diff --git a/ActivePrinterProfile.cs b/ActivePrinterProfile.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22c5550da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ActivePrinterProfile.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Globalization;
+using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.Text;
+using System.IO;
+
+using MatterHackers.Agg;
+using MatterHackers.Agg.UI;
+using MatterHackers.VectorMath;
+using MatterHackers.MatterControl.ContactForm;
+using MatterHackers.MatterControl.DataStorage;
+using MatterHackers.Localizations;
+
+namespace MatterHackers.MatterControl
+{
+    public class ActivePrinterProfile
+    {
+        static ActivePrinterProfile globalInstance = null;
+
+        // private so that it can only be gotten through the Instance
+        ActivePrinterProfile()
+        {
+        }
+
+        public Printer ActivePrinter { get; set; }
+
+        public static ActivePrinterProfile Instance
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                if (globalInstance == null)
+                {
+                    globalInstance = new ActivePrinterProfile();
+                }
+
+                return globalInstance;
+            }
+
+            set
+            {
+                if (globalInstance != value)
+                {
+                    PrinterCommunication.Instance.Disable();
+                    globalInstance = value;
+                    PrinterCommunication.Instance.OnActivePrinterChanged(null);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/MatterControl.csproj b/MatterControl.csproj
index 2d009ad14..0c5d9fb07 100644
--- a/MatterControl.csproj
+++ b/MatterControl.csproj
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
     <Compile Include="ActionBar\PrintActionRow.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ActionBar\PrinterActionRow.cs" />
     <Compile Include="ActionBar\PrintStatusRow.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="ActivePrinterProfile.cs" />
     <Compile Include="CustomWidgets\ExportQueueItemWindow.cs" />
     <Compile Include="CustomWidgets\ExportToFolderFeedbackWindow.cs" />
     <Compile Include="FieldValidation.cs" />
diff --git a/PrinterCommunication.cs b/PrinterCommunication.cs
index f23325f90..221e12312 100644
--- a/PrinterCommunication.cs
+++ b/PrinterCommunication.cs
@@ -198,7 +198,6 @@ namespace MatterHackers.MatterControl
         Thread readFromPrinterThread;
         Thread connectThread;
 
-        private Printer activePrinter;
         private PrintItemWrapper activePrintItem;
 
         int lastRemainingSecondsReported = 0;
@@ -411,17 +410,11 @@ namespace MatterHackers.MatterControl
         {
             get
             {
-                return this.activePrinter;
+                return ActivePrinterProfile.Instance.ActivePrinter;
             }
             set
             {
-                if (this.activePrinter != value)
-                {
-                    Disable();
-                    this.activePrinter = value;
-                    this.CommunicationState = CommunicationStates.Disconnected;
-                    OnActivePrinterChanged(null);
-                }
+                ActivePrinterProfile.Instance.ActivePrinter = value;
             }
         }
 
@@ -1362,7 +1355,7 @@ namespace MatterHackers.MatterControl
             FanSpeedSet.CallEvents(this, e);
         }
 
-        void OnActivePrinterChanged(EventArgs e)
+        public void OnActivePrinterChanged(EventArgs e)
         {
             ActivePrinterChanged.CallEvents(this, e);
         }
diff --git a/SliceConfiguration/ActiveSliceSettings.cs b/SliceConfiguration/ActiveSliceSettings.cs
index a725d4f65..9f4148d78 100644
--- a/SliceConfiguration/ActiveSliceSettings.cs
+++ b/SliceConfiguration/ActiveSliceSettings.cs
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ namespace MatterHackers.MatterControl
             SettingsChanged.CallEvents(this, null);
         }
 
+        // private so that it can only be gotten through the Instance
         ActiveSliceSettings()
         {
         }