diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index e4e1ee04c..8a15989c3 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -268,6 +268,12 @@ Welcome to K-9 Mail setup.  K-9 is an open source mail client for Android origin
 	<string name="about_header">About <xliff:g id="app_name">%s</xliff:g></string>
 	<string name="about_version">Version: <xliff:g id="version">%s</xliff:g></string>
 
+
+    <string name="global_settings_star_label">Star flagged messages</string>
+    <string name="global_settings_checkbox_label">Multi-select checkboxes</string>
+    <string name="global_settings_checkbox_summary">Always show multi-select checkboxes</string>
+    <string name="global_settings_touchable_label">Touch-friendly view</string>
+
 	<string name="account_setup_basics_title">Set up a new account</string>
     <string name="account_setup_basics_instructions">Enter this account\'s email address:</string>
     <string name="account_setup_basics_instructions2_fmt">(You may add <xliff:g id="number_accounts">%d</xliff:g> more accounts.)</string>
@@ -421,8 +427,6 @@ Welcome to K-9 Mail setup.  K-9 is an open source mail client for Android origin
     <string name="account_settings_notify_summary">Notify in status bar when mail arrives</string>
     <string name="account_settings_notify_sync_summary">Notify in status bar while mail is checked</string>
     <string name="account_settings_show_combined_label">Show combined Inbox</string>
-    <string name="account_settings_star_label">Star flagged messages</string>
-    <string name="account_settings_touchable_label">Touch-friendly view</string>
     <string name="account_settings_notify_self_label">Notify for mail I sent</string>
     <string name="account_settings_notify_self_summary">Notify even for mail sent from an account identity</string>
     
diff --git a/res/xml/global_preferences.xml b/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
index 2d54de085..ff1e2434b 100644
--- a/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
+++ b/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
@@ -41,11 +41,17 @@
     <PreferenceCategory android:title="@string/messagelist_preferences" android:key="messagelist_preferences">
          <CheckBoxPreference
             android:key="messagelist_touchable"
-            android:title="@string/account_settings_touchable_label"/>
+            android:title="@string/global_settings_touchable_label"/>
 
          <CheckBoxPreference
             android:key="messagelist_stars"
-            android:title="@string/account_settings_star_label"/>
+            android:title="@string/global_settings_star_label"/>
+    
+         <CheckBoxPreference
+            android:key="messagelist_checkboxes"
+            android:title="@string/global_settings_checkbox_label"
+            android:summary="@string/global_settings_checkbox_summary"
+            />
     
     </PreferenceCategory>
     <PreferenceCategory android:title="@string/operational_preferences" android:key="operational_preferences">
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
index 95a1db073..21f4148f9 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application
 
 
     private static boolean mMessageListStars = true;
+    private static boolean mMessageListCheckboxes = false;
     private static boolean mMessageListTouchable = false;
 
 
@@ -308,6 +309,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application
         editor.putString("backgroundOperations", K9.backgroundOps.toString());
         editor.putBoolean("animations", mAnimations);
         editor.putBoolean("messageListStars",mMessageListStars);
+        editor.putBoolean("messageListCheckboxes",mMessageListCheckboxes);
         editor.putBoolean("messageListTouchable",mMessageListTouchable);
         editor.putInt("theme", theme);
     }
@@ -323,6 +325,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application
         DEBUG_SENSITIVE = sprefs.getBoolean("enableSensitiveLogging", false);
         mAnimations = sprefs.getBoolean("animations", true);
         mMessageListStars = sprefs.getBoolean("messageListStars",true);
+        mMessageListCheckboxes = sprefs.getBoolean("messageListCheckboxes",false);
         mMessageListTouchable = sprefs.getBoolean("messageListTouchable",false);
 
 
@@ -463,6 +466,15 @@ public class K9 extends Application
     {
         mMessageListStars = stars;
     }
+    public static boolean messageListCheckboxes()
+    {
+        return mMessageListCheckboxes;
+    }
+
+    public static void setMessageListCheckboxes(boolean checkboxes)
+    {
+        mMessageListCheckboxes = checkboxes;
+    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
index b0cd0e90d..6764c75c1 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ public class MessageList
     private boolean sortDateAscending = false;
 
     private boolean mStars = true;
+    private boolean mCheckboxes = true;
     private int mSelectedCount = 0;
 
     private View mBatchButtonArea;
@@ -465,6 +466,7 @@ public class MessageList
         super.onResume();
 
         mStars = K9.messageListStars();
+        mCheckboxes = K9.messageListCheckboxes();
         mTouchView = K9.messageListTouchable();
 
         sortType = mController.getSortType();
@@ -1332,7 +1334,7 @@ public class MessageList
         public boolean onFling(MotionEvent e1, MotionEvent e2, float velocityX, float velocityY)
         {
 
