diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index f342e1faf..e2d07dfc8 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 	<string name="root_installer">Root access for app installations</string>
 	<string name="root_installer_on">Root access is used to install/delete/update applications</string>
 	<string name="root_installer_off">Do not request root access to install/delete/update applications</string>
+	<string name="system_installer">Use system permissions for app installations</string>
+	<string name="system_installer_on">F-Droid tries to use system permissions to install/delete/update applications (only possible when installed as system-app)</string>
+	<string name="system_installer_off">F-Droid does not try to use system permissions to install/delete/update applications (only possible when installed as system-app)</string>
 	
 	<string name="search_results">Search Results</string>
 	<string name="app_details">App Details</string>
diff --git a/res/xml/preferences.xml b/res/xml/preferences.xml
index 0e477cb97..b9571a814 100644
--- a/res/xml/preferences.xml
+++ b/res/xml/preferences.xml
@@ -53,5 +53,8 @@
 		<CheckBoxPreference android:title="@string/root_installer"
 			android:defaultValue="false"
 			android:key="rootInstaller" />
+		<CheckBoxPreference android:title="@string/system_installer"
+			android:defaultValue="true"
+			android:key="systemInstaller" />
 	</PreferenceCategory>
 </PreferenceScreen>
diff --git a/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java b/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
index b625f31fe..29c2c0d39 100644
--- a/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
+++ b/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
@@ -37,11 +37,13 @@ public class Preferences implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceChangeLi
     public static final String PREF_EXPERT = "expert";
     public static final String PREF_UPD_LAST = "lastUpdateCheck";
     public static final String PREF_ROOT_INSTALLER = "rootInstaller";
+    public static final String PREF_SYSTEM_INSTALLER = "systemInstaller";
 
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_COMPACT_LAYOUT = false;
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_ROOTED = true;
     private static final int DEFAULT_UPD_HISTORY = 14;
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_ROOT_INSTALLER = false;
+    private static final boolean DEFAULT_SYSTEM_INSTALLER = true;
 
     private boolean compactLayout = DEFAULT_COMPACT_LAYOUT;
     private boolean filterAppsRequiringRoot = DEFAULT_ROOTED;
@@ -64,9 +66,13 @@ public class Preferences implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceChangeLi
         initialized.put(key, false);
     }
     
-    public boolean useRootInstaller() {
+    public boolean isRootInstallerEnabled() {
         return preferences.getBoolean(PREF_ROOT_INSTALLER, DEFAULT_ROOT_INSTALLER);
     }
+    
+    public boolean isSystemInstallerEnabled() {
+        return preferences.getBoolean(PREF_SYSTEM_INSTALLER, DEFAULT_SYSTEM_INSTALLER);
+    }
 
     public boolean hasCompactLayout() {
         if (!isInitialized(PREF_COMPACT_LAYOUT)) {
diff --git a/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/PreferencesActivity.java b/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/PreferencesActivity.java
index 7f74c145e..a8013e4ca 100644
--- a/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/PreferencesActivity.java
+++ b/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/PreferencesActivity.java
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ public class PreferencesActivity extends PreferenceActivity implements
         Preferences.PREF_IGN_TOUCH,
         Preferences.PREF_CACHE_APK,
         Preferences.PREF_EXPERT,
-        Preferences.PREF_ROOT_INSTALLER
+        Preferences.PREF_ROOT_INSTALLER,
+        Preferences.PREF_SYSTEM_INSTALLER
     };
 
     @Override
@@ -156,6 +157,10 @@ public class PreferencesActivity extends PreferenceActivity implements
             onoffSummary(key, R.string.root_installer_on,
                     R.string.root_installer_off);
             
+        } else if (key.equals(Preferences.PREF_SYSTEM_INSTALLER)) {
+            onoffSummary(key, R.string.system_installer_on,
+                    R.string.system_installer_off);
+            
         }
     }
     
@@ -164,7 +169,7 @@ public class PreferencesActivity extends PreferenceActivity implements
      * when the user grants root access for F-Droid.
      */
     protected void initRootInstallerPreference() {
-        CheckBoxPreference pref = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(Preferences.PREF_ROOT_INSTALLER);
+        CheckBoxPreference pref = (CheckBoxPreference) findPreference(Preferences.PREF_ROOT_INSTALLER);
         
         // we are handling persistence ourself!
         pref.setPersistent(false);
diff --git a/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/installer/Installer.java b/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/installer/Installer.java
index f87c51604..e2ca27f96 100644
--- a/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/installer/Installer.java
+++ b/src/org/fdroid/fdroid/installer/Installer.java
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ abstract public class Installer {
             InstallerCallback callback) {
 
         // if root installer has been activated in preferences -> RootInstaller
-        boolean useRootInstaller = Preferences.get().useRootInstaller();
-        if (useRootInstaller) {
+        boolean isRootInstallerEnabled = Preferences.get().isRootInstallerEnabled();
+        if (isRootInstallerEnabled) {
             Log.d(TAG, "root installer preference enabled -> RootInstaller");
 
             try {
@@ -118,8 +118,9 @@ abstract public class Installer {
             }
         }
 
-        // system permissions -> SystemPermissionInstaller
-        if (hasSystemPermissions(activity, pm)) {
+        // system permissions and pref enabled -> SystemPermissionInstaller
+        boolean isSystemInstallerEnabled = Preferences.get().isSystemInstallerEnabled();
+        if (isSystemInstallerEnabled && hasSystemPermissions(activity, pm)) {
             Log.d(TAG, "system permissions -> SystemPermissionInstaller");
 
             try {
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ abstract public class Installer {
             InstallerCallback callback) throws AndroidNotCompatibleException {
 
         // if root installer has been activated in preferences -> RootInstaller
-        boolean useRootInstaller = Preferences.get().useRootInstaller();
+        boolean useRootInstaller = Preferences.get().isRootInstallerEnabled();
         if (useRootInstaller) {
             try {
                 return new RootInstaller(context, pm, callback);