diff --git a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
index 3ee5a57ac6..30680034b1 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Background.cpp
@@ -548,7 +548,15 @@ void BackgroundImpl::LoadFromSong( const Song* pSong )
 
 
 
-	if( pSong->HasBGChanges() )
+	if( !PREFSMAN->m_bSongBackgrounds )
+	{
+		/* Backgrounds are disabled; just display the song background. */
+		BackgroundChange change;
+		change.m_def = m_StaticBackgroundDef;
+		change.m_fStartBeat = 0;
+		m_Layer[0].m_aBGChanges.push_back( change );
+	}
+	else if( pSong->HasBGChanges() )
 	{
 		FOREACH_BackgroundLayer( i )
 		{
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
index 19e599e57b..b9ce49f033 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ PrefsManager::PrefsManager() :
 	m_bShowStats			( "ShowStats",				TRUE_IF_DEBUG),
 	m_bShowBanners			( "ShowBanners",			true ),
 
+	m_bSongBackgrounds		( "SongBackgrounds",		true ),
 	m_RandomBackgroundMode	( "RandomBackgroundMode",	BGMODE_ANIMATIONS ),
 	m_iNumBackgrounds		( "NumBackgrounds",			8 ),
 	m_fBGBrightness			( "BGBrightness",			0.8f ),
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
index 26230a5527..e073369983 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ public:
 	Preference<bool>	m_bShowStats;
 	Preference<bool>	m_bShowBanners;
 
+	Preference<bool>	m_bSongBackgrounds;
 	enum RandomBackgroundMode { BGMODE_OFF, BGMODE_ANIMATIONS, BGMODE_RANDOMMOVIES, NUM_RandomBackgroundMode };
 	Preference<RandomBackgroundMode,int>		m_RandomBackgroundMode;
 	Preference<int>		m_iNumBackgrounds;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
index 4ad0d097fa..ac4182531c 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
@@ -265,6 +265,17 @@ static void BGBrightness( int &sel, bool ToSel, const ConfOption *pConfOption )
 	MoveMap( sel, pConfOption, ToSel, mapping, ARRAYSIZE(mapping) );
 }
 
+static void BGBrightnessOrStatic( int &sel, bool ToSel, const ConfOption *pConfOption )
+{
+	const float mapping[] = { 0.4f,0.4f,0.7f };
+	MoveMap( sel, PREFSMAN->m_fBGBrightness, ToSel, mapping, ARRAYSIZE(mapping) );
+
+	if( ToSel && !PREFSMAN->m_bSongBackgrounds )
+		sel = 0;
+	if( !ToSel )
+		PREFSMAN->m_bSongBackgrounds.Set( sel != 0 );
+}
+
 static void NumBackgrounds( int &sel, bool ToSel, const ConfOption *pConfOption )
 {
 	const int mapping[] = { 5,10,15,20 };
@@ -527,6 +538,7 @@ static void InitializeConfOptions()
 	/* Background options */
 	ADD( ConfOption( "RandomBackgroundMode",		MovePref,			"OFF","ANIMATIONS","VISUALIZATIONS","RANDOM MOVIES" ) );
 	ADD( ConfOption( "BGBrightness",				BGBrightness,		"0%","10%","20%","30%","40%","50%","60%","70%","80%","90%","100%" ) );
+	ADD( ConfOption( "BGBrightnessOrStatic",		BGBrightnessOrStatic,"DISABLED","DIM","BRIGHT" ) );
 	ADD( ConfOption( "ShowDanger",					MovePref,			"HIDE","SHOW" ) );
 	ADD( ConfOption( "ShowDancingCharacters",		MovePref,			"DEFAULT TO OFF","DEFAULT TO RANDOM","SELECT" ) );
 	ADD( ConfOption( "ShowBeginnerHelper",			MovePref,			"OFF","ON" ) );