diff --git a/Documentation.html b/Documentation.html
index 2b57c7f37..5669be558 100644
--- a/Documentation.html
+++ b/Documentation.html
@@ -1485,10 +1485,12 @@ CREATE DATABASE,ALTER DATABASE,DROP DATABASE</pre>
     or in a new one (<tt>new</tt>). Note: use <tt>new</tt> if you are
     linking to <tt>phpmyadmin.net</tt>.</dd>
 
-    <dt id="cfg_LeftDisplayTableFilter">$cfg['LeftDisplayTableFilter'] boolean</dt>
-    <dd>Defines whether or not to display a JavaScript filter box above the
+    <dt id="cfg_LeftDisplayTableFilterMinimum">$cfg['LeftDisplayTableFilterMinimum']
+    integer</dt>
+    <dd>Defines the minimum number of tables to display a JavaScript filter box above the
     list of tables in the left frame.
-    Defaults to <tt>TRUE</tt>.</dd>
+    Defaults to <tt>30</tt>. To disable the filter completely some high number
+    can he used (e.g. 9999)</dd>
 
     <dt id="cfg_LeftDisplayServers">$cfg['LeftDisplayServers'] boolean</dt>
     <dd>Defines whether or not to display a server choice at the top of the left frame.
diff --git a/libraries/config.default.php b/libraries/config.default.php
index cc23ceea0..028c14b89 100644
--- a/libraries/config.default.php
+++ b/libraries/config.default.php
@@ -775,10 +775,11 @@ $cfg['LeftLogoLinkWindow'] = 'main';
 
 /**
  * display a JavaScript table filter in the left frame
+ * when more then x tables are present
  *
- * @global boolean $cfg['LeftDisplayTableFilter']
+ * @global boolean $cfg['LeftDisplayTableFilterMinimum']
  */
-$cfg['LeftDisplayTableFilter'] = true;
+$cfg['LeftDisplayTableFilterMinimum'] = 30;
 
 /**
  * display server choice at top of left frame
diff --git a/libraries/config/messages.inc.php b/libraries/config/messages.inc.php
index 6f6a8ed2d..6f312076d 100644
--- a/libraries/config/messages.inc.php
+++ b/libraries/config/messages.inc.php
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ $strConfigLeftDisplayLogo_desc = __('Show logo in left frame');
 $strConfigLeftDisplayLogo_name = __('Display logo');
 $strConfigLeftDisplayServers_desc = __('Display server choice at the top of the left frame');
 $strConfigLeftDisplayServers_name = __('Display servers selection');
-$strConfigLeftDisplayTableFilter_name = __('Display table filter');
+$strConfigLeftDisplayTableFilterMinimum_name = __('Mimimum number of tables to display table filter');
 $strConfigLeftFrameDBSeparator_desc = __('String that separates databases into different tree levels');
 $strConfigLeftFrameDBSeparator_name = __('Database tree separator');
 $strConfigLeftFrameDBTree_desc = __('Only light version; display databases in a tree (determined by the separator defined below)');
diff --git a/libraries/config/setup.forms.php b/libraries/config/setup.forms.php
index ab654bd0e..79c8bb76b 100644
--- a/libraries/config/setup.forms.php
+++ b/libraries/config/setup.forms.php
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ $forms['Left_frame']['Left_databases'] = array(
     'LeftFrameDBSeparator',
     'ShowTooltipAliasDB');
 $forms['Left_frame']['Left_tables'] = array(
-    'LeftDisplayTableFilter',
+    'LeftDisplayTableFilterMinimum',
     'LeftDefaultTabTable',
     'LeftFrameTableSeparator',
     'LeftFrameTableLevel',
diff --git a/libraries/config/user_preferences.forms.php b/libraries/config/user_preferences.forms.php
index cd9e6731c..a0270073f 100644
--- a/libraries/config/user_preferences.forms.php
+++ b/libraries/config/user_preferences.forms.php
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ $forms['Left_frame']['Left_databases'] = array(
     'LeftFrameDBSeparator',
     'ShowTooltipAliasDB');
 $forms['Left_frame']['Left_tables'] = array(
-    'LeftDisplayTableFilter',
+    'LeftDisplayTableFilterMinimum',
     'LeftDefaultTabTable',
     'LeftFrameTableSeparator',
     'LeftFrameTableLevel',
diff --git a/navigation.php b/navigation.php
index 7991283cf..d312a0c0a 100644
--- a/navigation.php
+++ b/navigation.php
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ if ($GLOBALS['cfg']['LeftFrameLight'] && strlen($GLOBALS['db'])) {
         $db_tooltip     = $GLOBALS['db'];
     }
 
-    if ($table_count && $GLOBALS['cfg']['LeftDisplayTableFilter']) {
+    if ($table_count >= $GLOBALS['cfg']['LeftDisplayTableFilterMinimum']) {
         ?>
         <span id="NavFilter">
         <input type="text" name="fast_filter" id="fast_filter" title="<?php echo __('Filter'); ?>" value="<?php echo __('filter tables by name'); ?>" />