diff --git a/mod/item.php b/mod/item.php
index 20f7f2957e..cf79913eb4 100644
--- a/mod/item.php
+++ b/mod/item.php
@@ -907,6 +907,10 @@ function item_post(&$a) {
 
 	call_hooks('post_local_end', $datarray);
 
+	// if no auto update is enabled, then disable it temporarily
+	if (get_pconfig($profile_uid, "system", "no_auto_update") == 1)
+		set_pconfig($profile_uid, "system", "no_auto_update", -1);
+
 	if(strlen($emailcc) && $profile_uid == local_user()) {
 		$erecips = explode(',', $emailcc);
 		if(count($erecips)) {
diff --git a/mod/like.php b/mod/like.php
index a2f51b074e..5ed58245ae 100755
--- a/mod/like.php
+++ b/mod/like.php
@@ -136,6 +136,9 @@ function like_content(&$a) {
 		// Save the author information for the unlike in case we need to relay to Diaspora
 		store_diaspora_like_retract_sig($activity, $item, $like_item, $contact);
 
+		// if no auto update is enabled, then disable it temporarily
+		if (get_pconfig($owner_uid, "system", "no_auto_update") == 1)
+			set_pconfig($owner_uid, "system", "no_auto_update", -1);
 
 //		proc_run('php',"include/notifier.php","like","$post_id"); // $post_id isn't defined here!
 		$like_item_id = $like_item['id'];
@@ -148,7 +151,7 @@ function like_content(&$a) {
 	$uri = item_new_uri($a->get_hostname(),$owner_uid);
 
 	$post_type = (($item['resource-id']) ? t('photo') : t('status'));
-	$objtype = (($item['resource-id']) ? ACTIVITY_OBJ_PHOTO : ACTIVITY_OBJ_NOTE ); 
+	$objtype = (($item['resource-id']) ? ACTIVITY_OBJ_PHOTO : ACTIVITY_OBJ_NOTE );
 	$link = xmlify('<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/display/' . $owner['nickname'] . '/' . $item['id'] . '" />' . "\n") ;
 	$body = $item['body'];
 
@@ -219,6 +222,9 @@ EOT;
 	// Save the author information for the like in case we need to relay to Diaspora
 	store_diaspora_like_sig($activity, $post_type, $contact, $post_id);
 
+	// if no auto update is enabled, then disable it temporarily
+	if (get_pconfig($owner_uid, "system", "no_auto_update") == 1)
+		set_pconfig($owner_uid, "system", "no_auto_update", -1);
 
 	$arr['id'] = $post_id;
 
diff --git a/mod/settings.php b/mod/settings.php
index 4edd62f679..c00ecc2e37 100644
--- a/mod/settings.php
+++ b/mod/settings.php
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ function settings_post(&$a) {
 		$nosmile = ((x($_POST,'nosmile')) ? intval($_POST['nosmile'])  : 0);
 		$noinfo = ((x($_POST,'noinfo')) ? intval($_POST['noinfo'])  : 0);
 		$infinite_scroll = ((x($_POST,'infinite_scroll')) ? intval($_POST['infinite_scroll'])  : 0);
+		$no_auto_update = ((x($_POST,'no_auto_update')) ? intval($_POST['no_auto_update'])  : 0);
 		$browser_update   = ((x($_POST,'browser_update')) ? intval($_POST['browser_update']) : 0);
 		$browser_update   = $browser_update * 1000;
 		if($browser_update < 10000)
@@ -291,6 +292,7 @@ function settings_post(&$a) {
 		set_pconfig(local_user(),'system','no_smilies',$nosmile);
 		set_pconfig(local_user(),'system','ignore_info',$noinfo);
 		set_pconfig(local_user(),'system','infinite_scroll',$infinite_scroll);
+		set_pconfig(local_user(),'system','no_auto_update',$no_auto_update);
 
 
 		if ($theme == $a->user['theme']){
@@ -859,6 +861,9 @@ function settings_content(&$a) {
 		$infinite_scroll = get_pconfig(local_user(),'system','infinite_scroll');
 		$infinite_scroll = (($infinite_scroll===false)? '0': $infinite_scroll); // default if not set: 0
 
+		$no_auto_update = get_pconfig(local_user(),'system','no_auto_update');
+		$no_auto_update = (($no_auto_update===false)? '0': $no_auto_update); // default if not set: 0
+
 		$theme_config = "";
 		if( ($themeconfigfile = get_theme_config_file($theme_selected)) != null){
 			require_once($themeconfigfile);
@@ -881,6 +886,7 @@ function settings_content(&$a) {
 			'$nosmile'	=> array('nosmile', t("Don't show emoticons"), $nosmile, ''),
 			'$noinfo'	=> array('noinfo', t("Don't show notices"), $noinfo, ''),
 			'$infinite_scroll'	=> array('infinite_scroll', t("Infinite scroll"), $infinite_scroll, ''),
+			'$no_auto_update'	=> array('no_auto_update', t("Disable automatic network update"), $no_auto_update, ''),
 
 			'$theme_config' => $theme_config,
 		));
diff --git a/mod/update_network.php b/mod/update_network.php
index 0dfe0a73ff..65366d1377 100644
--- a/mod/update_network.php
+++ b/mod/update_network.php
@@ -13,8 +13,14 @@ function update_network_content(&$a) {
 	echo "<!DOCTYPE html><html><body>\r\n";
 	echo (($_GET['msie'] == 1) ? '<div>' : '<section>');
 
+	$no_auto_update = get_pconfig($profile_uid, "system", "no_auto_update");
+	if ($no_auto_update <= 0) {
+		$text = network_content($a,$profile_uid);
+		if ($no_auto_update < 0)
+			set_pconfig($profile_uid, "system", "no_auto_update", 1);
+	} else
+		$text = "";
 
-	$text = network_content($a,$profile_uid);
 	$pattern = "/<img([^>]*) src=\"([^\"]*)\"/";
 	$replace = "<img\${1} dst=\"\${2}\"";
 	$text = preg_replace($pattern, $replace, $text);
diff --git a/view/templates/settings_display.tpl b/view/templates/settings_display.tpl
index a135842cf3..ad7feae3cc 100644
--- a/view/templates/settings_display.tpl
+++ b/view/templates/settings_display.tpl
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 {{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$nosmile}}
 {{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$noinfo}}
 {{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$infinite_scroll}}
+{{include file="field_checkbox.tpl" field=$no_auto_update}}
 
 
 <div class="settings-submit-wrapper" >