diff --git a/src/QmlControls/QGroundControlQmlGlobal.cc b/src/QmlControls/QGroundControlQmlGlobal.cc
index 254f8c0638021a799cdd86ba27dc0abade57786b..5feb34ae9c9da0db724e26c42744f5e6ce4ea4bf 100644
--- a/src/QmlControls/QGroundControlQmlGlobal.cc
+++ b/src/QmlControls/QGroundControlQmlGlobal.cc
@@ -74,28 +74,10 @@ bool QGroundControlQmlGlobal::loadBoolGlobalSetting (const QString& key, bool de
     return settings.value(key, defaultValue).toBool();
 }
 
-#ifdef QT_DEBUG
-void QGroundControlQmlGlobal::_startMockLink(MockConfiguration* mockConfig)
-{
-    LinkManager* linkManager = qgcApp()->toolbox()->linkManager();
-
-    mockConfig->setDynamic(true);
-    linkManager->linkConfigurations()->append(mockConfig);
-
-    linkManager->createConnectedLink(mockConfig);
-}
-#endif
-
 void QGroundControlQmlGlobal::startPX4MockLink(bool sendStatusText)
 {
 #ifdef QT_DEBUG
-    MockConfiguration* mockConfig = new MockConfiguration("PX4 MockLink");
-
-    mockConfig->setFirmwareType(MAV_AUTOPILOT_PX4);
-    mockConfig->setVehicleType(MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR);
-    mockConfig->setSendStatusText(sendStatusText);
-
-    _startMockLink(mockConfig);
+    MockLink::startPX4MockLink(sendStatusText);
 #else
     Q_UNUSED(sendStatusText);
 #endif
@@ -104,13 +86,7 @@ void QGroundControlQmlGlobal::startPX4MockLink(bool sendStatusText)
 void QGroundControlQmlGlobal::startGenericMockLink(bool sendStatusText)
 {
 #ifdef QT_DEBUG
-    MockConfiguration* mockConfig = new MockConfiguration("Generic MockLink");
-
-    mockConfig->setFirmwareType(MAV_AUTOPILOT_GENERIC);
-    mockConfig->setVehicleType(MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR);
-    mockConfig->setSendStatusText(sendStatusText);
-
-    _startMockLink(mockConfig);
+    MockLink::startGenericMockLink(sendStatusText);
 #else
     Q_UNUSED(sendStatusText);
 #endif
@@ -119,13 +95,7 @@ void QGroundControlQmlGlobal::startGenericMockLink(bool sendStatusText)
 void QGroundControlQmlGlobal::startAPMArduCopterMockLink(bool sendStatusText)
 {
 #ifdef QT_DEBUG
-    MockConfiguration* mockConfig = new MockConfiguration("APM ArduCopter MockLink");
-
-    mockConfig->setFirmwareType(MAV_AUTOPILOT_ARDUPILOTMEGA);
-    mockConfig->setVehicleType(MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR);
-    mockConfig->setSendStatusText(sendStatusText);
-
-    _startMockLink(mockConfig);
+    MockLink::startAPMArduCopterMockLink(sendStatusText);
 #else
     Q_UNUSED(sendStatusText);
 #endif
@@ -134,13 +104,7 @@ void QGroundControlQmlGlobal::startAPMArduCopterMockLink(bool sendStatusText)
 void QGroundControlQmlGlobal::startAPMArduPlaneMockLink(bool sendStatusText)
 {
 #ifdef QT_DEBUG
-    MockConfiguration* mockConfig = new MockConfiguration("APM ArduPlane MockLink");
-
-    mockConfig->setFirmwareType(MAV_AUTOPILOT_ARDUPILOTMEGA);
-    mockConfig->setVehicleType(MAV_TYPE_FIXED_WING);
-    mockConfig->setSendStatusText(sendStatusText);
-
-    _startMockLink(mockConfig);
+    MockLink::startAPMArduPlaneMockLink(sendStatusText);
 #else
     Q_UNUSED(sendStatusText);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/QmlControls/QGroundControlQmlGlobal.h b/src/QmlControls/QGroundControlQmlGlobal.h
index b6f1d367ebd7a85cc0c660e063b7d9eb1cb8ae41..d5436982fa30b2a853ed47472c6ffc6d4442612c 100644
--- a/src/QmlControls/QGroundControlQmlGlobal.h
+++ b/src/QmlControls/QGroundControlQmlGlobal.h
@@ -132,9 +132,6 @@ signals:
     void virtualTabletJoystickChanged   (bool enabled);
 
 private:
-#ifdef QT_DEBUG
-    void _startMockLink(MockConfiguration* mockConfig);
-#endif
 
