diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/values/config.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/values/config.xml
index 81ca23082367f..74b0702ce5f63 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/values/config.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/values/config.xml
@@ -398,4 +398,8 @@
          it has been expanded to reveal its children. -->
     <bool name="config_showGroupNotificationBgWhenExpanded">false</bool>
 
+    <!-- Whether to artificially interpret all signal strengths as
+         one bar higher than they actually are -->
+    <bool name="config_inflateSignalStrength">false</bool>
+
 </resources>
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/MobileSignalController.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/MobileSignalController.java
index efce87177faa8..bd7fee0f7f52c 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/MobileSignalController.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/MobileSignalController.java
@@ -235,6 +235,9 @@ public class MobileSignalController extends SignalController<
     }
 
     private int getNumLevels() {
+        if (mConfig.inflateSignalStrengths) {
+            return SignalStrength.NUM_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_BINS + 1;
+        }
         return SignalStrength.NUM_SIGNAL_STRENGTH_BINS;
     }
 
@@ -243,7 +246,11 @@ public class MobileSignalController extends SignalController<
         if (mCurrentState.iconGroup == TelephonyIcons.CARRIER_NETWORK_CHANGE) {
             return SignalDrawable.getCarrierChangeState(getNumLevels());
         } else if (mCurrentState.connected) {
-            return SignalDrawable.getState(mCurrentState.level, getNumLevels(),
+            int level = mCurrentState.level;
+            if (mConfig.inflateSignalStrengths) {
+                level++;
+            }
+            return SignalDrawable.getState(level, getNumLevels(),
                     mCurrentState.inetCondition == 0);
         } else if (mCurrentState.enabled) {
             return SignalDrawable.getEmptyState(getNumLevels());
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/NetworkControllerImpl.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/NetworkControllerImpl.java
index 39f7d1295d1ba..c217bda935c41 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/NetworkControllerImpl.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/NetworkControllerImpl.java
@@ -958,6 +958,7 @@ public class NetworkControllerImpl extends BroadcastReceiver
         boolean show4gForLte = false;
         boolean hideLtePlus = false;
         boolean hspaDataDistinguishable;
+        boolean inflateSignalStrengths = false;
 
         static Config readConfig(Context context) {
             Config config = new Config();
@@ -970,6 +971,7 @@ public class NetworkControllerImpl extends BroadcastReceiver
             config.hspaDataDistinguishable =
                     res.getBoolean(R.bool.config_hspa_data_distinguishable);
             config.hideLtePlus = res.getBoolean(R.bool.config_hideLtePlus);
+            config.inflateSignalStrengths = res.getBoolean(R.bool.config_inflateSignalStrength);
             return config;
         }
     }