diff --git a/admin/settings/appearance.php b/admin/settings/appearance.php
index 9995af38048..212554b0950 100644
--- a/admin/settings/appearance.php
+++ b/admin/settings/appearance.php
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ if ($hassiteconfig) { // speedup for non-admins, add all caps used on this page
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('useblogassociations', new lang_string('useblogassociations', 'blog'), new lang_string('configuseblogassociations','blog'), 1));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_bloglevel('bloglevel', new lang_string('bloglevel', 'admin'), new lang_string('configbloglevel', 'admin'), 4, array(BLOG_GLOBAL_LEVEL => new lang_string('worldblogs','blog'),
                                                                                                                                            BLOG_SITE_LEVEL => new lang_string('siteblogs','blog'),
-                                                                                                                                           BLOG_USER_LEVEL => new lang_string('personalblogs','blog'),
-                                                                                                                                           0 => new lang_string('disableblogs','blog'))));
+                                                                                                                                           BLOG_USER_LEVEL => new lang_string('personalblogs','blog'))));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('useexternalblogs', new lang_string('useexternalblogs', 'blog'), new lang_string('configuseexternalblogs','blog'), 1));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configselect('externalblogcrontime', new lang_string('externalblogcrontime', 'blog'), new lang_string('configexternalblogcrontime', 'blog'), 86400,
         array(43200 => new lang_string('numhours', '', 12),
diff --git a/admin/settings/subsystems.php b/admin/settings/subsystems.php
index 0e629b805c0..0d3db2ed1d2 100644
--- a/admin/settings/subsystems.php
+++ b/admin/settings/subsystems.php
@@ -26,11 +26,7 @@ if ($hassiteconfig) { // speedup for non-admins, add all caps used on this page
 
     $optionalsubsystems->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('enablerssfeeds', new lang_string('enablerssfeeds', 'admin'), new lang_string('configenablerssfeeds', 'admin'), 0));
 
-    $optionalsubsystems->add(new admin_setting_bloglevel('bloglevel', new lang_string('bloglevel', 'admin'),
-                                new lang_string('configbloglevel', 'admin'), 4, array(5 => new lang_string('worldblogs','blog'),
-                                                                                 4 => new lang_string('siteblogs','blog'),
-                                                                                 1 => new lang_string('personalblogs','blog'),
-                                                                                 0 => new lang_string('disableblogs','blog'))));
+    $optionalsubsystems->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('enableblogs', new lang_string('enableblogs', 'admin'), new lang_string('configenableblogs', 'admin'), 1));
 
     $options = array('off'=>new lang_string('off', 'mnet'), 'strict'=>new lang_string('on', 'mnet'));
     $optionalsubsystems->add(new admin_setting_configselect('mnet_dispatcher_mode', new lang_string('net', 'mnet'), new lang_string('configmnet', 'mnet'), 'off', $options));
diff --git a/blocks/blog_menu/block_blog_menu.php b/blocks/blog_menu/block_blog_menu.php
index c85576a0f26..bdbe4573830 100644
--- a/blocks/blog_menu/block_blog_menu.php
+++ b/blocks/blog_menu/block_blog_menu.php
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class block_blog_menu extends block_base {
             return $this->content;
         }
 
-        if (empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+        if (empty($CFG->enableblogs)) {
             $this->content = new stdClass();
             $this->content->text = '';
             if ($this->page->user_is_editing()) {
diff --git a/blocks/blog_recent/block_blog_recent.php b/blocks/blog_recent/block_blog_recent.php
index fe6c970c8fe..1bee81e6c96 100644
--- a/blocks/blog_recent/block_blog_recent.php
+++ b/blocks/blog_recent/block_blog_recent.php
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class block_blog_recent extends block_base {
         }
 
         // verify blog is enabled
-        if (empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+        if (empty($CFG->enableblogs)) {
             $this->content = new stdClass();
             $this->content->text = '';
             if ($this->page->user_is_editing()) {
diff --git a/blog/edit.php b/blog/edit.php
index 3ed91554cdb..d39ec414c13 100644
--- a/blog/edit.php
+++ b/blog/edit.php
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ if ($action == 'edit') {
     $id = required_param('entryid', PARAM_INT);
 }
 
-if (empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+if (empty($CFG->enableblogs)) {
     print_error('blogdisable', 'blog');
 }
 
diff --git a/blog/index.php b/blog/index.php
index feb320e9cbd..94bc527cfcb 100644
--- a/blog/index.php
+++ b/blog/index.php
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ foreach ($url_params as $var => $val) {
 }
 $PAGE->set_url('/blog/index.php', $url_params);
 
-if (empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+if (empty($CFG->enableblogs)) {
     print_error('blogdisable', 'blog');
 }
 
diff --git a/blog/lib.php b/blog/lib.php
index 764fc64a060..280102965b0 100644
--- a/blog/lib.php
+++ b/blog/lib.php
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ function blog_user_can_edit_entry($blogentry) {
 function blog_user_can_view_user_entry($targetuserid, $blogentry=null) {
     global $CFG, $USER, $DB;
 
