diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
index 11923944bf..098acba135 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ PrefsManager::PrefsManager()
 	m_bEndlessBreakEnabled = true;
 	m_iEndlessNumStagesUntilBreak = 5;
 	m_iEndlessBreakLength = 5;
+	m_bDisableScreenSaver = true; // may be causing flickering in X
 
 	// set to 0 so people aren't shocked at first
 	m_iProgressiveLifebar = 0;
@@ -474,6 +475,7 @@ void PrefsManager::ReadGlobalPrefsFromDisk()
 	ini.GetValue( "Options", "EndlessBreakEnabled",				m_bEndlessBreakEnabled );
 	ini.GetValue( "Options", "EndlessStagesUntilBreak",			m_iEndlessNumStagesUntilBreak );
 	ini.GetValue( "Options", "EndlessBreakLength",				m_iEndlessBreakLength );
+	ini.GetValue( "Options", "DisableScreenSaver",				m_bDisableScreenSaver );
 
 	ini.GetValue( "Options", "MemoryCardProfileSubdir",			m_sMemoryCardProfileSubdir );
 	for( int p=0; p<NUM_PLAYERS; p++ )
@@ -690,6 +692,7 @@ void PrefsManager::SaveGlobalPrefsToDisk() const
 	ini.SetValue( "Options", "EndlessBreakEnabled",				m_bEndlessBreakEnabled );
 	ini.SetValue( "Options", "EndlessStagesUntilBreak",			m_iEndlessNumStagesUntilBreak );
 	ini.SetValue( "Options", "EndlessBreakLength",				m_iEndlessBreakLength );
+	ini.SetValue( "Options", "DisableScreenSaver",				m_bDisableScreenSaver );
 
 	ini.SetValue( "Options", "MemoryCardProfileSubdir",			m_sMemoryCardProfileSubdir );
 	for( int p=0; p<NUM_PLAYERS; p++ )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
index 91a5a2840b..787a48ca03 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ public:
 	bool			m_bEndlessBreakEnabled;
 	int				m_iEndlessNumStagesUntilBreak;
 	int				m_iEndlessBreakLength;
+	bool			m_bDisableScreenSaver;
 	CString			m_sLanguage;
 	CString			m_sMemoryCardProfileSubdir;	// if set, always use the device that mounts to this point
 	CString			m_sDefaultLocalProfileID[NUM_PLAYERS];