diff --git a/plone/app/discussion/browser/comments.py b/plone/app/discussion/browser/comments.py
index 2887a91..6c7cd44 100644
--- a/plone/app/discussion/browser/comments.py
+++ b/plone/app/discussion/browser/comments.py
@@ -62,12 +62,16 @@ class CommentForm(extensible.ExtensibleForm, form.Form):
     def updateWidgets(self):
         super(CommentForm, self).updateWidgets()
         self.widgets['in_reply_to'].mode = interfaces.HIDDEN_MODE
-        portal_membership = getToolByName(self.context, 'portal_membership')
         self.widgets['text'].addClass("autoresize")
         self.widgets['author_notification'].label = _(u"")        
+        portal_membership = getToolByName(self.context, 'portal_membership')
         if not portal_membership.isAnonymousUser():
             self.widgets['author_name'].mode = interfaces.HIDDEN_MODE
             self.widgets['author_email'].mode = interfaces.HIDDEN_MODE
+        registry = queryUtility(IRegistry)
+        settings = registry.forInterface(IDiscussionSettings)
+        if not settings.notification_enabled:
+            self.widgets['author_notification'].mode = interfaces.HIDDEN_MODE
         
     def updateActions(self):
         super(CommentForm, self).updateActions()        
diff --git a/plone/app/discussion/browser/controlpanel.py b/plone/app/discussion/browser/controlpanel.py
index b7d0c91..8bd3892 100644
--- a/plone/app/discussion/browser/controlpanel.py
+++ b/plone/app/discussion/browser/controlpanel.py
@@ -29,12 +29,14 @@ class DiscussionSettingsEditForm(controlpanel.RegistryEditForm):
         self.fields['globally_enabled'].widgetFactory = SingleCheckBoxFieldWidget
         self.fields['anonymous_comments'].widgetFactory = SingleCheckBoxFieldWidget
         self.fields['show_commenter_image'].widgetFactory = SingleCheckBoxFieldWidget
+        self.fields['notification_enabled'].widgetFactory = SingleCheckBoxFieldWidget
 
     def updateWidgets(self):
         super(DiscussionSettingsEditForm, self).updateWidgets()
         self.widgets['globally_enabled'].label = _(u"Enable Comments")
         self.widgets['anonymous_comments'].label = _(u"Anonymous Comments")
         self.widgets['show_commenter_image'].label = _(u"Commenter Image")
+        self.widgets['notification_enabled'].label = _(u"Email Notification")
 
 
 class DiscussionSettingsControlPanel(controlpanel.ControlPanelFormWrapper):
diff --git a/plone/app/discussion/interfaces.py b/plone/app/discussion/interfaces.py
index 2cfb86b..8e0ca54 100644
--- a/plone/app/discussion/interfaces.py
+++ b/plone/app/discussion/interfaces.py
@@ -55,6 +55,17 @@ class IDiscussionSettings(Interface):
                                        required=False,
                                        default=True)
 
+    notification_enabled = schema.Bool(
+                               title=_(u"label_notification_enabled",
+                               default=u"Enable email notification"),
+                               description=_(u"help_notification_enabled",
+                                             default=u"If selected, users can "
+                                                      "choose to be notified "
+                                                      "of new comments by "
+                                                      "email."),
+                               required=False,
+                               default=False)
+    
 class IConversation(IIterableMapping):
     """A conversation about a content object.