-    if (empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+    if (empty($CFG->enableblogs)) {
         return false; // blog system disabled
     }
 
@@ -349,8 +349,7 @@ function blog_get_context_url($context=null) {
  */
 function blog_is_enabled_for_user() {
     global $CFG;
-    //return (!empty($CFG->bloglevel) && $CFG->bloglevel <= BLOG_GLOBAL_LEVEL && isloggedin() && !isguestuser());
-    return (!empty($CFG->bloglevel) && (isloggedin() || ($CFG->bloglevel == BLOG_GLOBAL_LEVEL)));
+    return (!empty($CFG->enableblogs) && (isloggedin() || ($CFG->bloglevel == BLOG_GLOBAL_LEVEL)));
 }
 
 /**
@@ -406,7 +405,7 @@ function blog_get_all_options(moodle_page $page, stdClass $userid = null) {
     }
 
     // If blog level is global then display a link to view all site entries
-    if (!empty($CFG->bloglevel) && $CFG->bloglevel >= BLOG_GLOBAL_LEVEL && has_capability('moodle/blog:view', context_system::instance())) {
+    if (!empty($CFG->enableblogs) && $CFG->bloglevel >= BLOG_GLOBAL_LEVEL && has_capability('moodle/blog:view', context_system::instance())) {
         $options[CONTEXT_SYSTEM] = array('viewsite' => array(
             'string' => get_string('viewsiteentries', 'blog'),
             'link' => new moodle_url('/blog/index.php')
diff --git a/blog/locallib.php b/blog/locallib.php
index 813b6c6a7d8..0356e24abaa 100644
--- a/blog/locallib.php
+++ b/blog/locallib.php
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ class blog_entry {
         global $CFG, $USER, $DB;
         $sitecontext = context_system::instance();
 
-        if (empty($CFG->bloglevel) || !has_capability('moodle/blog:view', $sitecontext)) {
+        if (empty($CFG->enableblogs) || !has_capability('moodle/blog:view', $sitecontext)) {
             return false; // blog system disabled or user has no blog view capability
         }
 
diff --git a/blog/preferences.php b/blog/preferences.php
index 3ab869b2eaa..9bbc3fcf6c0 100644
--- a/blog/preferences.php
+++ b/blog/preferences.php
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ if ($courseid == SITEID) {
     $context = context_course::instance($courseid);
 }
 
-if (empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+if (empty($CFG->enableblogs)) {
     print_error('blogdisable', 'blog');
 }
 
diff --git a/lang/en/admin.php b/lang/en/admin.php
index 9c143985d96..63d3bf4e96e 100644
--- a/lang/en/admin.php
+++ b/lang/en/admin.php
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ $string['configdefaultuserroleid'] = 'All logged in users will be given the capa
 $string['configdeleteincompleteusers'] = 'After this period, old not fully setup accounts are deleted.';
 $string['configdeleteunconfirmed'] = 'If you are using email authentication, this is the period within which a response will be accepted from users.  After this period, old unconfirmed accounts are deleted.';
 $string['configdenyemailaddresses'] = 'To deny email addresses from particular domains list them here in the same way.  All other domains will be accepted. To deny subdomains add the domain with a preceding \'.\'. eg <strong>hotmail.com yahoo.co.uk .live.com</strong>';
+$string['configenableblogs'] = 'This switch provides all site users with their own blog.';
 $string['configenabledevicedetection'] = 'Enables detection of mobiles, smartphones, tablets or default devices (desktop PCs, laptops, etc) for the application of themes and other features.';
 $string['configdisableuserimages'] = 'Disable the ability for users to change user profile images.';
 $string['configdisplayloginfailures'] = 'This will display information to selected users about previous failed logins.';
@@ -464,6 +465,7 @@ $string['emoticons_desc'] = 'This form defines the emoticons (or smileys) used a
 $string['emoticonsreset'] = 'Reset emoticons setting to default values';
 $string['emptysettingvalue'] = 'Empty';
 $string['enableajax'] = 'Enable AJAX';
+$string['enableblogs'] = 'Enable blogs';
 $string['enablecalendarexport'] = 'Enable calendar export';
 $string['enablecomments'] = 'Enable comments';
 $string['enablecourserequests'] = 'Enable course requests';
diff --git a/lang/en/blog.php b/lang/en/blog.php
index 197931e0c15..546753e80ea 100644
--- a/lang/en/blog.php
+++ b/lang/en/blog.php
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ $string['deleteexternalblog'] = 'Unregister this external blog';
 $string['deleteotagswarn'] = 'Are you sure you want to remove these tags from all blog posts and remove it from the system?';
 $string['description'] = 'Description';
 $string['description_help'] = 'Enter a sentence or two summarising the contents of your external blog. (If no description is supplied, the description recorded in your external blog will be used).';
-$string['disableblogs'] = 'Disable blog system completely';
 $string['donothaveblog'] = 'You do not have your own blog, sorry.';
 $string['editentry'] = 'Edit a blog entry';
 $string['editexternalblog'] = 'Edit this external blog';
diff --git a/lib/cronlib.php b/lib/cronlib.php
index 8535689effe..7ec99e5c0f0 100644
--- a/lib/cronlib.php
+++ b/lib/cronlib.php
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ function cron_run() {
 
