diff --git a/API/src/main/java/org/sikuli/script/Region.java b/API/src/main/java/org/sikuli/script/Region.java
index 3f4ecfb6e..7262cbb4c 100644
--- a/API/src/main/java/org/sikuli/script/Region.java
+++ b/API/src/main/java/org/sikuli/script/Region.java
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ private static void log(int level, String message, Object... args) {
    * Flag, if an observer is running on this region {@link Settings}
    */
   private boolean observing = false;
+  private boolean observingInBackground = false;
   private float observeScanRate = Settings.ObserveScanRate;
   private int repeatWaitTime = Settings.RepeatWaitTime;
   /**
@@ -3517,8 +3518,10 @@ private boolean observeDo(double secs) {
       return false;
     }
     if (observing) {
-      Debug.error("Region: observe: already running for this region. Only one allowed!");
-      return false;
+      if (!observingInBackground) {
+        Debug.error("Region: observe: already running for this region. Only one allowed!");
+        return false;
+      }
     }
     log(lvl, "observe: starting in " + this.toStringShort() + " for " + secs + " seconds");
     int MaxTimePerScan = (int) (1000.0 / observeScanRate);
@@ -3563,7 +3566,7 @@ private boolean observeDo(double secs) {
   }
 
   /**
-   * start an observer in this region for the given time that runs in background for details about the observe event
+   * start an observer in this region for the given time that runs in background - for details about the observe event
    * handler: {@link ObserverCallBack} for details about APPEAR/VANISH/CHANGE events: {@link ObserveEvent}
    *
    * @param secs time in seconds the observer should run
@@ -3574,12 +3577,24 @@ public boolean observeInBackground(double secs) {
       Debug.error("Region: observeInBackground: already running for this region. Only one allowed!");
       return false;
     }
+    observing = true;
+    observingInBackground = true;
     Thread observeThread = new Thread(new ObserverThread(secs));
     observeThread.start();
     log(lvl, "observeInBackground now running");
     return true;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * start an observer in this region that runs in background forever - for details about the observe event
+   * handler: {@link ObserverCallBack} for details about APPEAR/VANISH/CHANGE events: {@link ObserveEvent}
+   *
+   * @return false if not possible, true otherwise
+   */
+  public boolean observeInBackground() {
+    return observeInBackground(Double.MAX_VALUE);
+  }
+
   private class ObserverThread implements Runnable {
 
     private double time;
@@ -3600,6 +3615,7 @@ public void run() {
   public void stopObserver() {
     log(lvl, "observe: request to stop observer for " + this.toStringShort());
     observing = false;
+    observingInBackground = false;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/API/src/main/java/org/sikuli/script/Sikulix.java b/API/src/main/java/org/sikuli/script/Sikulix.java
index 42e63662c..3b39ac19e 100644
--- a/API/src/main/java/org/sikuli/script/Sikulix.java
+++ b/API/src/main/java/org/sikuli/script/Sikulix.java
@@ -130,7 +130,28 @@ public static void main(String[] args) throws FindFailed {
     boolean playing = false;
     if (args.length > 0 && "play".equals(args[0])) {
       playing = true;
-//-------- playground
+//-------- playground Observe
+//      Region reg = new Region(0,0,80,80);
+//      reg.highlight(2);
+//      reg.onChange(new ObserverCallBack(){
+//        @Override
+//        public void changed(ObserveEvent evt) {
+//          if (evt.getCount() > 3) {
+//            p("in handler: %d - stopping", evt.getCount());
+//            evt.stopObserver();
+//          } else {
+//            p("in handler: %d", evt.getCount());
+//          }
+//        }
+//      });
+//      reg.observeInBackground();
+//      int n = 0;
+//      while (reg.isObserving()) {
+//        p("%d - observing", n);
+//        reg.wait(1.0);
+//        n++;
+//      }
+//-------- playground VNC
 //      VNCScreen vs = vncStart("192.168.2.63", 5900, "vnc", 0, 0);
 //      p("%s", vs);
 //      vs.wait(3.0);