diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c6ec3f9fb..52d60dca7 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ node_modules
 settings.json
 !settings.json.template
 APIKEY.txt
+SESSIONKEY.txt
 bin/abiword.exe
 bin/node.exe
 etherpad-lite-win.zip
diff --git a/settings.json.template b/settings.json.template
index 039413d13..39c383eda 100644
--- a/settings.json.template
+++ b/settings.json.template
@@ -49,6 +49,21 @@
   
   //the default text of a pad
   "defaultPadText" : "Welcome to Etherpad!\n\nThis pad text is synchronized as you type, so that everyone viewing this page sees the same text. This allows you to collaborate seamlessly on documents!\n\nGet involved with Etherpad at http:\/\/etherpad.org\n",
+
+  /* Default Pad behavior, users can override by changing */
+  "padOptions": {
+    "noColors": false,
+    "showControls": true,
+    "showChat": true,
+    "showLineNumbers": true,
+    "useMonospaceFont": false,
+    "userName": false,
+    "userColor": false,
+    "rtl": false,
+    "alwaysShowChat": false,
+    "chatAndUsers": false,
+    "lang": "en-gb"
+  },
   
   /* Shoud we suppress errors from being visible in the default Pad Text? */
   "suppressErrorsInPadText" : false,
diff --git a/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js b/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
index c210ab2b3..e15af1a46 100644
--- a/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
+++ b/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
@@ -1182,6 +1182,7 @@ function handleClientReady(client, message)
           "userIsGuest": true,
           "userColor": authorColorId,
           "padId": message.padId,
+          "padOptions": settings.padOptions,
           "initialTitle": "Pad: " + message.padId,
           "opts": {},
           // tell the client the number of the latest chat-message, which will be
diff --git a/src/node/utils/Settings.js b/src/node/utils/Settings.js
index bd15a2dfd..b7d1f0bc3 100644
--- a/src/node/utils/Settings.js
+++ b/src/node/utils/Settings.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ var jsonminify = require("jsonminify");
 var log4js = require("log4js");
 var randomString = require("./randomstring");
 var suppressDisableMsg = " -- To suppress these warning messages change suppressErrorsInPadText to true in your settings.json\n";
+var _ = require("underscore");
 
 /* Root path of the installation */
 exports.root = path.normalize(path.join(npm.dir, ".."));
@@ -84,6 +85,23 @@ exports.dbSettings = { "filename" : path.join(exports.root, "dirty.db") };
  */
 exports.defaultPadText = "Welcome to Etherpad!\n\nThis pad text is synchronized as you type, so that everyone viewing this page sees the same text. This allows you to collaborate seamlessly on documents!\n\nEtherpad on Github: http:\/\/j.mp/ep-lite\n";
 
+/**
+ * The default Pad Settings for a user (Can be overridden by changing the setting
+ */
+exports.padOptions = {
+  "noColors": false,
+  "showControls": true,
+  "showChat": true,
+  "showLineNumbers": true,
+  "useMonospaceFont": false,
+  "userName": false,
+  "userColor": false,
+  "rtl": false,
+  "alwaysShowChat": false,
+  "chatAndUsers": false,
+  "lang": "en-gb"
+}
+
 /**
  * The toolbar buttons and order.
  */
@@ -255,7 +273,11 @@ exports.reloadSettings = function reloadSettings() {
     //or it's a settings hash, specific to a plugin
     if(exports[i] !== undefined || i.indexOf('ep_')==0)
     {
-      exports[i] = settings[i];
+      if (_.isObject(settings[i]) && !_.isArray(settings[i])) {
+        exports[i] = _.defaults(settings[i], exports[i]);
+      } else {
+        exports[i] = settings[i];
+      }
     }
     //this setting is unkown, output a warning and throw it away
     else
diff --git a/src/static/js/pad.js b/src/static/js/pad.js
index f1de80f0f..a2c76c08c 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pad.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pad.js
@@ -126,6 +126,18 @@ var getParameters = [
 
 function getParams()
 {
+  // Tries server enforced options first..
+  for(var i = 0; i < getParameters.length; i++)
+  {
+   var setting = getParameters[i];
+    var value = clientVars.padOptions[setting.name];
+    if(value.toString() === setting.checkVal)
+    {
+      setting.callback(value);
+    }
+  }
+  
+  // Then URL applied stuff
   var params = getUrlVars()
   
   for(var i = 0; i < getParameters.length; i++)
@@ -475,7 +487,6 @@ var pad = {
     {
       // start the custom js
       if (typeof customStart == "function") customStart();
-      getParams();
       handshake();
 
       // To use etherpad you have to allow cookies.
@@ -495,6 +506,8 @@ var pad = {
   
     //initialize the chat
     chat.init(this);
+    getParams();
+
     padcookie.init(); // initialize the cookies
     pad.initTime = +(new Date());
     pad.padOptions = clientVars.initialOptions;