diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/upload-sketch.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/upload-sketch.ts
index 01e1c489..178d8637 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/upload-sketch.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/upload-sketch.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ export class UploadSketch extends SketchContribution {
         registry.registerCommand(UploadSketch.Commands.UPLOAD_SKETCH, {
             execute: () => this.uploadSketch()
         });
+        registry.registerCommand(UploadSketch.Commands.UPLOAD_SKETCH_USING_PROGRAMMER, {
+            execute: () => this.uploadSketch(true)
+        });
         registry.registerCommand(UploadSketch.Commands.UPLOAD_SKETCH_TOOLBAR, {
             isVisible: widget => ArduinoToolbar.is(widget) && widget.side === 'left',
             execute: () => registry.executeCommand(UploadSketch.Commands.UPLOAD_SKETCH.id)
@@ -42,6 +45,11 @@ export class UploadSketch extends SketchContribution {
             label: 'Upload',
             order: '0'
         });
+        registry.registerMenuAction(ArduinoMenus.SKETCH__MAIN_GROUP, {
+            commandId: UploadSketch.Commands.UPLOAD_SKETCH_USING_PROGRAMMER.id,
+            label: 'Upload Using Programmer',
+            order: '1'
+        });
     }
 
     registerKeybindings(registry: KeybindingRegistry): void {
@@ -49,6 +57,10 @@ export class UploadSketch extends SketchContribution {
             command: UploadSketch.Commands.UPLOAD_SKETCH.id,
             keybinding: 'CtrlCmd+U'
         });
+        registry.registerKeybinding({
+            command: UploadSketch.Commands.UPLOAD_SKETCH_USING_PROGRAMMER.id,
+            keybinding: 'CtrlCmd+Shift+U'
+        });
     }
 
     registerToolbarItems(registry: TabBarToolbarRegistry): void {
@@ -60,7 +72,7 @@ export class UploadSketch extends SketchContribution {
         });
     }
 
-    async uploadSketch(): Promise<void> {
+    async uploadSketch(usingProgrammer: boolean = false): Promise<void> {
         const uri = await this.currentSketchFile();
         if (!uri) {
             return;
@@ -86,12 +98,13 @@ export class UploadSketch extends SketchContribution {
                 this.boardsDataStore.getData(boardsConfig.selectedBoard.fqbn)
             ]);
             this.outputChannelManager.getChannel('Arduino: upload').clear();
+            const programmer = usingProgrammer ? data.selectedProgrammer : undefined;
             await this.coreService.upload({
                 sketchUri: uri,
                 fqbn,
                 port: selectedPort.address,
                 optimizeForDebug: this.editorMode.compileForDebug,
-                programmer: data.selectedProgrammer
+                programmer
             });
             this.messageService.info('Done uploading.', { timeout: 1000 });
         } catch (e) {
@@ -110,6 +123,9 @@ export namespace UploadSketch {
         export const UPLOAD_SKETCH: Command = {
             id: 'arduino-upload-sketch'
         };
+        export const UPLOAD_SKETCH_USING_PROGRAMMER: Command = {
+            id: 'arduino-upload-sketch-using-programmer'
+        };
         export const UPLOAD_SKETCH_TOOLBAR: Command = {
             id: 'arduino-upload-sketch--toolbar'
         };
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/verify-sketch.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/verify-sketch.ts
index b10730f4..954233dc 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/verify-sketch.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/contributions/verify-sketch.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export class VerifySketch extends SketchContribution {
         registry.registerMenuAction(ArduinoMenus.SKETCH__MAIN_GROUP, {
             commandId: VerifySketch.Commands.VERIFY_SKETCH.id,
             label: 'Verify/Compile',
-            order: '0'
+            order: '2'
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/boards-service.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/boards-service.ts
index f3c01dd7..0abbe29f 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/boards-service.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/boards-service.ts
@@ -287,15 +287,6 @@ export namespace Programmer {
         return left.id === right.id && left.name === right.name && left.platform === right.platform;
     }
 
-    export function toString({ id, platform }: Programmer): string {
-        // tslint:disable-next-line: whitespace
-        const [vendor,] = platform.split(':');
-        if (!vendor) {
-            throw new Error(`Could not extract vendor from platform: '${platform}'.`);
-        }
-        return `${vendor}:${id}`;
-    }
-
 }
 
 export namespace Board {
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/core-service.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/core-service.ts
index 4debb868..a6baa0b4 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/core-service.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/common/protocol/core-service.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export namespace CoreService {
             readonly sketchUri: string;
             readonly fqbn: string;
             readonly optimizeForDebug: boolean;
-            readonly programmer?: Programmer;
+            readonly programmer?: Programmer | undefined;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-service-impl.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-service-impl.ts
index 0e4ace21..c19da8d6 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-service-impl.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-service-impl.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { inject, injectable, postConstruct } from 'inversify';
 import { FileSystem } from '@theia/filesystem/lib/common/filesystem';
 import { CoreService, CoreServiceClient } from '../common/protocol/core-service';
 import { CompileReq, CompileResp } from './cli-protocol/commands/compile_pb';
-import { BoardsService, Programmer } from '../common/protocol/boards-service';
+import { BoardsService } from '../common/protocol/boards-service';
 import { CoreClientProvider } from './core-client-provider';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import { ToolOutputServiceServer } from '../common/protocol/tool-output-service';
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export class CoreServiceImpl implements CoreService {
         compilerReq.setVerbose(true);
         compilerReq.setQuiet(false);
         if (options.programmer) {
-            compilerReq.setProgrammer(Programmer.toString(options.programmer));
+            compilerReq.setProgrammer(options.programmer.id);
         }
 
         const result = client.compile(compilerReq);
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ export class CoreServiceImpl implements CoreService {
         uploadReq.setFqbn(fqbn);
         uploadReq.setPort(options.port);
         if (options.programmer) {
-            uploadReq.setProgrammer(Programmer.toString(options.programmer));
+            uploadReq.setProgrammer(options.programmer.id);
         }
         const result = client.upload(uploadReq);