diff --git a/configuredialog.cpp b/configuredialog.cpp
index bdde50959..c6ff9f0d6 100644
--- a/configuredialog.cpp
+++ b/configuredialog.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ using KMail::ImapAccountBase;
 using KRecentAddress::RecentAddresses;
 #include "completionordereditor.h"
 #include "ldapclient.h"
+#include "index.h"
 
 using KMail::IdentityListView;
 using KMail::IdentityListViewItem;
@@ -4378,6 +4379,16 @@ MiscPageFolderTab::MiscPageFolderTab( QWidget * parent, const char * name )
   connect( mEmptyTrashCheck, SIGNAL( stateChanged( int ) ),
            this, SLOT( slotEmitChanged( void ) ) );
 
+#ifdef HAVE_INDEXLIB
+  // indexing enabled option:
+  mIndexingEnabled = new QCheckBox( i18n("Enable full text &indexing"), this );
+  vlay->addWidget( mIndexingEnabled );
+  connect( mIndexingEnabled, SIGNAL( stateChanged( int ) ),
+           this, SLOT( slotEmitChanged( void ) ) );
+#endif
+
+
+
   vlay->addStretch( 1 );
 
   // and now: add QWhatsThis:
@@ -4412,6 +4423,22 @@ MiscPageFolderTab::MiscPageFolderTab( QWidget * parent, const char * name )
             "the search will start from the bottom of the message list and continue to "
             "the previous folder depending on which option is selected.</p></qt>" );
   QWhatsThis::add( mLoopOnGotoUnread, msg );
+
+#ifdef HAVE_INDEXLIB
+ // this is probably overly pessimistic
+  msg = i18n( "what's this help",
+		  "<qt><p>Full text indexing allows very fast searches on the content "
+		  "of your messages. When enabled, the search dialog will work very fast. "
+		  "Also, the search tool bar will also select messages based on content.</p>"
+		  "<p>It takes up a certain amount of disk space "
+		  "(about half the disk space for the messages).</p>"
+		  "<p>After enabling, the index will need to be built, but you can continue to use KMail "
+		  "while this operation is running.</p>"
+		  "</qt>"
+	    );
+
+  QWhatsThis::add( mIndexingEnabled, msg );
+#endif
 }
 
 void MiscPage::FolderTab::doLoadFromGlobalSettings() {
@@ -4435,6 +4462,8 @@ void MiscPage::FolderTab::doLoadOther() {
   int num = general.readNumEntry("default-mailbox-format", 1 );
   if ( num < 0 || num > 1 ) num = 1;
   mMailboxPrefCombo->setCurrentItem( num );
+
+  mIndexingEnabled->setChecked( kmkernel->msgIndex() && kmkernel->msgIndex()->isEnabled() );
 }
 
 void MiscPage::FolderTab::save() {
@@ -4453,6 +4482,7 @@ void MiscPage::FolderTab::save() {
   GlobalSettings::self()->setShowPopupAfterDnD( mShowPopupAfterDnD->isChecked() );
   GlobalSettings::self()->setExcludeImportantMailFromExpiry(
         mExcludeImportantFromExpiry->isChecked() );
+  if ( kmkernel->msgIndex() ) kmkernel->msgIndex()->setEnabled( mIndexingEnabled->isChecked() );
 }
 
 QString MiscPage::GroupwareTab::helpAnchor() const {
diff --git a/configuredialog_p.h b/configuredialog_p.h
index cb1ed5100..e06d4072f 100644
--- a/configuredialog_p.h
+++ b/configuredialog_p.h
@@ -916,6 +916,7 @@ private:
   QComboBox    *mMailboxPrefCombo;
   QComboBox    *mActionEnterFolder;
   QCheckBox    *mEmptyTrashCheck;
+  QCheckBox    *mIndexingEnabled;
   QCheckBox    *mDelayedMarkAsRead;
   KIntSpinBox  *mDelayedMarkTime;
   QCheckBox    *mShowPopupAfterDnD;
diff --git a/index.cpp b/index.cpp
index 21abd37a6..e7b26238c 100644
--- a/index.cpp
+++ b/index.cpp
@@ -90,10 +90,6 @@ KMMsgIndex::KMMsgIndex( QObject* parent ):
 	mSlowDown( false ) {
 	kdDebug( 5006 ) << "KMMsgIndex::KMMsgIndex()" << endl;
 	
-	if ( !QFileInfo( mIndexPath ).exists() ) {
-		::mkdir( mIndexPath, S_IRWXU );
-	}
-	
 	connect( kmkernel->folderMgr(), SIGNAL( msgRemoved( KMFolder*, Q_UINT32 ) ), SLOT( slotRemoveMessage( KMFolder*, Q_UINT32 ) ) );
 	connect( kmkernel->folderMgr(), SIGNAL( msgAdded( KMFolder*, Q_UINT32 ) ), SLOT( slotAddMessage( KMFolder*, Q_UINT32 ) ) );
 	connect( kmkernel->dimapFolderMgr(), SIGNAL( msgRemoved( KMFolder*, Q_UINT32 ) ), SLOT( slotRemoveMessage( KMFolder*, Q_UINT32 ) ) );
@@ -169,6 +165,10 @@ bool KMMsgIndex::isIndexed( KMFolder* folder ) const {
 
 void KMMsgIndex::setEnabled( bool e ) {
 	kdDebug( 5006 ) << "KMMsgIndex::setEnabled( " << e << " )" << endl;
+	KConfig* config = KMKernel::config();
+	KConfigGroupSaver saver( config, "text-index" );
+	if ( config->readBoolEntry( "enabled", e ) == e ) return;
+	config->writeEntry( "enabled", e );
 	if ( e ) {
 		switch ( mState ) {
 			case s_idle:
@@ -367,7 +367,11 @@ void KMMsgIndex::continueCreation() {
 
 void KMMsgIndex::create() {
 	kdDebug( 5006 ) << "KMMsgIndex::create()" << endl;
+	
 #ifdef HAVE_INDEXLIB
+	if ( !QFileInfo( mIndexPath ).exists() ) {
+		::mkdir( mIndexPath, S_IRWXU );
+	}
 	mState = s_creating;
 	if ( !mIndex ) mIndex = indexlib::create( mIndexPath ).release();
 	if ( !mIndex ) {
diff --git a/index.h b/index.h
index b407e400c..9aa3d9ebc 100644
--- a/index.h
+++ b/index.h
@@ -92,6 +92,11 @@ class KMMsgIndex : public QObject {
 		 * even though the folder is probably still being indexed in the background.
 		 */
 		bool isIndexed( KMFolder* folder ) const;
+
+		/**
+		 * Returns whether the index is enabled
+		 */
+		bool isEnabled() const { return mState != s_disabled; }
 	public slots:
 		/**
 		 * Either enable or disable indexing.