diff --git a/src/dialogs/confdialog.cxx b/src/dialogs/confdialog.cxx
index b332d12c..eda2728c 100644
--- a/src/dialogs/confdialog.cxx
+++ b/src/dialogs/confdialog.cxx
@@ -5065,6 +5065,18 @@ static void cb_btnKmlPurgeOnStartup(Fl_Check_Button* o, void*) {
 progdefaults.changed = true;
 }
 
+Fl_Check_Button *btn_kml_enabled=(Fl_Check_Button *)0;
+
+static void cb_btn_kml_enabled(Fl_Check_Button* o, void*) {
+  progdefaults.kml_enabled = o->value();
+if (progdefaults.kml_enabled) {
+  kml_init(true);
+  progdefaults.changed = true;
+} else {
+  KmlServer::Exit();
+};
+}
+
 Fl_Group *tabQRZ=(Fl_Group *)0;
 
 Fl_Tabs *tabsQRZ=(Fl_Tabs *)0;
@@ -11066,6 +11078,16 @@ and restarted if needed."));
               btnKmlPurgeOnStartup->callback((Fl_Callback*)cb_btnKmlPurgeOnStartup);
               o->value(progdefaults.kml_purge_on_startup);
             } // Fl_Check_Button* btnKmlPurgeOnStartup
+            { Fl_Group* o = new Fl_Group(283, 327, 310, 40);
+              o->box(FL_ENGRAVED_FRAME);
+              { Fl_Check_Button* o = btn_kml_enabled = new Fl_Check_Button(305, 337, 242, 19, _("KML server enabled (On / Off)"));
+                btn_kml_enabled->tooltip(_("Uncheck if KML is never used"));
+                btn_kml_enabled->down_box(FL_DOWN_BOX);
+                btn_kml_enabled->callback((Fl_Callback*)cb_btn_kml_enabled);
+                o->value(progdefaults.kml_enabled);
+              } // Fl_Check_Button* btn_kml_enabled
+              o->end();
+            } // Fl_Group* o
             tabKML->end();
           } // Fl_Group* tabKML
           tabsMisc->end();
diff --git a/src/dialogs/confdialog.fl b/src/dialogs/confdialog.fl
index fdb746eb..762785f9 100644
--- a/src/dialogs/confdialog.fl
+++ b/src/dialogs/confdialog.fl
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ static const char szBaudRates[] = "300|600|1200|2400|4800|9600|19200|38400|57600
 static const char szProsigns[] = "~|%|&|+|=|{|}|<|>|[|]| ";} {}
   Fl_Window {} {
     label {Fldigi configuration} open
-    xywh {610 168 600 415} type Double color 45 selection_color 51 labelsize 18 align 80 non_modal visible
+    xywh {611 168 600 415} type Double color 45 selection_color 51 labelsize 18 align 80 non_modal visible
   } {
     Fl_Tabs tabsConfigure {open
       xywh {0 0 600 380} color 50 selection_color 50
@@ -6319,6 +6319,22 @@ progdefaults.changed = true;}
               tooltip {Empties KML documents when starting program.} xywh {322 231 172 15} down_box DOWN_BOX
               code0 {o->value(progdefaults.kml_purge_on_startup);}
             }
+            Fl_Group {} {open
+              xywh {283 327 310 40} box ENGRAVED_FRAME
+            } {
+              Fl_Check_Button btn_kml_enabled {
+                label {KML server enabled (On / Off)}
+                callback {progdefaults.kml_enabled = o->value();
+if (progdefaults.kml_enabled) {
+  kml_init(true);
+  progdefaults.changed = true;
+} else {
+  KmlServer::Exit();
+}}
+                tooltip {Uncheck if KML is never used} xywh {305 337 242 19} down_box DOWN_BOX
+                code0 {o->value(progdefaults.kml_enabled);}
+              }
+            }
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/include/confdialog.h b/src/include/confdialog.h
index d2bb90e0..8208d562 100644
--- a/src/include/confdialog.h
+++ b/src/include/confdialog.h
@@ -621,6 +621,7 @@ extern Fl_Button *btlTestKmlCommand;
 extern Fl_Button *btnSelectKmlDestDir;
 extern Fl_Button *btlPurge;
 extern Fl_Check_Button *btnKmlPurgeOnStartup;
+extern Fl_Check_Button *btn_kml_enabled;
 extern Fl_Group *tabQRZ;
 extern Fl_Tabs *tabsQRZ;
 extern Fl_Round_Button *btnQRZWEBnotavailable;
diff --git a/src/include/configuration.h b/src/include/configuration.h
index 557d7bec..60b0c832 100644
--- a/src/include/configuration.h
+++ b/src/include/configuration.h
@@ -352,6 +352,9 @@
         ELEM_(bool, PseudoFSK, "PSEUDOFSK",                                             \
               "Generate Pseudo-FSK signal on right audio channel",                      \
               false)                                                                    \
+        ELEM_(bool, kml_enabled, "KMLSERVER_ENABLED",                                   \
+              "Enable kml server threads",                                              \
+              true)                                                                     \
         ELEM_(bool, SynopAdifDecoding, "SYNOPADIFDECODING",                             \
               "Decoding of Synop weather information on RTTY to ADIF log",              \
               false)                                                                    \
diff --git a/src/main.cxx b/src/main.cxx
index 385afcf7..78c4ff66 100644
--- a/src/main.cxx
+++ b/src/main.cxx
@@ -750,7 +750,8 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 
 void exit_process() {
 
-	KmlServer::Exit();
+	if (progdefaults.kml_enabled)
+		KmlServer::Exit();
 	arq_close();
 	kiss_close();
 	XML_RPC_Server::stop();
@@ -1709,6 +1710,8 @@ static void arg_error(const char* name, const char* arg, bool missing)
 /// Sets or resets the KML parameters, and loads existing files.
 void kml_init(bool load_files)
 {
+	if (progdefaults.kml_enabled == false) return; // disabled kml service
+
 	KmlServer::GetInstance()->InitParams(
 			progdefaults.kml_command,
 			progdefaults.kml_save_dir,