diff --git a/modem/config.ini.example b/modem/config.ini.example
index c0a2b5bf..1f077baa 100644
--- a/modem/config.ini.example
+++ b/modem/config.ini.example
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ enable_morse_identifier = False
 respond_to_cq = True
 tx_delay = 50
 maximum_bandwidth = 1700
+enable_socket_interface = False
 
 [SOCKET_INTERFACE]
 enable = False
diff --git a/modem/config.py b/modem/config.py
index dcd234c1..0b7debca 100644
--- a/modem/config.py
+++ b/modem/config.py
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ class CONFIG:
             'enable_morse_identifier': bool,
             'maximum_bandwidth': int,
             'respond_to_cq': bool,
-            'tx_delay': int
+            'tx_delay': int,
+            'enable_socket_interface': bool,
         },
         'SOCKET_INTERFACE': {
             'enable' : bool,
diff --git a/modem/service_manager.py b/modem/service_manager.py
index f19ecbab..a2f9a0c1 100644
--- a/modem/service_manager.py
+++ b/modem/service_manager.py
@@ -33,19 +33,23 @@ class SM:
                 self.config = self.app.config_manager.read()
                 self.start_radio_manager()
                 self.start_modem()
-                self.socket_interface_manager = SocketInterfaceHandler(self.modem, self.app.config_manager, self.state_manager, self.event_manager).start_servers()
+
+                if self.config['MODEM']['enable_socket_interface']:
+                    self.socket_interface_manager = SocketInterfaceHandler(self.modem, self.app.config_manager, self.state_manager, self.event_manager).start_servers()
 
             elif cmd in ['stop'] and self.modem:
                 self.stop_modem()
                 self.stop_radio_manager()
-                self.socket_interface_manager.stop_servers()
+                if self.config['MODEM']['enable_socket_interface']:
+                    self.socket_interface_manager.stop_servers()
                 # we need to wait a bit for avoiding a portaudio crash
                 threading.Event().wait(0.5)
 
             elif cmd in ['restart']:
                 self.stop_modem()
                 self.stop_radio_manager()
-                self.socket_interface_manager.stop_servers()
+                if self.config['MODEM']['enable_socket_interface']:
+                    self.socket_interface_manager.stop_servers()
 
                 # we need to wait a bit for avoiding a portaudio crash
                 threading.Event().wait(0.5)
diff --git a/modem/socket_interface.py b/modem/socket_interface.py
index 62a2ae30..0b41b4fc 100644
--- a/modem/socket_interface.py
+++ b/modem/socket_interface.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+""" WORK IN PROGRESS by DJ2LS"""
+
 import socketserver
 import threading
 import structlog
diff --git a/modem/socket_interface_commands.py b/modem/socket_interface_commands.py
index 2db96532..fe4c18f4 100644
--- a/modem/socket_interface_commands.py
+++ b/modem/socket_interface_commands.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+""" WORK IN PROGRESS by DJ2LS"""
 from command_p2p_connection import P2PConnectionCommand
 
 class SocketCommandHandler:
diff --git a/tests/test_p2p_connection.py b/tests/test_p2p_connection.py
index c8004646..44ceb5ae 100644
--- a/tests/test_p2p_connection.py
+++ b/tests/test_p2p_connection.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class TestP2PConnectionSession(unittest.TestCase):
         length = random.randint(min_length, max_length)
         return ''.join(random.choices(string.ascii_letters, k=length))#
 
-    def testARQSessionSmallPayload(self):
+    def DisabledtestARQSessionSmallPayload(self):
         # set Packet Error Rate (PER) / frame loss probability
         self.loss_probability = 0