diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/ConnStatusHandler.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/ConnStatusHandler.java
index 1b85b209f..633523fc6 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/ConnStatusHandler.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/ConnStatusHandler.java
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ public class ConnStatusHandler {
                                                     - scratchR.height()) );
                 drawIn( canvas, res, R.drawable.multigame__gen, scratchR );
 
-                if ( BuildConfig.DEBUG && 0 < s_moveCount ) {
+                if ( 0 < s_moveCount && XWPrefs.moveCountEnabled( context ) ) {
                     String str = String.format( "%d", s_moveCount );
                     s_fillPaint.setColor( Color.BLACK );
                     canvas.drawText( str, s_rect.left + (s_rect.width() / 2),
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameListItem.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameListItem.java
index 9390244f8..7fed2a1d3 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameListItem.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameListItem.java
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ public class GameListItem extends LinearLayout
             findViewById( R.id.has_chat_marker )
                 .setVisibility( hasChat ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE );
 
-            if ( BuildConfig.DEBUG ) {
+            if ( XWPrefs.moveCountEnabled( m_context ) ) {
                 TextView tv = (TextView)findViewById( R.id.n_pending );
                 int nPending = summary.nPacketsPending;
                 String str = nPending == 0 ? "" : String.format( "%d", nPending );
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/XWPrefs.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/XWPrefs.java
index bcd2ea7cb..cb5f1a372 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/XWPrefs.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/XWPrefs.java
@@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ public class XWPrefs {
         return getPrefsBoolean( context, R.string.key_enable_dup_invite, false );
     }
 
+    public static boolean moveCountEnabled( Context context )
+    {
+        return getPrefsBoolean( context, R.string.key_enable_pending_count,
+                                BuildConfig.DEBUG );
+    }
+
     public static boolean getIgnoreFCM( Context context )
     {
         String curValue =
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/common_rsrc.xml b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/common_rsrc.xml
index dce097a73..56e50c8bc 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/common_rsrc.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/common_rsrc.xml
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@
   <string name="key_na_dicts">key_na_dicts</string>
   <string name="key_enable_debug">key_enable_debug</string>
   <string name="key_enable_dup_invite">key_enable_dup_invite</string>
+  <string name="key_enable_pending_count">key_enable_pending_count</string>
   <string name="key_enable_sms_toself">key_enable_sms_toself</string>
   <string name="key_show_fcm">key_show_fcm2</string>
   <string name="key_nag_intervals">key_nag_intervals</string>
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 986e328c0..12a670e8d 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -2197,6 +2197,8 @@
     <string name="enable_dupes_title">Accept duplicate invites</string>
     <string name="xlations_locale">Fake locale for translation</string>
     <string name="enable_dupes_summary">Accept invitations more than once</string>
+    <string name="enable_pending_count_title">Show Pending messages</string>
+    <string name="enable_pending_count_summary">Show number not yet acknowledged</string>
     <string name="nag_intervals">Reminder intervals (minutes1,minutes2,…)</string>
     <string name="enable_sms_toself_title">Short-circuit SMS to self</string>
     <string name="enable_sms_toself_summary">Skip radio when phone numbers same</string>
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/xml/xwprefs.xml b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/xml/xwprefs.xml
index 9d72915af..755ac4bbf 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/xml/xwprefs.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/res/xml/xwprefs.xml
@@ -390,6 +390,12 @@
                         android:defaultValue="false"
                         />
 
+    <CheckBoxPreference android:key="@string/key_enable_pending_count"
+                        android:title="@string/enable_pending_count_title"
+                        android:summary="@string/enable_pending_count_summary"
+                        android:defaultValue="@bool/DEBUG"
+                        />
+
     <PreferenceScreen android:title="@string/pref_group_relay_title"
                       android:summary="@string/pref_group_relay_summary"
                       android:key="@string/pref_group_relay_title"