diff --git a/MessageAggregator.cpp b/MessageAggregator.cpp
index a74016060..2471ec2a5 100644
--- a/MessageAggregator.cpp
+++ b/MessageAggregator.cpp
@@ -218,8 +218,11 @@ public:
     auto form_layout = new QFormLayout;
     form_layout->addRow (tr ("Free text:"), message_line_edit_);
     message_line_edit_->setValidator (new QRegExpValidator {message_alphabet, this});
+    connect (message_line_edit_, &QLineEdit::textEdited, [this] (QString const& text) {
+        Q_EMIT do_free_text (id_, text, false);
+      });
     connect (message_line_edit_, &QLineEdit::editingFinished, [this] () {
-        Q_EMIT do_free_text (id_, message_line_edit_->text ());
+        Q_EMIT do_free_text (id_, message_line_edit_->text (), true);
       });
     control_layout->addLayout (form_layout);
     control_layout->addWidget (auto_off_button_);
@@ -285,7 +288,7 @@ public:
 
   Q_SIGNAL void do_reply (QModelIndex const&);
   Q_SIGNAL void do_halt_tx (QString const& id, bool auto_only);
-  Q_SIGNAL void do_free_text (QString const& id, QString const& text);
+  Q_SIGNAL void do_free_text (QString const& id, QString const& text, bool);
 
 private:
   class DecodesFilterModel final
diff --git a/MessageClient.cpp b/MessageClient.cpp
index 10e4aa001..17475a747 100644
--- a/MessageClient.cpp
+++ b/MessageClient.cpp
@@ -137,12 +137,15 @@ void MessageClient::impl::parse_message (QByteArray const& msg)
               break;
 
             case NetworkMessage::FreeText:
-              if (check_status (in) != Fail)
-                {
-                  QByteArray message;
-                  in >> message;
-                  Q_EMIT self_->free_text (QString::fromUtf8 (message));
-                }
+              {
+                QByteArray message;
+                bool send {true};
+                in >> message >> send;
+                if (check_status (in) != Fail)
+                  {
+                    Q_EMIT self_->free_text (QString::fromUtf8 (message), send);
+                  }
+              }
               break;
 
             default:
diff --git a/MessageClient.hpp b/MessageClient.hpp
index 35d305b50..89bca3e20 100644
--- a/MessageClient.hpp
+++ b/MessageClient.hpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public:
 
   // this signal is emitted if the server has requested a new free
   // message text
-  Q_SIGNAL void free_text (QString const&);
+  Q_SIGNAL void free_text (QString const&, bool send);
 
   // this signal is emitted when network errors occur or if a host
   // lookup fails
diff --git a/MessageServer.cpp b/MessageServer.cpp
index 194f80c9a..777081676 100644
--- a/MessageServer.cpp
+++ b/MessageServer.cpp
@@ -356,14 +356,14 @@ void MessageServer::halt_tx (QString const& id, bool auto_only)
     }
 }
 
-void MessageServer::free_text (QString const& id, QString const& text)
+void MessageServer::free_text (QString const& id, QString const& text, bool send)
 {
   auto iter = m_->clients_.find (id);
   if (iter != std::end (m_->clients_))
     {
       QByteArray message;
       NetworkMessage::Builder out {&message, NetworkMessage::FreeText, id};
-      out << text.toUtf8 ();
+      out << text.toUtf8 () << send;
       if (impl::OK == m_->check_status (out))
         {
           m_->writeDatagram (message, iter.value ().sender_address_, (*iter).sender_port_);
diff --git a/MessageServer.hpp b/MessageServer.hpp
index b080a843d..45b9aa1fd 100644
--- a/MessageServer.hpp
+++ b/MessageServer.hpp
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ public:
   // auto_only just disables auto Tx, otherwise halt is immediate
   Q_SLOT void halt_tx (QString const& id, bool auto_only);
 
-  // ask the client with identification 'id' to set the free text message
-  Q_SLOT void free_text (QString const& id, QString const& text);
+  // ask the client with identification 'id' to set the free text
+  // message and optionally send it ASAP
+  Q_SLOT void free_text (QString const& id, QString const& text, bool send);
 
   // the following signals are emitted when a client broadcasts the
   // matching message
diff --git a/NetworkMessage.hpp b/NetworkMessage.hpp
index 329d0c4f7..cce1380b5 100644
--- a/NetworkMessage.hpp
+++ b/NetworkMessage.hpp
@@ -196,16 +196,17 @@
  * Free Text     In        9
  *                         Id (unique key)        utf8
  *                         Text                   utf8
+ *                         Send                   bool
  *
  *			This message  allows the server  to set the current  free text
  *			message content. Sending this  message is equivalent to typing
  *			a new  message (old contents  are discarded) in to  the WSJT-X
  *			free text message field or  "Tx5" field (both are updated) and
- *			then clicking the  "Next" radio button for the  "Tx5" field if
- *			tab one is current or clicking  the "Free msg" radio button if
- *			tab two is current. It is  the responsibility of the sender to
- *			limit  the length  of the  message text  and to  legal message
- *			characters.
+ *			if the Send  flag is set then clicking the  "Now" radio button
+ *			for the  "Tx5" field  if tab  one is  current or  clicking the
+ *			"Free msg"  radio button  if tab  two is  current.  It  is the
+ *			responsibility  of  the sender  to  limit  the length  of  the
+ *			message text and to limit it to legal message characters.
  */
 
 #include <QDataStream>
diff --git a/mainwindow.cpp b/mainwindow.cpp
index ce9b955d2..03dd310f3 100644
--- a/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -203,14 +203,18 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(bool multiple, QSettings * settings, QSharedMemory *shdme
       }
     });
   connect (m_messageClient, &MessageClient::error, this, &MainWindow::networkError);
-  connect (m_messageClient, &MessageClient::free_text, [this] (QString const& text) {
+  connect (m_messageClient, &MessageClient::free_text, [this] (QString const& text, bool send) {
       if (m_config.accept_udp_requests ()) {
         if (0 == ui->tabWidget->currentIndex ()) {
           ui->tx5->setCurrentText (text);
-          ui->txrb5->click ();
-        } else {
+          if (send) {
+            ui->txb5->click ();
+          }
+        } else if (1 == ui->tabWidget->currentIndex ()) {
           ui->freeTextMsg->setCurrentText (text);
-          ui->rbFreeText->click ();
+          if (send) {
+            ui->rbFreeText->click ();
+          }
         }
       }
     });