-            if (e2 == null || e1 == null) 
+            if (e2 == null || e1 == null)
                 return true;
 
             float deltaX = e2.getX() - e1.getX(),
@@ -1845,6 +1847,7 @@ public class MessageList
                 holder.date = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.date);
                 holder.chip = view.findViewById(R.id.chip);
                 holder.preview = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.preview);
+                holder.selected = (CheckBox) view.findViewById(R.id.selected_checkbox);
                 holder.flagged = (CheckBox) view.findViewById(R.id.flagged);
                 holder.flagged.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener()
                 {
@@ -1857,11 +1860,11 @@ public class MessageList
                 });
 
                 if (mStars == false)
-                {
                     holder.flagged.setVisibility(View.GONE);
-                }
 
-                holder.selected = (CheckBox) view.findViewById(R.id.selected_checkbox);
+                if (mCheckboxes == true)
+                    holder.selected.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+
 
 
                 if (holder.selected!=null)
@@ -1887,13 +1890,16 @@ public class MessageList
                 holder.position = -1;
                 holder.selected.setChecked(message.selected);
 
-                if (message.selected == true)
+                if (!mCheckboxes)
                 {
-                    holder.selected.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    holder.selected.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+                    if (message.selected == true)
+                    {
+                        holder.selected.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        holder.selected.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+                    }
                 }
                 holder.chip.setBackgroundResource(K9.COLOR_CHIP_RES_IDS[message.account.getAccountNumber() % K9.COLOR_CHIP_RES_IDS.length]);
                 holder.chip.getBackground().setAlpha(message.read ? 127 : 255);
@@ -1965,7 +1971,8 @@ public class MessageList
                 //WARNING: Order of the next 2 lines matter
                 holder.position = -1;
                 holder.selected.setChecked(false);
-                holder.selected.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+                if (!mCheckboxes)
+                    holder.selected.setVisibility(View.GONE);
                 holder.flagged.setChecked(false);
             }
             return view;
@@ -2272,13 +2279,16 @@ public class MessageList
                     //We must set the flag before showing the buttons
                     //as the buttons text depends on what is selected
                     message.selected = isChecked;
-                    if (isChecked == true)
+                    if (!mCheckboxes)
                     {
-                        selected.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
-                    }
-                    else
-                    {
-                        selected.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+                        if (isChecked == true)
+                        {
+                            selected.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+                        }
+                        else
+                        {
+                            selected.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+                        }
                     }
                     toggleBatchButtons();
                 }
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
index 7fe83d3cc..19b1757ef 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity
 
     private static final String PREFERENCE_ANIMATIONS = "animations";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_STARS = "messagelist_stars";
+    private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_CHECKBOXES = "messagelist_checkboxes";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_TOUCHABLE = "messagelist_touchable";
 
     private ListPreference mTheme;
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity
     private CheckBoxPreference mSensitiveLogging;
     private CheckBoxPreference mAnimations;
     private CheckBoxPreference mStars;
+    private CheckBoxPreference mCheckboxes;
     private CheckBoxPreference mTouchable;
 
 
@@ -127,6 +129,9 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity
         mStars = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_STARS);
         mStars.setChecked(K9.messageListStars());
 
+        mCheckboxes = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_CHECKBOXES);
+        mCheckboxes.setChecked(K9.messageListCheckboxes());
+
         mTouchable = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_TOUCHABLE);
         mTouchable.setChecked(K9.messageListTouchable());
     }
@@ -148,6 +153,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity
 
         K9.setAnimations(mAnimations.isChecked());
         K9.setMessageListStars(mStars.isChecked());
+        K9.setMessageListCheckboxes(mCheckboxes.isChecked());
 
         K9.setMessageListTouchable(mTouchable.isChecked());