diff --git a/course/lib.php b/course/lib.php
index c3b96a7b3da..98ebe5fd6e1 100644
--- a/course/lib.php
+++ b/course/lib.php
@@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ function print_section($course, $section, $mods, $modnamesused, $absolute=false,
                     $groupid = ($groupmode == SEPARATEGROUPS && !isteacheredit($course->id)) ?
                         get_current_group($course->id) : false;
 
-                    if (!isset($untracked[$mod->instance])) {
+                    if (forum_tp_is_tracked() && !isset($untracked[$mod->instance])) {
                         $unread = forum_tp_count_forum_unread_posts($USER->id, $mod->instance, $groupid);
                         if ($unread) {
                             echo '<span class="unread"> <a href="'.$CFG->wwwroot.'/mod/forum/view.php?id='.$mod->id.'">';
diff --git a/lang/en/moodle.php b/lang/en/moodle.php
index ca16379b69f..4f3631ffcbf 100644
--- a/lang/en/moodle.php
+++ b/lang/en/moodle.php
@@ -1031,6 +1031,7 @@ $string['topichide'] = 'Hide this topic from $a';
 $string['topicoutline'] = 'Topic outline';
 $string['topicshow'] = 'Show this topic to $a';
 $string['total'] = 'Total';
+$string['trackforums'] = 'Track read/unread posts';
 $string['trysearching'] = 'Try searching instead.';
 $string['turneditingoff'] = 'Turn editing off';
 $string['turneditingon'] = 'Turn editing on';
diff --git a/mod/forum/db/mysql.php b/mod/forum/db/mysql.php
index dfe7e75d64c..d77d97f6767 100644
--- a/mod/forum/db/mysql.php
+++ b/mod/forum/db/mysql.php
@@ -201,6 +201,11 @@ function forum_upgrade($oldversion) {
                   ) COMMENT=\'Tracks each users untracked forums.\';');
   }
 
+  if ($oldversion < 2005042301) { // Add user tracking prefs field.
+      modify_database('','ALTER TABLE prefix_user ADD
+                         `trackforums` TINYINT( 1 ) UNSIGNED DEFAULT \'1\' NOT NULL AFTER `autosubscribe` ;');
+  }
+
   return true;
   
 }
diff --git a/mod/forum/db/postgres7.php b/mod/forum/db/postgres7.php
index 0576f54dfa0..ce3339f2877 100644
--- a/mod/forum/db/postgres7.php
+++ b/mod/forum/db/postgres7.php
@@ -133,6 +133,14 @@ function forum_upgrade($oldversion) {
       $wtm->update( 'forum_posts','message','format',$sql );
   }
 
+  if ($oldversion < 2005042300) { // Add tracking prefs table
+      modify_database('','CREATE TABLE prefix_forum_track_prefs (
+                          id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY, 
+                          userid integer default 0 NOT NULL,
+                          forumid integer default 0 NOT NULL
+                        );');
+  }
+
   return true;
 
 }
diff --git a/mod/forum/db/postgres7.sql b/mod/forum/db/postgres7.sql
index e67fcdfcff5..56ae310a8f4 100644
--- a/mod/forum/db/postgres7.sql
+++ b/mod/forum/db/postgres7.sql
@@ -144,6 +144,21 @@ CREATE INDEX prefix_forum_user_post_idx ON prefix_forum_read (userid, postid);
 
 # --------------------------------------------------------
 
+
+#
+# Table structure for table `forum_track_prefs`
+#
+
+CREATE TABLE prefix_forum_track_prefs (
+  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
+  userid integer NOT NULL default '0',
+  forumid integer NOT NULL default '0'
+);
+
+CREATE INDEX user_forum_idx ON prefix_forum_track_prefs (userid, forumid);
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # Dumping data for table `log_display`
 #
diff --git a/mod/forum/index.php b/mod/forum/index.php
index 93abffba6cd..393d64f802b 100644
--- a/mod/forum/index.php
+++ b/mod/forum/index.php
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@
         $generaltable->head[] = $strunreadposts;
         $generaltable->align[] = 'center';
 
-        $untracked = forum_tp_get_untracked_forums($USER->id);
+        if (forum_tp_is_tracked()) {
+            $untracked = forum_tp_get_untracked_forums($USER->id);
+        }
         $generaltable->head[] = $strtracking;
         $generaltable->align[] = 'center';
     }
@@ -132,7 +134,7 @@
             }
 
             if ($CFG->forum_trackreadposts) {
-                if (!isset($untracked[$forum->id])) {
+                if (forum_tp_is_tracked() && !isset($untracked[$forum->id])) {
                     $groupid = ($groupmode==SEPARATEGROUPS && !isteacheredit($course->id)) ? $currentgroup : false;
                     $unread = forum_tp_count_forum_unread_posts($USER->id, $forum->id, $groupid);
                     if ($unread > 0) {
@@ -268,7 +270,7 @@
                 }
 
                 if ($CFG->forum_trackreadposts) {
-                    if (!isset($untracked[$forum->id])) {
+                    if (forum_tp_is_tracked() && !isset($untracked[$forum->id])) {
                         $groupid = ($groupmode==SEPARATEGROUPS && !isteacheredit($course->id)) ? $currentgroup : false;
                         $unread = forum_tp_count_forum_unread_posts($USER->id, $forum->id, $groupid);
                         if ($unread > 0) {
diff --git a/mod/forum/lib.php b/mod/forum/lib.php
index c11d11b7ccf..20de3a26dfb 100644
--- a/mod/forum/lib.php
+++ b/mod/forum/lib.php
@@ -3286,14 +3286,22 @@ function forum_tp_get_untracked_forums($userid) {
     return get_records('forum_track_prefs', 'userid', $userid, '', 'forumid,userid');
 }
 
-function forum_tp_is_tracked($forumid, $userid=false) {
-    global $USER;
+/// Tells whether a specific forum is tracked, or if no forum specified, whether
+/// it is configured to allow tracking.
+function forum_tp_is_tracked($forumid=0, $userid=false) {
+    global $USER, $CFG;
 
     if ($userid === false) {
         $userid = $USER->id;
     }
 
-    return (get_record('forum_track_prefs', 'userid', $userid, 'forumid', $forumid) === false);
+    if (!$CFG->forum_trackreadposts || !$USER->trackforums) {
+        return false;
+    } else if (empty($forumid)) {
+        return true;
+    } else {
+        return (get_record('forum_track_prefs', 'userid', $userid, 'forumid', $forumid) === false);
+    }
 }
 
 function forum_tp_start_tracking($forumid, $userid=false) {
diff --git a/mod/forum/version.php b/mod/forum/version.php
index 5af5e821485..2cbd25af7d9 100644
--- a/mod/forum/version.php
+++ b/mod/forum/version.php
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 //  This fragment is called by /admin/index.php
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-$module->version  = 2005042300;
+$module->version  = 2005042301;
 $module->requires = 2005031000;  // Requires this Moodle version
 $module->cron     = 60;