diff --git a/static/js/pad.js b/static/js/pad.js
index d6bb4c717..426050987 100644
--- a/static/js/pad.js
+++ b/static/js/pad.js
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ function handshake()
         pad.changeViewOption('showLineNumbers', false);
       }
 
-      // If the noColors value is set to true then we need to hide the backround colors on the ace spans
+      // If the noColors value is set to true then we need to hide the background colors on the ace spans
       if (settings.noColors == true)
       {
         pad.changeViewOption('noColors', true);
@@ -488,6 +488,9 @@ var pad = {
         chat.stickToScreen(true); // stick it to the screen
         $('#options-stickychat').prop("checked", true); // set the checkbox to on
       }
+      if(padcookie.getPref("showAuthorshipColors") == false){
+	pad.changeViewOption('showAuthorColors', false);
+      }
     }
   },
   dispose: function()
@@ -752,6 +755,7 @@ var pad = {
 
     // pad.determineSidebarVisibility(isConnected && !isInitialConnect);
     pad.determineChatVisibility(isConnected && !isInitialConnect);
+    pad.determineAuthorshipColorsVisibility();
 
   },
 /*  determineSidebarVisibility: function(asNowConnectedFeedback)
@@ -781,6 +785,16 @@ var pad = {
       $('#options-stickychat').prop("checked", false); // set the checkbox for off
     }
   },
+  determineAuthorshipColorsVisibility: function(){
+    var authColCookie = padcookie.getPref('showAuthorshipColors');
+    if (authColCookie){
+      pad.changeViewOption('showAuthorColors', true);
+      $('#options-colorscheck').prop("checked", true);
+    }
+    else {
+      $('#options-colorscheck').prop("checked", false);
+    }
+  },
   handleCollabAction: function(action)
   {
     if (action == "commitPerformed")
diff --git a/static/js/pad_editor.js b/static/js/pad_editor.js
index e838ae040..3dd67544d 100644
--- a/static/js/pad_editor.js
+++ b/static/js/pad_editor.js
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ var padeditor = (function()
       });
       padutils.bindCheckboxChange($("#options-colorscheck"), function()
       {
+        padcookie.setPref('showAuthorshipColors', padutils.getCheckbox("#options-colorscheck"));
         pad.changeViewOption('showAuthorColors', padutils.getCheckbox("#options-colorscheck"));
       });
       $("#viewfontmenu").change(function()
diff --git a/static/pad.html b/static/pad.html
index ea0ad6f3a..6f9665507 100644
--- a/static/pad.html
+++ b/static/pad.html
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
                     <label for="options-stickychat">Chat always on screen</label>
                 </p>
                 <p>
-                    <input type="checkbox" id="options-colorscheck" checked>
+                    <input type="checkbox" id="options-colorscheck">
                     <label for="options-colorscheck">Authorship colors</label>
                 </p>
                 <p>