diff --git a/_locales/en/messages.json b/_locales/en/messages.json
index 8c14b6d2..3325fb7d 100755
--- a/_locales/en/messages.json
+++ b/_locales/en/messages.json
@@ -190,11 +190,8 @@
         "message": "Cycle Time:"
     },
 
-    "please_grant_usb_permissions": {
-        "message": "Please click on <strong>\"Request Optional Permissions\"</strong> button to grant application <strong style=\"color: red\">required</strong> <strong>USB</strong> access"
-    },
-    "usb_permissions_granted": {
-        "message": "Optional <strong>USB</strong> permissions <strong style=\"color: green\">granted</strong>"
+    "dfu_connect_message": {
+        "message": "Please use the Firmware Flasher to access DFU devices"
     },
 
     "eeprom_saved_ok": {
diff --git a/js/gui.js b/js/gui.js
index 0f21ed35..bf7c142b 100644
--- a/js/gui.js
+++ b/js/gui.js
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ var GUI_control = function () {
     this.active_tab;
     this.tab_switch_in_progress = false;
     this.operating_system;
-    this.optional_usb_permissions = false; // controlled by usb permissions code
     this.interval_array = [];
     this.timeout_array = [];
     this.defaultAllowedTabsWhenDisconnected = [
diff --git a/js/port_handler.js b/js/port_handler.js
index 88e022b3..6a053cad 100755
--- a/js/port_handler.js
+++ b/js/port_handler.js
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
 'use strict';
 
+var usbDevices = {
+    STM32DFU: {'vendorId': 1155, 'productId': 57105}
+};
+
 var PortHandler = new function () {
     this.initial_ports = false;
     this.port_detected_callbacks = [];
     this.port_removed_callbacks = [];
+    this.dfu_available = false;
 };
 
 PortHandler.initialize = function () {
@@ -131,30 +136,32 @@ PortHandler.check = function () {
             self.initial_ports = current_ports;
         }
 
-        if (GUI.optional_usb_permissions) {
-            check_usb_devices();
-        }
+        self.check_usb_devices();
 
         GUI.updateManualPortVisibility();
         setTimeout(function () {
             self.check();
         }, 250);
     });
+};
 
-    function check_usb_devices() {
-        chrome.usb.getDevices(usbDevices.STM32DFU, function (result) {
-            if (result.length) {
-                if (!$("div#port-picker #port [value='DFU']").length) {
-                    $('div#port-picker #port').append('<option value="DFU">DFU</option>');
-                    $('div#port-picker #port').val('DFU');
-                }
-            } else {
-                if ($("div#port-picker #port [value='DFU']").length) {
-                   $("div#port-picker #port [value='DFU']").remove();
-                }
+PortHandler.check_usb_devices = function (callback) {
+    chrome.usb.getDevices(usbDevices.STM32DFU, function (result) {
+        if (result.length) {
+            if (!$("div#port-picker #port [value='DFU']").length) {
+                $('div#port-picker #port').append($('<option/>', {value: "DFU", text: "DFU", data: {isDFU: true}}));
+                $('div#port-picker #port').val('DFU');
             }
-        });
-    }
+            self.dfu_available = true;
+        } else {
+            if ($("div#port-picker #port [value='DFU']").length) {
+               $("div#port-picker #port [value='DFU']").remove();
+            }
+            self.dfu_available = false;
+        }
+
+        if(callback) callback(self.dfu_available);
+    });
 };
 
 PortHandler.update_port_select = function (ports) {
diff --git a/js/protocols/stm32.js b/js/protocols/stm32.js
index 4777b756..951ac57f 100644
--- a/js/protocols/stm32.js
+++ b/js/protocols/stm32.js
@@ -103,19 +103,22 @@ STM32_protocol.prototype.connect = function (port, baud, hex, options, callback)
                             // delay to allow board to boot in bootloader mode
                             // required to detect if a DFU device appears
                             setTimeout(function() {
-                                if($("div#port-picker #port [value='DFU']").length) {
-                                    GUI.connect_lock = false;
-                                    STM32DFU.connect(usbDevices.STM32DFU, hex);
-                                } else {
-                                    serial.connect(port, {bitrate: self.baud, parityBit: 'even', stopBits: 'one'}, function (openInfo) {
-                                        if (openInfo) {
-                                            self.initialize();
-                                        } else {
-                                            GUI.connect_lock = false;
-                                            GUI.log('<span style="color: red">Failed</span> to open serial port');
-                                        }
-                                    });
-                                }
+                                // refresh device list
+                                PortHandler.check_usb_devices(function(dfu_available) {
+                                    if(dfu_available) {
+                                        GUI.connect_lock = false;
+                                        STM32DFU.connect(usbDevices.STM32DFU, hex);
+                                    } else {
+                                        serial.connect(port, {bitrate: self.baud, parityBit: 'even', stopBits: 'one'}, function (openInfo) {
+                                            if (openInfo) {
+                                                self.initialize();
+                                            } else {
+                                                GUI.connect_lock = false;
+                                                GUI.log('<span style="color: red">Failed</span> to open serial port');
+                                            }
+                                        });
+                                    }
+                                });
                             }, 1000);
                         } else {
                             GUI.connect_lock = false;
diff --git a/js/serial_backend.js b/js/serial_backend.js
index cc0d1e33..28e95866 100755
--- a/js/serial_backend.js
+++ b/js/serial_backend.js
@@ -3,12 +3,19 @@
 $(document).ready(function () {
 
