diff --git a/apps/debug_menu.c b/apps/debug_menu.c
index 7c2e6c7870..e96b8c553f 100644
--- a/apps/debug_menu.c
+++ b/apps/debug_menu.c
@@ -429,14 +429,21 @@ static int bf_action_cb(int action, struct gui_synclist* list)
 {
     if (action == ACTION_STD_OK)
     {
-        splash(HZ/1, "Attempting a 64k allocation");
-        int handle = core_alloc("test", 64<<10);
-        splash(HZ/2, (handle > 0) ? "Success":"Fail");
-        /* for some reason simplelist doesn't allow adding items here if
-         * info.get_name is given, so use normal list api */
-        gui_synclist_set_nb_items(list, core_get_num_blocks());
-        if (handle > 0)
-            core_free(handle);
+        if (gui_synclist_get_sel_pos(list) == 0 && core_test_free())
+        {
+            splash(HZ, "Freed test handle. New alloc should trigger compact");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            splash(HZ/1, "Attempting a 64k allocation");
+            int handle = core_alloc("test", 64<<10);
+            splash(HZ/2, (handle > 0) ? "Success":"Fail");
+            /* for some reason simplelist doesn't allow adding items here if
+             * info.get_name is given, so use normal list api */
+            gui_synclist_set_nb_items(list, core_get_num_blocks());
+            if (handle > 0)
+                core_free(handle);
+        }
         action = ACTION_REDRAW;
     }
     else if (action == ACTION_NONE)
diff --git a/firmware/core_alloc.c b/firmware/core_alloc.c
index 2250f5c664..21dd1319dd 100644
--- a/firmware/core_alloc.c
+++ b/firmware/core_alloc.c
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 
 /* not static so it can be discovered by core_get_data() */
 struct buflib_context core_ctx;
+
+/* debug test alloc */
+static int test_alloc;
 void core_allocator_init(void)
 {
     buffer_init();
@@ -13,6 +16,17 @@ void core_allocator_init(void)
     void *start = buffer_get_buffer(&size);
     buflib_init(&core_ctx, start, size);
     buffer_release_buffer(size);
+
+    test_alloc = core_alloc("test", 112);
+}
+
+bool core_test_free(void)
+{
+    bool ret = test_alloc > 0;
+    if (ret)
+        test_alloc = core_free(test_alloc);
+
+    return ret;
 }
 
 int core_alloc(const char* name, size_t size)
diff --git a/firmware/include/core_alloc.h b/firmware/include/core_alloc.h
index b2edec5377..0ac7e5b73d 100644
--- a/firmware/include/core_alloc.h
+++ b/firmware/include/core_alloc.h
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ int  core_get_num_blocks(void);
 void core_print_block_at(int block_num, char* buf, size_t bufsize);
 #endif
 
+/* frees the debug test alloc created at initialization,
+ * since this is the first any further alloc should force a compaction run */
+bool core_test_free(void);
+
 static inline void* core_get_data(int handle)
 {
     extern struct buflib_context core_ctx;