diff --git a/auth/ldap/auth.php b/auth/ldap/auth.php
index b7c4b0f44cb..f153b11fa47 100644
--- a/auth/ldap/auth.php
+++ b/auth/ldap/auth.php
@@ -1840,7 +1840,17 @@ class auth_plugin_ldap extends auth_plugin_base {
             }
 
             // Now start the whole NTLM machinery.
-            redirect($CFG->wwwroot.'/auth/ldap/ntlmsso_attempt.php');
+            if(!empty($this->config->ntlmsso_ie_fastpath)) {
+                // Shortcut for IE browsers: skip the attempt page at all
+                if(check_browser_version('MSIE')) {
+                    $sesskey = sesskey();
+                    redirect($CFG->wwwroot.'/auth/ldap/ntlmsso_magic.php?sesskey='.$sesskey);
+                } else {
+                    redirect($CFG->httpswwwroot.'/login/index.php?authldap_skipntlmsso=1');
+                }
+            } else {
+                redirect($CFG->wwwroot.'/auth/ldap/ntlmsso_attempt.php');
+            }
         }
  
         // No NTLM SSO, Use the normal login page instead.
@@ -2041,6 +2051,8 @@ class auth_plugin_ldap extends auth_plugin_base {
             {$config->ntlmsso_enabled = 0; }
         if (!isset($config->ntlmsso_subnet))
             {$config->ntlmsso_subnet = ''; }
+        if (!isset($config->ntlmsso_ie_fastpath))
+            {$config->ntlmsso_ie_fastpath = 0; }
 
         // save settings
         set_config('host_url', $config->host_url, 'auth/ldap');
@@ -2073,6 +2085,7 @@ class auth_plugin_ldap extends auth_plugin_base {
         set_config('removeuser', $config->removeuser, 'auth/ldap');
         set_config('ntlmsso_enabled', (int)$config->ntlmsso_enabled, 'auth/ldap');
         set_config('ntlmsso_subnet', $config->ntlmsso_subnet, 'auth/ldap');
+        set_config('ntlmsso_ie_fastpath', (int)$config->ntlmsso_ie_fastpath, 'auth/ldap');
 
         return true;
     }
diff --git a/auth/ldap/config.html b/auth/ldap/config.html
index 9279638e11a..fdf54c160d5 100644
--- a/auth/ldap/config.html
+++ b/auth/ldap/config.html
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@
         {$config->ntlmsso_enabled = 0; }
     if (!isset($config->ntlmsso_subnet))
         {$config->ntlmsso_subnet = ''; }
+    if (!isset($config->ntlmsso_ie_fastpath))
+        {$config->ntlmsso_ie_fastpath = 0; }
 
     $yesno = array( get_string('no'), get_string('yes') );
 
@@ -468,6 +470,17 @@ if (!function_exists('ldap_connect')) { // Is php4-ldap really there?
     <?php print_string('auth_ntlmsso_subnet','auth') ?>
     </td>
 </tr>
+<tr valign="top">
+    <td align="right"><label for="menuntlmsso_ie_fastpath"><?php print_string('auth_ntlmsso_ie_fastpath_key','auth') ?></label></td>
+    <td>
+    <?php
+       choose_from_menu($yesno, 'ntlmsso_ie_fastpath', $config->ntlmsso_ie_fastpath, '0');
+    ?>
+    </td>
+    <td>
+    <?php print_string('auth_ntlmsso_ie_fastpath','auth') ?>
+    </td>
+</tr>
 
 <?php
 
diff --git a/auth/ldap/ntlmsso_magic.php b/auth/ldap/ntlmsso_magic.php
index 79077ef2b3f..9594b92a602 100644
--- a/auth/ldap/ntlmsso_magic.php
+++ b/auth/ldap/ntlmsso_magic.php
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ $file = $CFG->dirroot . '/pix/spacer.gif';
 if ($authplugin->ntlmsso_magic($sesskey) 
     && file_exists($file)) {
 
+    if (!empty($authplugin->config->ntlmsso_ie_fastpath)) {
+        if (check_browser_version('MSIE')) {
+            redirect($CFG->wwwroot . '/auth/ldap/ntlmsso_finish.php');
+        }
+    } 
+
     // Serve GIF
     // Type
     header('Content-Type: image/gif');
@@ -41,4 +47,4 @@ if ($authplugin->ntlmsso_magic($sesskey)
     print_error('ntlmsso_iwamagicnotenabled','auth');
 }
 
-?>
\ No newline at end of file
+?>
diff --git a/lang/en_utf8/auth.php b/lang/en_utf8/auth.php
index 1add442b348..2703fac4f04 100644
--- a/lang/en_utf8/auth.php
+++ b/lang/en_utf8/auth.php
@@ -252,6 +252,8 @@ $string['auth_ldapnotinstalled'] = 'Cannot use LDAP authentication. The PHP LDAP
 $string['auth_ntlmsso'] = 'NTLM SSO';
 $string['auth_ntlmsso_enabled_key'] = 'Enable';
 $string['auth_ntlmsso_enabled'] = 'Set to yes to attempt Single Sign On with the NTLM domain. <strong>Note:</strong> this requires additional setup on the webserver to work, see <a href=\"http://docs.moodle.org/en/NTLM_authentication\">http://docs.moodle.org/en/NTLM_authentication</a>';
+$string['auth_ntlmsso_ie_fastpath'] = 'Set to yes to enable the NTLM SSO fast path (bypasses certain steps and only works if the client\'s browser is MS Internet Explorer).';
+$string['auth_ntlmsso_ie_fastpath_key'] = 'MS IE fast path?';
 $string['auth_ntlmsso_subnet_key'] = 'Subnet';
 $string['auth_ntlmsso_subnet'] = 'If set, it will only attempt SSO with clients in this subnet. Format: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/bitmask';
 $string['ntlmsso_attempting'] = 'Attempting Single Sign On via NTLM...';