diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp
index c96f7e017..952055d94 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -1712,7 +1712,7 @@ void MyMesh::handleCmdFrame(size_t len) {
       out_frame[i++] = STATS_TYPE_CORE;
       uint16_t battery_mv = board.getBattMilliVolts();
       uint32_t uptime_secs = _ms->getMillis() / 1000;
-      uint8_t queue_len = (uint8_t)_mgr->getOutboundCount(0xFFFFFFFF);
+      uint8_t queue_len = (uint8_t)_mgr->getOutboundTotal();
       memcpy(&out_frame[i], &battery_mv, 2); i += 2;
       memcpy(&out_frame[i], &uptime_secs, 4); i += 4;
       memcpy(&out_frame[i], &_err_flags, 2); i += 2;
diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
index 81c1dcb42..03ebe0e2d 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ int MyMesh::handleRequest(ClientInfo *sender, uint32_t sender_timestamp, uint8_t
   if (payload[0] == REQ_TYPE_GET_STATUS) {  // guests can also access this now
     RepeaterStats stats;
     stats.batt_milli_volts = board.getBattMilliVolts();
-    stats.curr_tx_queue_len = _mgr->getOutboundCount(0xFFFFFFFF);
+    stats.curr_tx_queue_len = _mgr->getOutboundTotal();
     stats.noise_floor = (int16_t)_radio->getNoiseFloor();
     stats.last_rssi = (int16_t)radio_driver.getLastRSSI();
     stats.n_packets_recv = radio_driver.getPacketsRecv();
@@ -1290,5 +1290,5 @@ bool MyMesh::hasPendingWork() const {
 #if defined(WITH_BRIDGE)
   if (bridge.isRunning()) return true;  // bridge needs WiFi radio, can't sleep
 #endif
-  return _mgr->getOutboundCount(0xFFFFFFFF) > 0;
+  return _mgr->getOutboundTotal() > 0;
 }
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
index 5451505a2..8b52f45b0 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ int MyMesh::handleRequest(ClientInfo *sender, uint32_t sender_timestamp, uint8_t
   if (payload[0] == REQ_TYPE_GET_STATUS) {
     ServerStats stats;
     stats.batt_milli_volts = board.getBattMilliVolts();
-    stats.curr_tx_queue_len = _mgr->getOutboundCount(0xFFFFFFFF);
+    stats.curr_tx_queue_len = _mgr->getOutboundTotal();
     stats.noise_floor = (int16_t)_radio->getNoiseFloor();
     stats.last_rssi = (int16_t)radio_driver.getLastRSSI();
     stats.n_packets_recv = radio_driver.getPacketsRecv();
diff --git a/src/Dispatcher.h b/src/Dispatcher.h
index 0a448c402..7ddac9e9f 100644
--- a/src/Dispatcher.h
+++ b/src/Dispatcher.h
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ class PacketManager {
   virtual void queueOutbound(Packet* packet, uint8_t priority, uint32_t scheduled_for) = 0;
   virtual Packet* getNextOutbound(uint32_t now) = 0;    // by priority
   virtual int getOutboundCount(uint32_t now) const = 0;
+  virtual int getOutboundTotal() const = 0;
   virtual int getFreeCount() const = 0;
   virtual Packet* getOutboundByIdx(int i) = 0;
   virtual Packet* removeOutboundByIdx(int i) = 0;
diff --git a/src/helpers/StaticPoolPacketManager.cpp b/src/helpers/StaticPoolPacketManager.cpp
index 67d639793..b8926df0c 100644
--- a/src/helpers/StaticPoolPacketManager.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/StaticPoolPacketManager.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ PacketQueue::PacketQueue(int max_entries) {
 }
 
 int PacketQueue::countBefore(uint32_t now) const {
+  if (now == 0xFFFFFFFF) return _num;  // sentinel: count all entries regardless of schedule
+
   int n = 0;
   for (int j = 0; j < _num; j++) {
     if ((int32_t)(_schedule_table[j] - now) > 0) continue;   // scheduled for future... ignore for now
@@ -97,6 +99,10 @@ int  StaticPoolPacketManager::getOutboundCount(uint32_t now) const {
   return send_queue.countBefore(now);
 }
 
+int  StaticPoolPacketManager::getOutboundTotal() const {
+  return send_queue.count();
+}
+
 int StaticPoolPacketManager::getFreeCount() const {
   return unused.count();
 }
diff --git a/src/helpers/StaticPoolPacketManager.h b/src/helpers/StaticPoolPacketManager.h
index 52c299dbc..59715b4e0 100644
--- a/src/helpers/StaticPoolPacketManager.h
+++ b/src/helpers/StaticPoolPacketManager.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class StaticPoolPacketManager : public mesh::PacketManager {
   void queueOutbound(mesh::Packet* packet, uint8_t priority, uint32_t scheduled_for) override;
   mesh::Packet* getNextOutbound(uint32_t now) override;
   int getOutboundCount(uint32_t now) const override;
+  int getOutboundTotal() const override;
   int getFreeCount() const override;
   mesh::Packet* getOutboundByIdx(int i) override;
   mesh::Packet* removeOutboundByIdx(int i) override;
diff --git a/src/helpers/StatsFormatHelper.h b/src/helpers/StatsFormatHelper.h
index 5aa01da97..bf619133e 100644
--- a/src/helpers/StatsFormatHelper.h
+++ b/src/helpers/StatsFormatHelper.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class StatsFormatHelper {
       board.getBattMilliVolts(),
       ms.getMillis() / 1000,
       err_flags,
-      mgr->getOutboundCount(0xFFFFFFFF)
+      mgr->getOutboundTotal()
     );
   }