 
     // Run external blog cron if needed
-    if ($CFG->useexternalblogs) {
+    if (!empty($CFG->enableblogs) && $CFG->useexternalblogs) {
         require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/blog/lib.php');
         mtrace("Fetching external blog entries...", '');
         $sql = "timefetched < ? OR timefetched = 0";
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ function cron_run() {
         mtrace('done.');
     }
     // Run blog associations cleanup
-    if ($CFG->useblogassociations) {
+    if (!empty($CFG->enableblogs) && $CFG->useblogassociations) {
         require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/blog/lib.php');
         // delete entries whose contextids no longer exists
         mtrace("Deleting blog associations linked to non-existent contexts...", '');
diff --git a/lib/db/upgrade.php b/lib/db/upgrade.php
index 726428213b3..6079ed35da4 100644
--- a/lib/db/upgrade.php
+++ b/lib/db/upgrade.php
@@ -1081,5 +1081,25 @@ function xmldb_main_upgrade($oldversion) {
         // Main savepoint reached
         upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2012072600.01);
     }
+
+    if ($oldversion < 2012080600.00) {
+        // Move the ability to disable blogs to its own setting MDL-25012.
+
+        if (isset($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+            // Only change settings if existing setting was set.
+            if (empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+                set_config('enableblogs', 0);
+                // Now set the bloglevel to a valid setting as the disabled setting has been removed.
+                // This prevents confusing results when users enable the blog system in future.
+                set_config('bloglevel', BLOG_USER_LEVEL);
+            } else {
+                set_config('enableblogs', 1);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Main savepoint reached
+        upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2012080600.00);
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/lib/filelib.php b/lib/filelib.php
index 32df4bceee7..366b1593037 100644
--- a/lib/filelib.php
+++ b/lib/filelib.php
@@ -3451,7 +3451,7 @@ function file_pluginfile($relativepath, $forcedownload, $preview = null) {
             send_file_not_found();
         }
 
-        if (empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+        if (empty($CFG->enableblogs)) {
             print_error('siteblogdisable', 'blog');
         }
 
diff --git a/lib/navigationlib.php b/lib/navigationlib.php
index 0317445fd87..43dfe9eefb4 100644
--- a/lib/navigationlib.php
+++ b/lib/navigationlib.php
@@ -2296,7 +2296,7 @@ class global_navigation extends navigation_node {
         }
 
         // Add blog nodes
-        if (!empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+        if (!empty($CFG->enableblogs)) {
             if (!$this->cache->cached('userblogoptions'.$user->id)) {
                 require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/blog/lib.php');
                 // Get all options for the user
@@ -2658,7 +2658,7 @@ class global_navigation extends navigation_node {
         $filterselect = 0;
 
         // Blogs
-        if (!empty($CFG->bloglevel)
+        if (!empty($CFG->enableblogs)
           and ($CFG->bloglevel == BLOG_GLOBAL_LEVEL or ($CFG->bloglevel == BLOG_SITE_LEVEL and (isloggedin() and !isguestuser())))
           and has_capability('moodle/blog:view', context_system::instance())) {
             $blogsurls = new moodle_url('/blog/index.php', array('courseid' => $filterselect));
@@ -4196,7 +4196,7 @@ class settings_navigation extends navigation_node {
         }
 
         // Blogs
-        if ($currentuser && !empty($CFG->bloglevel)) {
+        if ($currentuser && !empty($CFG->enableblogs)) {
             $blog = $usersetting->add(get_string('blogs', 'blog'), null, navigation_node::TYPE_CONTAINER, null, 'blogs');
             $blog->add(get_string('preferences', 'blog'), new moodle_url('/blog/preferences.php'), navigation_node::TYPE_SETTING);
             if (!empty($CFG->useexternalblogs) && $CFG->maxexternalblogsperuser > 0 && has_capability('moodle/blog:manageexternal', context_system::instance())) {
diff --git a/version.php b/version.php
index 6f790c025fb..cc69f894e03 100644
--- a/version.php
+++ b/version.php
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
 
-$version  = 2012080200.01;              // YYYYMMDD      = weekly release date of this DEV branch
+$version  = 2012080600.00;              // YYYYMMDD      = weekly release date of this DEV branch
                                         //         RR    = release increments - 00 in DEV branches
                                         //           .XX = incremental changes