diff --git a/app/build.gradle b/app/build.gradle
index 12b70ecbb7..8e5b9a43c5 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle
+++ b/app/build.gradle
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ android {
         applicationId "com.geeksville.mesh"
         minSdkVersion 21 // The oldest emulator image I have tried is 22 (though 21 probably works)
         targetSdkVersion 30 // 30 can't work until an explicit location permissions dialog is added
-        versionCode 20252 // format is Mmmss (where M is 1+the numeric major number
-        versionName "1.2.52"
+        versionCode 20253 // format is Mmmss (where M is 1+the numeric major number
+        versionName "1.2.53"
         testInstrumentationRunner "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
 
         // per https://developer.android.com/studio/write/vector-asset-studio
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ dependencies {
     implementation 'com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttp:4.9.0'
 
     // location services
-    implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-location:18.0.0'
+    implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-location:19.0.0'
 
     // For Google Sign-In (owner name accesss)
     implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-auth:20.0.0'
@@ -186,9 +186,9 @@ dependencies {
     // https://firebase.google.com/docs/android/setup#available-libraries
 
     // barcode support
-    // per https://github.com/journeyapps/zxing-android-embedded for support of android version 22
-    implementation('com.journeyapps:zxing-android-embedded:4.1.0') { transitive = false }
-    implementation 'com.google.zxing:core:3.4.1'
+    // per https://github.com/journeyapps/zxing-android-embedded#older-sdk-versions for minSdkVersion 21
+    implementation('com.journeyapps:zxing-android-embedded:4.3.0') { transitive = false }
+    implementation 'com.google.zxing:core:3.3.0' // <-- don't update
 
     def work_version = '2.7.1'
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 91cfdb93d8..7e2a26a86a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -12,9 +12,6 @@
         android:name="android.hardware.location.gps"
         android:required="false" />
 
-    <!-- per https://github.com/journeyapps/zxing-android-embedded to force support for build 22 -->
-    <uses-sdk tools:overrideLibrary="com.google.zxing.client.android" />
-
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_ADMIN" />
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
index 5c79f1d534..4d0702ba9f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import android.content.Context
 import android.content.Intent
 import android.content.IntentFilter
 import android.os.IBinder
+import android.os.Looper
 import android.os.RemoteException
 import android.widget.Toast
 import androidx.annotation.UiThread
@@ -196,6 +197,7 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
      * start our location requests (if they weren't already running)
      *
      * per https://developer.android.com/training/location/change-location-settings
+     *   & https://developer.android.com/training/location/request-updates
      */
     @SuppressLint("MissingPermission")
     @UiThread
@@ -253,10 +255,7 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
             }
 
             val client = LocationServices.getFusedLocationProviderClient(this)
-
-            // FIXME - should we use Looper.myLooper() in the third param per https://github.com/android/location-samples/blob/432d3b72b8c058f220416958b444274ddd186abd/LocationUpdatesForegroundService/app/src/main/java/com/google/android/gms/location/sample/locationupdatesforegroundservice/LocationUpdatesService.java
-            client.requestLocationUpdates(request, locationCallback, null)
-
+            client.requestLocationUpdates(request, locationCallback, Looper.getMainLooper())
             fusedLocationClient = client
         }
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ChannelFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ChannelFragment.kt
index b2ca3fb809..73b644550f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ChannelFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/ChannelFragment.kt
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ class ChannelFragment : ScreenFragment("Channel"), Logging {
 
         binding.scanButton.setOnClickListener {
             if ((requireActivity() as MainActivity).hasCameraPermission()) {
+                debug("Starting QR code scanner")
                 val zxingScan = IntentIntegrator.forSupportFragment(this)
                 zxingScan.setCameraId(0)
                 zxingScan.setPrompt("")
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/SettingsFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/SettingsFragment.kt
index 1a06857992..ce9948838d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/SettingsFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/SettingsFragment.kt
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ class SettingsFragment : ScreenFragment("Settings"), Logging {
             }
 
             locationSettingsResponse.addOnSuccessListener {
-                if (!it.locationSettingsStates.isBleUsable || !it.locationSettingsStates.isLocationUsable)
+                if (!it.locationSettingsStates?.isBleUsable!! || !it.locationSettingsStates?.isLocationUsable!!)
                     weNeedAccess()
                 else
                     debug("We have location access")
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values-sk/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values-sk/strings.xml
index 76356b8a8a..9f519becf7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values-sk/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values-sk/strings.xml
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@
     <string name="rate_dialog_cancel_en">Pripomenúť neskôr</string>
     <string name="rate_dialog_ok_en">Ohodnotiť teraz</string>
     <string name="rate_dialog_title_en">Ohodnoťte Meshtastic</string>
-    <string name="connected">Pripojené k vysielaču</string>
     <string name="modem_config_short">Krátky dosah / Rýchle</string>
     <string name="modem_config_medium">Stredný dosah / Rýchle</string>
     <string name="modem_config_long">Dlhý dosah / Rýchle</string>
@@ -104,7 +103,6 @@
     <string name="are_you_shure_change_default">Ste si istý, že chcete preladiť na základný (default) kanál?</string>
     <string name="cant_change_no_radio">Nie je možné zmeniť kanál, pretože vysielač ešte nie je pripojený. Skúste to neskôr.</string>
     <string name="firmware_old">Firmvér vysielača je príliš zastaralý, aby dokázal komunikovať s aplikáciou. Prosím choďte na panel nastavení a zvoľte možnosť \"Aktualizácia firmvéru\". Viac informácií nájdete na <a href="https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-device#firmware-installation">našom sprievodcovi inštaláciou firmvéru</a> na Github-e.</string>
-    <string name="apply">Použiť</string>
     <string name="no_app_found">Aplikácia pre odoslanie URL nebola nájdená</string>
     <string name="theme">Téma</string>
     <string name="theme_light">Svetlá</string>