diff --git a/configuredialog.cpp b/configuredialog.cpp
index bf5dba0cf..b8c6d37ff 100644
--- a/configuredialog.cpp
+++ b/configuredialog.cpp
@@ -887,6 +887,20 @@ void ConfigureDialog::makeNetworkPage( void )
   btn_vlay->addWidget( mNetwork.removeAccountButton );
   btn_vlay->addStretch( 1 ); // spacer
 
+  hlay = new QHBoxLayout();
+  vlay->addLayout( hlay, 10 );
+  hlay->addWidget( new QLabel( i18n("Default Mailbox Format:"), page ) );
+  mNetwork.mailboxPrefCombo = new QComboBox(false, page );
+  mNetwork.mailboxPrefCombo->insertItem("mbox");
+  mNetwork.mailboxPrefCombo->insertItem("maildir");
+  QWhatsThis::add(mNetwork.mailboxPrefCombo,
+                  i18n("<qt>This selects which mailbox format will be "
+                       "the default.<p><b>mbox:</b> Common but less "
+                       "reliable.<p><b>maildir:</b> More reliable, but "
+                       "less commonly used</qt>"));
+  hlay->addWidget(mNetwork.mailboxPrefCombo);
+  hlay->addStretch( 1 );
+
   // "New Mail Notification" group box: stretch 0
   group = new QVGroupBox( i18n("&New Mail Notification"), page );
   vlay->addWidget( group );
@@ -1806,6 +1820,8 @@ void ConfigureDialog::setupNetworkPage( void )
     mNetwork.accountList->setSelected( listItem, true );
   }
 
+  mNetwork.mailboxPrefCombo->setCurrentItem( config->readNumEntry("default-mailbox-format", 0 ) );
+
   mNetwork.beepNewMailCheck->setChecked( config->readBoolEntry("beep-on-mail", false ) );
   mNetwork.showMessageBoxCheck->setChecked( config->readBoolEntry("msgbox-on-mail", false) );
   mNetwork.mailCommandCheck->setChecked( config->readBoolEntry("exec-on-mail", false) );
@@ -2379,6 +2395,9 @@ void ConfigureDialog::slotDoApply( bool everything )
     kernel->acctMgr()->writeConfig(FALSE);
     kernel->cleanupImapFolders();
 
+    config->writeEntry( "default-mailbox-format",
+                        mNetwork.mailboxPrefCombo->currentItem() );
+
     // Save Mail notification settings
     config->writeEntry( "beep-on-mail",
 			mNetwork.beepNewMailCheck->isChecked() );
diff --git a/configuredialog.h b/configuredialog.h
index 57f0a58fe..26d8ccff5 100644
--- a/configuredialog.h
+++ b/configuredialog.h
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ private:
       QPushButton  *addAccountButton;
       QPushButton  *modifyAccountButton;
       QPushButton  *removeAccountButton;
+      QComboBox    *mailboxPrefCombo;
       // "New Mail Notification" group box:
       QCheckBox   *beepNewMailCheck;
       QCheckBox   *showMessageBoxCheck;
diff --git a/kmfolderdia.cpp b/kmfolderdia.cpp
index 4c1a4bac5..6a6b779cd 100644
--- a/kmfolderdia.cpp
+++ b/kmfolderdia.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <qgroupbox.h>
 #include <qregexp.h>
 
+#include <kapp.h>
 #include <klocale.h>
 #include <kmessagebox.h>
 #include <kdebug.h>
@@ -74,8 +75,13 @@ KMFolderDialog::KMFolderDialog(KMFolder* aFolder, KMFolderDir *aFolderDir,
   QLabel *label_type = new QLabel( i18n("Mailbox Format:" ), mtGroup );
   ml->addWidget( label_type );
   mailboxType = new QComboBox(mtGroup);
-  mailboxType->insertItem("mbox (default)", 0);
+  mailboxType->insertItem("mbox", 0);
   mailboxType->insertItem("maildir", 1);
+  {
+    KConfig *config = kapp->config();
+    KConfigGroupSaver saver(config, "General");
+    mailboxType->setCurrentItem(config->readNumEntry("default-mailbox-format", 0));
+  }
   if (aFolder) mailboxType->setEnabled(false);
   ml->addWidget( mailboxType );
   ml->addStretch( 1 );