diff --git a/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD.cpp b/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD.cpp
index 8220333162..7575649c85 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,13 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo AP_OSD::var_info[] = {
     // @User: Standard
     AP_GROUPINFO("_SW_METHOD", 7, AP_OSD, sw_method, AP_OSD::TOGGLE),
 
+    // @Param: _OPTIONS
+    // @DisplayName: OSD Options
+    // @Description: This sets options that change the display
+    // @Bitmask: 0:UseDecimalPack
+    // @User: Standard
+    AP_GROUPINFO("_OPTIONS", 8, AP_OSD, options, 0),
+    
     AP_GROUPEND
 };
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD.h b/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD.h
index 4bdd218621..91c7f874dc 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD.h
@@ -162,6 +162,12 @@ public:
     AP_Int8 rc_channel;
     AP_Int8 sw_method;
 
+    enum {
+        OPTION_DECIMAL_PACK = 1U<<0,
+    };
+    
+    AP_Int32 options;
+
     AP_OSD_Screen screen[AP_OSD_NUM_SCREENS];
 
 private:
diff --git a/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD_Backend.cpp b/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD_Backend.cpp
index 564d6d45a0..675aa05bce 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD_Backend.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_OSD/AP_OSD_Backend.cpp
@@ -16,15 +16,27 @@
 
 #include <AP_OSD/AP_OSD_Backend.h>
 #include <AP_HAL/Util.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
 
 extern const AP_HAL::HAL& hal;
 
+#define SYM_DIG_OFS 0x90
+
 void AP_OSD_Backend::write(uint8_t x, uint8_t y, bool blink, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
     char buff[32];
     va_list ap;
     va_start(ap, fmt);
     int res = hal.util->vsnprintf(buff, sizeof(buff), fmt, ap);
+    if (res > 0 && _osd.options.get() & AP_OSD::OPTION_DECIMAL_PACK) {
+        // automatically use packed decimal characters
+        char *p = strchr(&buff[1],'.');
+        if (p && isdigit(p[1]) && isdigit(p[-1])) {
+            p[-1] += SYM_DIG_OFS;
+            memmove(p, p+1, strlen(p+1)+1);
+            res--;
+        }
+    }
     if (res < int(sizeof(buff))) {
         write(x, y, buff, blink? AP_OSD_Backend::BLINK : 0);
     }