diff --git a/Documentation.html b/Documentation.html
index c8d1fc647..ac8692c05 100644
--- a/Documentation.html
+++ b/Documentation.html
@@ -1301,6 +1301,10 @@ CREATE DATABASE,ALTER DATABASE,DROP DATABASE</pre>
     for example, the Designer feature is Ajax-only so this directive
     does not apply to it.</dd>
 
+    <dt id="cfg_VersionCheck">$cfg['VersionCheck'] boolean</dt>
+    <dd>Enables check for latest versions using javascript on main phpMyAdmin
+    page.</dd>
+
     <dt id="cfg_MaxTableList">$cfg['MaxTableList'] integer</dt>
     <dd>The maximum number of table names to be displayed in the
     main panel's list (except on the Export page). This limit is also enforced in the navigation panel
diff --git a/js/functions.js b/js/functions.js
index 1c4013277..d8f75cf63 100644
--- a/js/functions.js
+++ b/js/functions.js
@@ -2466,7 +2466,7 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
     /**
      * Load version information asynchronously.
      */
-    if ($('#li_pma_version').length > 0) {
+    if ($('.jsversioncheck').length > 0) {
         (function() {
             var s = document.createElement('script');
             s.type = 'text/javascript';
diff --git a/libraries/config.default.php b/libraries/config.default.php
index d7df77e49..c53abcd81 100644
--- a/libraries/config.default.php
+++ b/libraries/config.default.php
@@ -494,6 +494,13 @@ $cfg['ServerDefault'] = 1;
  */
 $cfg['AjaxEnable'] = true;
 
+/**
+ * whether version check is active
+ *
+ * @global boolean $cfg['VersionCheck']
+ */
+$cfg['VersionCheck'] = true;
+
 /**
  * maximum number of db's displayed in left frame and database list
  *
diff --git a/libraries/config/messages.inc.php b/libraries/config/messages.inc.php
index 560b1e519..b2363c16a 100644
--- a/libraries/config/messages.inc.php
+++ b/libraries/config/messages.inc.php
@@ -495,6 +495,8 @@ $strConfigUserprefsDeveloperTab_name = __('Enable the Developer tab in settings'
 $strConfigVerboseMultiSubmit_desc = __('Show affected rows of each statement on multiple-statement queries. See libraries/import.lib.php for defaults on how many queries a statement may contain.');
 $strConfigVerboseMultiSubmit_name = __('Verbose multiple statements');
 $strConfigVersionCheckLink = __('Check for latest version');
+$strConfigVersionCheck_desc = __('Enables check for latest version on main phpMyAdmin page');
+$strConfigVersionCheck_name = __('Version check');
 $strConfigZipDump_desc = __('Enable [a@http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZIP_(file_format)]ZIP[/a] compression for import and export operations');
 $strConfigZipDump_name = __('ZIP');
 
diff --git a/libraries/config/setup.forms.php b/libraries/config/setup.forms.php
index 778306516..5287aade9 100644
--- a/libraries/config/setup.forms.php
+++ b/libraries/config/setup.forms.php
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ $forms['Features']['Developer'] = array(
     'DBG/sql');
 $forms['Features']['Other_core_settings'] = array(
     'AjaxEnable',
+    'VersionCheck',
     'NaturalOrder',
     'InitialSlidersState',
     'ErrorIconic',
diff --git a/libraries/config/user_preferences.forms.php b/libraries/config/user_preferences.forms.php
index cfa78ae6e..ea5ac5952 100644
--- a/libraries/config/user_preferences.forms.php
+++ b/libraries/config/user_preferences.forms.php
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 $forms = array();
 $forms['Features']['General'] = array(
     'AjaxEnable',
+    'VersionCheck',
     'NaturalOrder',
     'InitialSlidersState',
     'ErrorIconic',
diff --git a/main.php b/main.php
index 964d7b4b9..62fbc04da 100644
--- a/main.php
+++ b/main.php
@@ -209,7 +209,11 @@ if ($GLOBALS['cfg']['ShowServerInfo'] || $GLOBALS['cfg']['ShowPhpInfo']) {
 echo '<div class="group">';
 echo '<h2>phpMyAdmin</h2>';
 echo '<ul>';
-PMA_printListItem(__('Version information') . ': ' . PMA_VERSION, 'li_pma_version');
+$clas = null;
+if ($GLOBALS['cfg']['VersionCheck']) {
+    $class = 'jsversioncheck';
+}
+PMA_printListItem(__('Version information') . ': ' . PMA_VERSION, 'li_pma_version', null, null, null, null, $class);
 PMA_printListItem(__('Documentation'), 'li_pma_docs', 'Documentation.html', null, '_blank');
 PMA_printListItem(__('Wiki'), 'li_pma_wiki', PMA_linkURL('http://wiki.phpmyadmin.net/'), null, '_blank');