     FlightMapSettings*      _flightMapSettings;
     HomePositionManager*    _homePositionManager;
diff --git a/src/comm/MockLink.cc b/src/comm/MockLink.cc
index 4ca7c4a50eac915a53db1046f5b1d4292f553307..a5f050c1365865ef654650d98f8e0f8f9a87d516 100644
--- a/src/comm/MockLink.cc
+++ b/src/comm/MockLink.cc
@@ -929,3 +929,58 @@ void MockConfiguration::updateSettings()
         }
     }
 }
+
+MockLink*  MockLink::_startMockLink(MockConfiguration* mockConfig)
+{
+    LinkManager* linkManager = qgcApp()->toolbox()->linkManager();
+
+    mockConfig->setDynamic(true);
+    linkManager->linkConfigurations()->append(mockConfig);
+
+    return qobject_cast<MockLink*>(linkManager->createConnectedLink(mockConfig));
+}
+
+MockLink*  MockLink::startPX4MockLink(bool sendStatusText)
+{
+    MockConfiguration* mockConfig = new MockConfiguration("PX4 MockLink");
+
+    mockConfig->setFirmwareType(MAV_AUTOPILOT_PX4);
+    mockConfig->setVehicleType(MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR);
+    mockConfig->setSendStatusText(sendStatusText);
+
+    return _startMockLink(mockConfig);
+}
+
+MockLink*  MockLink::startGenericMockLink(bool sendStatusText)
+{
+    MockConfiguration* mockConfig = new MockConfiguration("Generic MockLink");
+
+    mockConfig->setFirmwareType(MAV_AUTOPILOT_GENERIC);
+    mockConfig->setVehicleType(MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR);
+    mockConfig->setSendStatusText(sendStatusText);
+
+    return _startMockLink(mockConfig);
+}
+
+MockLink*  MockLink::startAPMArduCopterMockLink(bool sendStatusText)
+{
+    MockConfiguration* mockConfig = new MockConfiguration("APM ArduCopter MockLink");
+
+    mockConfig->setFirmwareType(MAV_AUTOPILOT_ARDUPILOTMEGA);
+    mockConfig->setVehicleType(MAV_TYPE_QUADROTOR);
+    mockConfig->setSendStatusText(sendStatusText);
+
+    return _startMockLink(mockConfig);
+}
+
+MockLink*  MockLink::startAPMArduPlaneMockLink(bool sendStatusText)
+{
+    MockConfiguration* mockConfig = new MockConfiguration("APM ArduPlane MockLink");
+
+    mockConfig->setFirmwareType(MAV_AUTOPILOT_ARDUPILOTMEGA);
+    mockConfig->setVehicleType(MAV_TYPE_FIXED_WING);
+    mockConfig->setSendStatusText(sendStatusText);
+
+    return _startMockLink(mockConfig);
+}
+
diff --git a/src/comm/MockLink.h b/src/comm/MockLink.h
index f14b9c85193b11695a527120615c72c578d81f3e..e276610e50cb5d308052a44dcff93abb23f9bdae 100644
--- a/src/comm/MockLink.h
+++ b/src/comm/MockLink.h
@@ -146,6 +146,11 @@ public:
     /// Reset the state of the MissionItemHandler to no items, no transactions in progress.
     void resetMissionItemHandler(void) { _missionItemHandler.reset(); }
 
+    static MockLink* startPX4MockLink            (bool sendStatusText);
+    static MockLink* startGenericMockLink        (bool sendStatusText);
+    static MockLink* startAPMArduCopterMockLink  (bool sendStatusText);
+    static MockLink* startAPMArduPlaneMockLink   (bool sendStatusText);
+
 signals:
     /// @brief Used internally to move data to the thread.
     void _incomingBytes(const QByteArray bytes);
@@ -189,6 +194,8 @@ private:
     void _sendGpsRawInt(void);
     void _sendStatusTextMessages(void);
 
+    static MockLink* _startMockLink(MockConfiguration* mockConfig);
+
     MockLinkMissionItemHandler  _missionItemHandler;
 
     QString _name;