diff --git a/wled00/const.h b/wled00/const.h
index c771dfa74..b8b71cafa 100644
--- a/wled00/const.h
+++ b/wled00/const.h
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@
 #define AP_BEHAVIOR_NO_CONN               1     //Open when no connection (either after boot or if connection is lost)
 #define AP_BEHAVIOR_ALWAYS                2     //Always open
 #define AP_BEHAVIOR_BUTTON_ONLY           3     //Only when button pressed for 6 sec
+#define AP_BEHAVIOR_TEMPORARY             4     //Open AP when no connection after boot but only temporary
+#ifndef WLED_AP_TIMEOUT
+  #define WLED_AP_TIMEOUT            300000     //Temporary AP timeout
+#endif
 
 //Notifier callMode
 #define CALL_MODE_INIT           0     //no updates on init, can be used to disable updates
diff --git a/wled00/data/settings_wifi.htm b/wled00/data/settings_wifi.htm
index acd0c513c..45a119bc9 100644
--- a/wled00/data/settings_wifi.htm
+++ b/wled00/data/settings_wifi.htm
@@ -186,10 +186,12 @@
 		Access Point WiFi channel: <input name="AC" type="number" class="xs" min="1" max="13" required><br>
 		AP opens:
 		<select name="AB">
-		<option value="0">No connection after boot</option>
-		<option value="1">Disconnected</option>
-		<option value="2">Always</option>
-		<option value="3">Never (not recommended)</option></select><br>
+			<option value="0">No connection after boot</option>
+			<option value="1">Disconnected</option>
+			<option value="2">Always</option>
+			<option value="3">Never (not recommended)</option>
+			<option value="4">Temporary (no connection after boot)</option>
+		</select><br>
 		AP IP: <span class="sip"> Not active </span><br>
 		<h3>Experimental</h3>
 		Force 802.11g mode (ESP8266 only): <input type="checkbox" name="FG"><br>
diff --git a/wled00/json.cpp b/wled00/json.cpp
index 90770f834..2213dd5b1 100644
--- a/wled00/json.cpp
+++ b/wled00/json.cpp
@@ -470,6 +470,19 @@ bool deserializeState(JsonObject root, byte callMode, byte presetId)
     }
   }
 
+  JsonObject wifi = root[F("wifi")];
+  if (!wifi.isNull()) {
+    bool apMode = getBoolVal(wifi[F("ap")], apActive);
+    if (!apActive && apMode) WLED::instance().initAP();  // start AP mode immediately
+    else if (apActive && !apMode) { // stop AP mode immediately
+      dnsServer.stop();
+      WiFi.softAPdisconnect(true);
+      apActive = false;
+    }
+    //bool restart = wifi[F("restart")] | false;
+    //if (restart) forceReconnect = true;
+  }
+
   stateUpdated(callMode);
   if (presetToRestore) currentPreset = presetToRestore;
 
diff --git a/wled00/wled.cpp b/wled00/wled.cpp
index 32b33931a..f5fe63ad3 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ void WLED::reset()
 
 void WLED::loop()
 {
+  static uint32_t      lastHeap = UINT32_MAX;
+  static unsigned long heapTime = 0;
   #ifdef WLED_DEBUG
   static unsigned long lastRun = 0;
   unsigned long        loopMillis = millis();
@@ -151,6 +153,21 @@ void WLED::loop()
     createEditHandler(false);
   }
 
+  // reconnect WiFi to clear stale allocations if heap gets too low
+  if (millis() - heapTime > 15000) {
+    uint32_t heap = ESP.getFreeHeap();
+    if (heap < MIN_HEAP_SIZE && lastHeap < MIN_HEAP_SIZE) {
+      DEBUG_PRINT(F("Heap too low! ")); DEBUG_PRINTLN(heap);
+      forceReconnect = true;
+      strip.resetSegments(); // remove all but one segments from memory
+    } else if (heap < MIN_HEAP_SIZE) {
+      DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Heap low, purging segments."));
+      strip.purgeSegments();
+    }
+    lastHeap = heap;
+    heapTime = millis();
+  }
+
   //LED settings have been saved, re-init busses
   //This code block causes severe FPS drop on ESP32 with the original "if (busConfigs[0] != nullptr)" conditional. Investigate!
   if (doInitBusses) {
@@ -844,34 +861,20 @@ void WLED::initInterfaces()
 void WLED::handleConnection()
 {
   static byte stacO = 0;
-  static uint32_t lastHeap = UINT32_MAX;
-  static unsigned long heapTime = 0;
   unsigned long now = millis();
 
   if (now < 2000 && (!WLED_WIFI_CONFIGURED || apBehavior == AP_BEHAVIOR_ALWAYS))
     return;
 
-  if (lastReconnectAttempt == 0) {
-    DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("lastReconnectAttempt == 0"));
+  if (lastReconnectAttempt == 0 || forceReconnect) {
+    DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Initial connect or forced reconnect."));
     initConnection();
+    interfacesInited = false;
+    forceReconnect = false;
+    wasConnected = false;
     return;
   }
 
-  // reconnect WiFi to clear stale allocations if heap gets too low
-  if (now - heapTime > 5000) {
-    uint32_t heap = ESP.getFreeHeap();
-    if (heap < MIN_HEAP_SIZE && lastHeap < MIN_HEAP_SIZE) {
-      DEBUG_PRINT(F("Heap too low! "));
-      DEBUG_PRINTLN(heap);
-      forceReconnect = true;
-      strip.resetSegments();
-    } else if (heap < MIN_HEAP_SIZE) {
-      strip.purgeSegments();
-    }
-    lastHeap = heap;
-    heapTime = now;
-  }
-
   byte stac = 0;
   if (apActive) {
 #ifdef ESP8266
@@ -893,14 +896,6 @@ void WLED::handleConnection()
       }
     }
   }
-  if (forceReconnect) {
-    DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Forcing reconnect."));
-    initConnection();
-    interfacesInited = false;
-    forceReconnect = false;
-    wasConnected = false;
-    return;
-  }
   if (!Network.isConnected()) {
     if (interfacesInited) {
       DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Disconnected!"));
@@ -918,8 +913,19 @@ void WLED::handleConnection()
       initConnection();
     }
     if (!apActive && now - lastReconnectAttempt > 12000 && (!wasConnected || apBehavior == AP_BEHAVIOR_NO_CONN)) {
-      DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Not connected AP."));
-      initAP();
+      if (!(apBehavior == AP_BEHAVIOR_TEMPORARY && now > WLED_AP_TIMEOUT)) {
+        DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Not connected AP."));
+        initAP();  // start AP only within first 5min
+      }
+    }
+    if (apActive && apBehavior == AP_BEHAVIOR_TEMPORARY && now > WLED_AP_TIMEOUT && stac == 0) { // disconnect AP after 5min if no clients connected
+      // if AP was enabled more than 10min after boot or if client was connected more than 10min after boot do not disconnect AP mode
+      if (now < 2*WLED_AP_TIMEOUT) {
+        dnsServer.stop();
+        WiFi.softAPdisconnect(true);
+        apActive = false;
+        DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Temporary AP disabled."));
+      }
     }
   } else if (!interfacesInited) { //newly connected
     DEBUG_PRINTLN("");
@@ -940,7 +946,7 @@ void WLED::handleConnection()
       dnsServer.stop();
       WiFi.softAPdisconnect(true);
       apActive = false;
-      DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Access point disabled (handle)."));
+      DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Access point disabled (connected)."));
     }
   }
 }