diff --git a/src/IP2Country.cpp b/src/IP2Country.cpp
index e8e26c2..76fc4b8 100644
--- a/src/IP2Country.cpp
+++ b/src/IP2Country.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ void CIP2Country::Enable()
 		LoadFlags();
 	}
 
-	if (!CPath::FileExists(m_DataBasePath)) {
+	if (!CPath::FileExists(m_DataBasePath) && thePrefs::IsGeoIPUpdateEnabled()) {
 		Update();
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/src/Preferences.cpp b/src/Preferences.cpp
index c7046f1..7008b1e 100644
--- a/src/Preferences.cpp
+++ b/src/Preferences.cpp
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ wxString	CPreferences::s_Ed2kURL;
 wxString	CPreferences::s_KadURL;
 bool		CPreferences::s_GeoIPEnabled;
 wxString	CPreferences::s_GeoIPUpdateUrl;
+bool		CPreferences::s_IsGeoIPUpdateEnabled;
 bool		CPreferences::s_preventSleepWhileDownloading;
 wxString	CPreferences::s_StatsServerName;
 wxString	CPreferences::s_StatsServerURL;
@@ -1147,6 +1148,7 @@ void CPreferences::BuildItemList( const wxString& appdir )
 	NewCfgItem(IDC_SKIN,		(new Cfg_Skin(  wxT("/SkinGUIOptions/Skin"), s_Skin, wxEmptyString )));
 	NewCfgItem(IDC_VERTTOOLBAR,	(new Cfg_Bool( wxT("/eMule/VerticalToolbar"), s_ToolbarOrientation, false )));
 	NewCfgItem(IDC_SHOW_COUNTRY_FLAGS,	(new Cfg_Bool( wxT("/eMule/GeoIPEnabled"), s_GeoIPEnabled, true )));
+	NewCfgItem(IDC_UPDATE_COUNTRY_FLAGS,	(new Cfg_Bool( wxT("/eMule/GeoIPUpdateEnabled"), s_IsGeoIPUpdateEnabled, true )));
 #ifndef __SVN__
 	NewCfgItem(IDC_SHOWVERSIONONTITLE,	(new Cfg_Bool( wxT("/eMule/ShowVersionOnTitle"), s_showVersionOnTitle, false )));
 #endif
diff --git a/src/Preferences.h b/src/Preferences.h
index 1db0d53..6471cfa 100644
--- a/src/Preferences.h
+++ b/src/Preferences.h
@@ -573,6 +573,7 @@ public:
 	static bool				IsGeoIPEnabled()		{return s_GeoIPEnabled;}
 	static void				SetGeoIPEnabled(bool v)	{s_GeoIPEnabled = v;}
 	static const wxString&	GetGeoIPUpdateUrl()		{return s_GeoIPUpdateUrl;}
+	static bool				IsGeoIPUpdateEnabled()		{return s_IsGeoIPUpdateEnabled;}
 
 	// Stats server
 	static const wxString&	GetStatsServerName()		{return s_StatsServerName;}
@@ -816,6 +817,7 @@ protected:
 	// GeoIP
 	static bool s_GeoIPEnabled;
 	static wxString s_GeoIPUpdateUrl;
+	static bool s_IsGeoIPUpdateEnabled;
 
 	// Sleep vetoing
 	static bool s_preventSleepWhileDownloading;