diff --git a/res/layout/message_list_item.xml b/res/layout/message_list_item.xml
index 89c7bf619..8837603d1 100644
--- a/res/layout/message_list_item.xml
+++ b/res/layout/message_list_item.xml
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@
         android:layout_marginLeft="8dip"
         android:layout_marginRight="8dip"
         android:background="@android:color/transparent" />
+        <CheckBox
+            android:id="@+id/selected_checkbox"
+            android:layout_width="36dip"
+            android:layout_below="@+id/chip"
+            android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
+            android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
+            android:layout_height="fill_parent"
+            android:focusable="false"
+            android:gravity="bottom|center"
+            android:visibility="gone" />
     </RelativeLayout>
 
     <TextView
diff --git a/res/xml/global_preferences.xml b/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
index 12fb56f5b..caaf7f190 100644
--- a/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
+++ b/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
@@ -109,6 +109,12 @@
                 android:entryValues="@array/settings_preview_lines_values"
                 android:dialogTitle="@string/global_settings_preview_lines_label"
                 />
+            <CheckBoxPreference
+                android:persistent="false"
+                android:key="messagelist_checkboxes"
+                android:title="@string/global_settings_checkbox_label"
+                android:summary="@string/global_settings_checkbox_summary" />
+
             <CheckBoxPreference
                 android:persistent="false"
                 android:key="messagelist_show_correspondent_names"
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
index e6caa157e..0c7552bfb 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application {
         NEVER
     }
 
+    private static boolean mMessageListCheckboxes = false;
     private static int mMessageListPreviewLines = 2;
 
     private static boolean mShowCorrespondentNames = true;
@@ -440,7 +441,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application {
         editor.putBoolean("messageListSenderAboveSubject", mMessageListSenderAboveSubject);
         editor.putBoolean("hideSpecialAccounts", mHideSpecialAccounts);
         editor.putInt("messageListPreviewLines", mMessageListPreviewLines);
-
+        editor.putBoolean("messageListCheckboxes", mMessageListCheckboxes);
         editor.putBoolean("showCorrespondentNames", mShowCorrespondentNames);
         editor.putBoolean("showContactName", mShowContactName);
         editor.putBoolean("changeRegisteredNameColor", mChangeContactNameColor);
@@ -590,6 +591,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application {
         mCountSearchMessages = sprefs.getBoolean("countSearchMessages", true);
         mHideSpecialAccounts = sprefs.getBoolean("hideSpecialAccounts", false);
         mMessageListSenderAboveSubject = sprefs.getBoolean("messageListSenderAboveSubject", false);
+        mMessageListCheckboxes = sprefs.getBoolean("messageListCheckboxes", false);
         mMessageListPreviewLines = sprefs.getInt("messageListPreviewLines", 2);
 
         mMobileOptimizedLayout = sprefs.getBoolean("mobileOptimizedLayout", false);
@@ -884,6 +886,15 @@ public class K9 extends Application {
         mMessageListPreviewLines = lines;
     }
 
+
+    public static boolean messageListCheckboxes() {
+        return mMessageListCheckboxes;
+    }
+
+    public static void setMessageListCheckboxes(boolean checkboxes) {
+        mMessageListCheckboxes = checkboxes;
+    }
+
     public static boolean showCorrespondentNames() {
         return mShowCorrespondentNames;
     }
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
index 588de7701..c878d3f62 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity {
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MEASURE_ACCOUNTS = "measure_accounts";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_COUNT_SEARCH = "count_search";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_HIDE_SPECIAL_ACCOUNTS = "hide_special_accounts";
+    private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_CHECKBOXES = "messagelist_checkboxes";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_PREVIEW_LINES = "messagelist_preview_lines";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_SENDER_ABOVE_SUBJECT = "messagelist_sender_above_subject";
     private static final String PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_SHOW_CORRESPONDENT_NAMES = "messagelist_show_correspondent_names";
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity {
     private CheckBoxPreference mHideSpecialAccounts;
     private ListPreference mPreviewLines;
     private CheckBoxPreference mSenderAboveSubject;
+    private CheckBoxPreference mCheckboxes;
     private CheckBoxPreference mShowCorrespondentNames;
     private CheckBoxPreference mShowContactName;
     private CheckBoxPreference mChangeContactNameColor;
@@ -218,6 +220,9 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity {
 
         mSenderAboveSubject = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_SENDER_ABOVE_SUBJECT);
         mSenderAboveSubject.setChecked(K9.messageListSenderAboveSubject());
+        mCheckboxes = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_CHECKBOXES);
+        mCheckboxes.setChecked(K9.messageListCheckboxes());
+
 
