diff --git a/Tools/VARTest/Makefile b/Tools/VARTest/Makefile
index 5ebdddae17..6903d4580e 100644
--- a/Tools/VARTest/Makefile
+++ b/Tools/VARTest/Makefile
@@ -2,3 +2,6 @@
 # Trivial makefile for building APM
 #
 include ../../libraries/AP_Common/Arduino.mk
+
+sitl:
+	make -f ../../libraries/Desktop/Desktop.mk
diff --git a/Tools/VARTest/Parameters.h b/Tools/VARTest/Parameters.h
index 441ef0049f..e2d9043e09 100644
--- a/Tools/VARTest/Parameters.h
+++ b/Tools/VARTest/Parameters.h
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ public:
 
 		// 110: Telemetry control
 		//
-		k_param_streamrates_port0 = 110,
-		k_param_streamrates_port3,
+		k_param_gcs0 = 110, // stream rates for port0
+		k_param_gcs3,       // stream rates for port3
 		k_param_sysid_this_mav,
 		k_param_sysid_my_gcs,
         k_param_serial3_baud,
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ public:
         airspeed_enabled		(AIRSPEED_SENSOR),
 
         // PID controller    initial P        initial I        initial D        initial imax
-        //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+        //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         pidNavRoll          (NAV_ROLL_P,      NAV_ROLL_I,      NAV_ROLL_D,      NAV_ROLL_INT_MAX_CENTIDEGREE),
         pidServoRoll        (SERVO_ROLL_P,    SERVO_ROLL_I,    SERVO_ROLL_D,    SERVO_ROLL_INT_MAX_CENTIDEGREE),
         pidServoPitch       (SERVO_PITCH_P,   SERVO_PITCH_I,   SERVO_PITCH_D,   SERVO_PITCH_INT_MAX_CENTIDEGREE),
diff --git a/Tools/VARTest/Parameters.pde b/Tools/VARTest/Parameters.pde
index 30edc67009..8875396e1e 100644
--- a/Tools/VARTest/Parameters.pde
+++ b/Tools/VARTest/Parameters.pde
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 /// -*- tab-width: 4; Mode: C++; c-basic-offset: 4; indent-tabs-mode: t -*-
 
 /*
-  Parameters.pde example for new variable scheme
-  Andrew Tridgell February 2012
+  ArduPlane parameter definitions
+
+  This firmware is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+  modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+  License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+  version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
 */
 
 #define GSCALAR(v, name) { g.v.vtype, name, Parameters::k_param_ ## v, &g.v }
@@ -11,8 +15,8 @@
 
 static const AP_Param::Info var_info[] PROGMEM = {
 	GSCALAR(format_version,         "FORMAT_VERSION"),
-	GSCALAR(software_type,          "SOFTWARE_TYPE"),
-	GSCALAR(sysid_this_mav,         "SYSID_THIS_MAV"),
+	GSCALAR(software_type,          "SYSID_SW_TYPE"),
+	GSCALAR(sysid_this_mav,         "SYSID_THISMAV"),
 	GSCALAR(sysid_my_gcs,           "SYSID_MYGCS"),
 	GSCALAR(serial3_baud,           "SERIAL3_BAUD"),
 	GSCALAR(kff_pitch_compensation, "KFF_PTCHCOMP"),
@@ -117,7 +121,12 @@ static const AP_Param::Info var_info[] PROGMEM = {
 	GGROUP(pidNavPitchAltitude,     "ALT2PTCH_",  PID),
 
 	// variables not in the g class which contain EEPROM saved variables
-	GOBJECT(compass,                "COMPASS_",	Compass)
+	GOBJECT(compass,                "COMPASS_",	Compass),
+#if 0
+	// VARTest doesn't have these
+	GOBJECT(gcs0,					"SR0_",     GCS_MAVLINK),
+	GOBJECT(gcs3,					"SR3_",     GCS_MAVLINK)
+#endif
 };
 
 
@@ -137,8 +146,8 @@ static void load_parameters(void)
 	     g.format_version != Parameters::k_format_version) {
 
 		// erase all parameters
-		Serial.printf_P(PSTR("Firmware change: erasing EEPROM...\n"));
-		delay(100); // wait for serial send
+		Serial.printf_P(PSTR("Firmware change (%u -> %u): erasing EEPROM...\n"),
+						g.format_version.get(), Parameters::k_format_version);
 		AP_Param::erase_all();
 
 		// save the current format version
diff --git a/Tools/VARTest/VARTest.pde b/Tools/VARTest/VARTest.pde
index ce3821d0d2..cadb01ed4f 100644
--- a/Tools/VARTest/VARTest.pde
+++ b/Tools/VARTest/VARTest.pde
@@ -7,19 +7,48 @@
 
 #include <FastSerial.h>
 #include <AP_Common.h>
+#include <Arduino_Mega_ISR_Registry.h>
 #include <PID.h>            // PID library
 #include <APM_RC.h>         // ArduPilot Mega RC Library
 #include <RC_Channel.h>     // RC Channel Library
 #include <AP_Compass.h>     // ArduPilot Mega Magnetometer Library
+#include <SPI.h>			// Arduino SPI lib
 #include <I2C.h>
+#include <DataFlash.h>
+#include <AP_DCM.h>
+#include <AP_ADC.h>
+#include <AP_Baro.h>
+#include <AP_PeriodicProcess.h>
+#include <AP_InertialSensor.h> // Inertial Sensor (uncalibated IMU) Library
+#include <AP_IMU.h>         // ArduPilot Mega IMU Library
+#include <AP_GPS.h>
 #include <AP_Math.h>
 #include <config.h>
 #include <Parameters.h>
 
 static Parameters g;
+
+static AP_ADC_ADS7844          adc;
+static GPS         *g_gps;
+AP_GPS_Auto     g_gps_driver(&Serial1, &g_gps);
+# if CONFIG_IMU_TYPE == CONFIG_IMU_MPU6000
+  AP_InertialSensor_MPU6000 ins( CONFIG_MPU6000_CHIP_SELECT_PIN );
+# else
+  AP_InertialSensor_Oilpan ins( &adc );
+#endif // CONFIG_IMU_TYPE
+AP_IMU_INS imu( &ins );
+AP_DCM  dcm(&imu, g_gps);
+
+Arduino_Mega_ISR_Registry isr_registry;
+#ifdef DESKTOP_BUILD
+AP_Compass_HIL          compass;
+#else
 static AP_Compass_HMC5843 compass;
+#endif
+AP_Baro_BMP085_HIL      barometer;
 
 FastSerialPort0(Serial);
+FastSerialPort1(Serial1);       // GPS port
 
 #define SERIAL0_BAUD 115200
 
@@ -96,6 +125,10 @@ void test_variable(AP_Param *ap, enum ap_var_type type)
 		type2 != type) {
 		Debug("find failed");
 	}
+	if (strcmp(s, "FORMAT_VERSION") == 0) {
+		// don't wipe the version
+		return;
+	}
 	switch (type) {
 	case AP_PARAM_INT8: {
 		AP_Int8 *v = (AP_Int8 *)ap;