     GUI.updateManualPortVisibility = function(){
-        if ($('div#port-picker #port option:selected').data().isManual) {
+        var selected_port = $('div#port-picker #port option:selected');
+        if (selected_port.data().isManual) {
             $('#port-override-option').show();
         }
         else {
             $('#port-override-option').hide();
         }
+        if (selected_port.data().isDFU) {
+            $('select#baud').hide();
+        }
+        else {
+            $('select#baud').show();
+        }
     };
 
     GUI.updateManualPortVisibility();
@@ -33,8 +40,10 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
             var selected_port = $('div#port-picker #port option:selected').data().isManual ?
                     $('#port-override').val() :
                     String($('div#port-picker #port').val());
-
-            if (selected_port != '0' && selected_port != 'DFU') {
+            if (selected_port === 'DFU') {
+                GUI.log(chrome.i18n.getMessage('dfu_connect_message'));
+            }
+            else if (selected_port != '0') {
                 if (!clicks) {
                     console.log('Connecting to: ' + selected_port);
                     GUI.connecting_to = selected_port;
diff --git a/js/usb.js b/js/usb.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 4833cce4..00000000
--- a/js/usb.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-
-var usbDevices = {
-    STM32DFU: {'vendorId': 1155, 'productId': 57105}
-};
-var usbPermissions = {permissions: [{'usbDevices': [usbDevices.STM32DFU]}]};
-
-function check_usb_permissions(callback) {
-    chrome.permissions.contains(usbPermissions, function (result) {
-        if (result) {
-            GUI.optional_usb_permissions = true;
-        } else {
-            console.log('Optional USB permissions: missing');
-            GUI.log(chrome.i18n.getMessage('please_grant_usb_permissions'));
-
-            // display optional usb permissions request box
-            $('div.optional_permissions').show();
-
-            // UI hooks
-            document.getElementById("requestOptionalPermissions").addEventListener('click', function () {
-                chrome.permissions.request(usbPermissions, function (result) {
-                    if (result) {
-                        GUI.log(chrome.i18n.getMessage('usb_permissions_granted'));
-                        $('div.optional_permissions').hide();
-
-                        GUI.optional_usb_permissions = true;
-                    }
-                });
-            });
-        }
-
-        if (callback) {
-            callback();
-        }
-    });
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main.html b/main.html
index fb9bc4b4..93d2cc0b 100755
--- a/main.html
+++ b/main.html
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
         <script type="text/javascript" src="./js/port_handler.js"></script>
         <script type="text/javascript" src="./js/port_usage.js"></script>
         <script type="text/javascript" src="./js/serial.js"></script>
-        <script type="text/javascript" src="./js/usb.js"></script>
         <script type="text/javascript" src="./js/gui.js"></script>
         <script type="text/javascript" src="./js/model.js"></script>
         <script type="text/javascript" src="./js/request_balancer.js"></script>
diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
index 3051e9bd..3d84fc91 100644
--- a/manifest.json
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -32,10 +32,7 @@
         "fileSystem.write",
         "fileSystem.retainEntries",
         "notifications",
-        "alwaysOnTopWindows"
-    ],
-
-    "optional_permissions": [
+        "alwaysOnTopWindows",
         {"usbDevices": [
             {"vendorId": 1155, "productId": 57105}
         ]}
diff --git a/tabs/landing.html b/tabs/landing.html
index 6184c4b6..1c1a45b6 100644
--- a/tabs/landing.html
+++ b/tabs/landing.html
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 <div class="tab-landing">
-    <div class="section optional_permissions">
-        <div class="title" i18n="default_optional_permissions_head"></div>
-        <p i18n="default_optional_permissions_text"></p>
-        <a id="requestOptionalPermissions" href="#" i18n="default_request_optional_permissions"></a>
-        <div class="clear-both"></div>
-    </div>
-
     <div class="row welcome_and_sponsors">
         <div class="left">
             <div class="section welcome">
diff --git a/tabs/landing.js b/tabs/landing.js
index 7f1b118d..bb27ccde 100644
--- a/tabs/landing.js
+++ b/tabs/landing.js
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ TABS.landing.initialize = function (callback) {
     }
 
     $('#content').load("./tabs/landing.html", function () {
-        check_usb_permissions(); // check for permissions require for USB DFU support
-
         // translate to user-selected language
         localize();