        CONFIGURATOR.virtualApiVersion = $('#firmware-version-dropdown :selected').val();
+                        CONFIGURATOR.virtualApiVersion = $('#firmware-version-dropdown').val();
 
+                        // Hack to get virtual working on the web
+                        serial = serialShim();
                         serial.connect('virtual', {}, onOpenVirtual);
                     } else if (isWeb()) {
+                        CONFIGURATOR.virtualMode = false;
+                        serial = serialShim();
                         // Explicitly disconnect the event listeners before attaching the new ones.
                         serial.removeEventListener('connect', connectHandler);
                         serial.addEventListener('connect', connectHandler);
diff --git a/src/js/serial_shim.js b/src/js/serial_shim.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eeb8608756
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/js/serial_shim.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import CONFIGURATOR from "./data_storage";
+import serialNWJS from "./serial.js";
+import serialWeb from "./webSerial.js";
+import { isWeb } from "./utils/isWeb";
+
+export let serialShim = () => CONFIGURATOR.virtualMode ? serialNWJS : isWeb() ? serialWeb : serialNWJS;