diff --git a/core/util.inc.php b/core/util.inc.php
index 451f9ed9..218f78ac 100644
--- a/core/util.inc.php
+++ b/core/util.inc.php
@@ -96,12 +96,15 @@ function to_shorthand_int($int) {
  * @retval string
  */
 function autodate($date) {
-	$diff = time() - strtotime($date);
-	if ($diff<60) return $diff . " second" . plural($diff) . " ago"; $diff = round($diff/60);
-	if ($diff<60) return $diff . " minute" . plural($diff) . " ago"; $diff = round($diff/60);
-	if ($diff<24) return $diff . " hour" . plural($diff) . " ago";   $diff = round($diff/24);
-	if ($diff<7)  return $diff . " day" . plural($diff) . " ago";    $diff = round($diff/7);
-	if ($diff<4)  return $diff . " week" . plural($diff) . " ago";
+	global $config;
+	if($config->get_bool('use_autodate', true)) {
+		$diff = time() - strtotime($date);
+		if ($diff<60) return $diff . " second" . plural($diff) . " ago"; $diff = round($diff/60);
+		if ($diff<60) return $diff . " minute" . plural($diff) . " ago"; $diff = round($diff/60);
+		if ($diff<24) return $diff . " hour" . plural($diff) . " ago";   $diff = round($diff/24);
+		if ($diff<7)  return $diff . " day" . plural($diff) . " ago";    $diff = round($diff/7);
+		if ($diff<4)  return $diff . " week" . plural($diff) . " ago";
+	}
 	return "on " . date("F j, Y", strtotime($date));
 }
 
diff --git a/ext/setup/main.php b/ext/setup/main.php
index cc4c923a..1f3617c0 100644
--- a/ext/setup/main.php
+++ b/ext/setup/main.php
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ class Setup extends SimpleExtension {
 		$config->set_default_string("main_page", "post/list");
 		$config->set_default_string("base_href", "./index.php?q=");
 		$config->set_default_string("theme", "default");
+		$config->set_default_bool("use_autodate", true);
 	}
 
 	public function onPageRequest($event) {