diff --git a/in/wicd=wpath.py.in b/in/wicd=wpath.py.in
index a4f17ef..d1fbbc1 100755
--- a/in/wicd=wpath.py.in
+++ b/in/wicd=wpath.py.in
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ no_install_kde = %NO_INSTALL_KDE%
 no_install_acpi = %NO_INSTALL_ACPI%
 no_install_docs = %NO_INSTALL_DOCS%
 no_install_ncurses = %NO_INSTALL_NCURSES%
+no_use_notifications = %NO_USE_NOTIFICATIONS%
 
 def chdir(file):
     """Change directory to the location of the specified file.
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 4ebc6aa..fdee577 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ class configure(Command):
         ('no-install-acpi', None, 'do not install the suspend.d and resume.d acpi scripts'),
         ('no-install-pmutils', None, 'do not install the pm-utils hooks'),
         ('no-install-docs', None, 'do not install the auxiliary documentation'),
-        ('no-install-ncurses', None, 'do not install the ncurses client')
+        ('no-install-ncurses', None, 'do not install the ncurses client'),
+        ('no-use-notifications', None, 'do not ever allow the use of libnotify notifications')
         ]
         
     def initialize_options(self):
@@ -127,6 +128,7 @@ class configure(Command):
         self.no_install_pmutils = False
         self.no_install_docs = False
         self.no_install_ncurses = False
+        self.no_use_notifications = False
 
         # Determine the default init file location on several different distros
         
diff --git a/wicd/prefs.py b/wicd/prefs.py
index 0066a1b..a8da776 100644
--- a/wicd/prefs.py
+++ b/wicd/prefs.py
@@ -156,6 +156,12 @@ class PreferencesDialog(object):
         except ImportError:
             self.notificationscheckbox.set_active(False)
             self.notificationscheckbox.set_sensitive(False)
+
+        # if notifications were disabled with the configure flag
+        if wpath.no_use_notifications:
+            self.notificationscheckbox.set_active(False)
+            self.notificationscheckbox.hide()
+            self.wTree.get_widget('label2').hide()
         
         self.wTree.get_widget("notebook2").set_current_page(0)
         
diff --git a/wicd/wicd-client.py b/wicd/wicd-client.py
index e692612..dc306de 100755
--- a/wicd/wicd-client.py
+++ b/wicd/wicd-client.py
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ if not hasattr(gtk, "StatusIcon"):
 
 print "Has notifications support", HAS_NOTIFY
 
+if wpath.no_use_notifications:
+    print 'Notifications disabled during setup.py configure'
+
 misc.RenameProcess("wicd-client")
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
@@ -266,8 +269,11 @@ class TrayIcon(object):
             if not state or not info:
                 [state, info] = daemon.GetConnectionStatus()
 
-            self.should_notify = (self.last_state != state) and \
-                    HAS_NOTIFY and self.use_notify 
+            # should this state change display a notification?
+            self.should_notify = not wpath.no_use_notifications and \
+                    (self.last_state != state) and \
+                    HAS_NOTIFY and \
+                    self.use_notify
 
             self.last_state = state