         mShowCorrespondentNames = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_SHOW_CORRESPONDENT_NAMES);
         mShowCorrespondentNames.setChecked(K9.showCorrespondentNames());
@@ -408,6 +413,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity {
         K9.setCountSearchMessages(mCountSearch.isChecked());
         K9.setHideSpecialAccounts(mHideSpecialAccounts.isChecked());
         K9.setMessageListPreviewLines(Integer.parseInt(mPreviewLines.getValue()));
+        K9.setMessageListCheckboxes(mCheckboxes.isChecked());
         K9.setShowCorrespondentNames(mShowCorrespondentNames.isChecked());
         K9.setMessageListSenderAboveSubject(mSenderAboveSubject.isChecked());
         K9.setShowContactName(mShowContactName.isChecked());
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/fragment/MessageListFragment.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/fragment/MessageListFragment.java
index df8d85b33..95bac3934 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/fragment/MessageListFragment.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/fragment/MessageListFragment.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import android.widget.AdapterView;
 import android.widget.AdapterView.AdapterContextMenuInfo;
 import android.widget.AdapterView.OnItemClickListener;
 import android.widget.BaseAdapter;
+import android.widget.CheckBox;
 import android.widget.CompoundButton;
 import android.widget.CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener;
 import android.widget.ListView;
@@ -359,6 +360,7 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
     private boolean mSortAscending = true;
     private boolean mSortDateAscending = false;
     private boolean mSenderAboveSubject = false;
+    private boolean mCheckboxes = true;
 
     private int mSelectedCount = 0;
 
@@ -691,6 +693,7 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
         mController = MessagingController.getInstance(getActivity().getApplication());
 
         mPreviewLines = K9.messageListPreviewLines();
+        mCheckboxes = K9.messageListCheckboxes();
 
         decodeArguments();
     }
@@ -1915,7 +1918,16 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
                 holder = new MessageViewHolder();
                 holder.date = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.date);
                 holder.chip = view.findViewById(R.id.chip);
+                holder.selected = (CheckBox) view.findViewById(R.id.selected_checkbox);
                 holder.preview = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.preview);
+                if (mCheckboxes) {
+                    holder.selected.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+                }
+
+                if (holder.selected != null) {
+                    holder.selected.setOnCheckedChangeListener(holder);
+                }
+
 
                 if (mSenderAboveSubject) {
                     holder.from = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.subject);
@@ -1969,6 +1981,11 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
 
                 //WARNING: Order of the next 2 lines matter
                 holder.position = -1;
+                holder.selected.setChecked(false);
+
+                if (!mCheckboxes) {
+                    holder.selected.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+                }
             }
 
 
@@ -2001,13 +2018,15 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
             // when a user checks the checkbox (vs code)
             holder.position = -1;
 
-            if (message.selected) {
+            holder.selected.setChecked(message.selected);
 
-            holder.chip.setBackgroundDrawable(message.message.getFolder().getAccount().getCheckmarkChip().drawable());
+            if (!mCheckboxes && message.selected) {
+
+                holder.chip.setBackgroundDrawable(message.message.getFolder().getAccount().getCheckmarkChip().drawable());
             }
 
             else {
-            holder.chip.setBackgroundDrawable(message.message.getFolder().getAccount().generateColorChip(message.read,message.message.toMe(), message.message.ccMe(), message.message.fromMe(), message.flagged).drawable());
+                holder.chip.setBackgroundDrawable(message.message.getFolder().getAccount().generateColorChip(message.read,message.message.toMe(), message.message.ccMe(), message.message.fromMe(), message.flagged).drawable());
 
             }
 
@@ -2132,6 +2151,7 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
         public TextView time;
         public TextView date;
         public View chip;
+        public CheckBox selected;
         public int position = -1;
 
         @Override
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/GlobalSettings.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/GlobalSettings.java
index e49face93..985826605 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/GlobalSettings.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/GlobalSettings.java
@@ -137,6 +137,9 @@ public class GlobalSettings {
         s.put("measureAccounts", Settings.versions(
                 new V(1, new BooleanSetting(true))
             ));
+        s.put("messageListCheckboxes", Settings.versions(
+                new V(1, new BooleanSetting(false))
+            ));
         s.put("messageListPreviewLines", Settings.versions(
                 new V(1, new IntegerRangeSetting(1, 100, 2))
             ));