diff --git a/config/alfresco/web-client-config.xml b/config/alfresco/web-client-config.xml
index 26ad5a7155..1153ef1020 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/web-client-config.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/web-client-config.xml
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@
          <!-- This value should be one of 'myalfresco', 'userhome', 'companyhome' or 'guesthome' -->
          <initial-location>myalfresco</initial-location>
          
+         <!-- set true allow the Guest user to configure the start location preferences - false by default -->
+         <allow-guest-config>false</allow-guest-config>
+         
          <!-- the URL to the client Help file -->
          <help-url>http://www.alfresco.org/help/webclient</help-url>
          
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/bean/UserPreferencesBean.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/bean/UserPreferencesBean.java
index 143005658d..04a34128cc 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/bean/UserPreferencesBean.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/bean/UserPreferencesBean.java
@@ -239,4 +239,12 @@ public class UserPreferencesBean
       
       return locations.toArray(new SelectItem[locations.size()]);
    }
+   
+   /**
+    * @return true if the Guest user is allowed to configure the user preferences
+    */
+   public boolean getAllowGuestConfig()
+   {
+      return Application.getClientConfig(FacesContext.getCurrentInstance()).getAllowGuestConfig();
+   }
 }
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientConfigElement.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientConfigElement.java
index 40dc3e323b..c534861dc5 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientConfigElement.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientConfigElement.java
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ public class ClientConfigElement extends ConfigElementAdapter
    private ExpiringValueCache<String> wcmDomain = new ExpiringValueCache(1000*10L);
    private ExpiringValueCache<String> wcmPort = new ExpiringValueCache(1000*10L);
    private String defaultHomeSpacePath = "/app:company_home";
+   private boolean allowGuestConfig = false;
    
    /**
     * Default Constructor
@@ -180,6 +181,11 @@ public class ClientConfigElement extends ConfigElementAdapter
          combinedElement.setInitialLocation(newElement.getInitialLocation());
       }
       
+      if (newElement.getAllowGuestConfig() != combinedElement.getAllowGuestConfig())
+      {
+         combinedElement.setAllowGuestConfig(newElement.getAllowGuestConfig());
+      }
+      
       return combinedElement;
    }
    
@@ -480,4 +486,14 @@ public class ClientConfigElement extends ConfigElementAdapter
       }
       return value;
    }
+   
+   /*package*/ void setAllowGuestConfig(boolean allow)
+   {
+      this.allowGuestConfig = allow;
+   }
+   
+   public boolean getAllowGuestConfig()
+   {
+      return this.allowGuestConfig;
+   }
 }
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientElementReader.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientElementReader.java
index b4a642582b..82c8a35d95 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientElementReader.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/config/ClientElementReader.java
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ public class ClientElementReader implements ConfigElementReader
    public static final String ELEMENT_AJAX_ENABLED = "ajax-enabled";
    public static final String ELEMENT_INITIALLOCATION = "initial-location";
    public static final String ELEMENT_DEFAULTHOMESPACEPATH = "default-home-space-path";
+   public static final String ELEMENT_GUESTCONFIG = "allow-guest-config";
    
    /**
     * @see org.alfresco.config.xml.elementreader.ConfigElementReader#parse(org.dom4j.Element)
@@ -169,6 +170,14 @@ public class ClientElementReader implements ConfigElementReader
          {
             configElement.setDefaultHomeSpacePath(defaultHomeSpacePath.getTextTrim());
          }
+         
+         // get allow Guest to configure start location preferences
+         Element guestConfigElement = element.element(ELEMENT_GUESTCONFIG);
+         if (guestConfigElement != null)
+         {
+            boolean allow = Boolean.parseBoolean(guestConfigElement.getTextTrim());
+            configElement.setAllowGuestConfig(allow);
+         }
       }
       
       return configElement;
diff --git a/source/web/jsp/users/user-console.jsp b/source/web/jsp/users/user-console.jsp
index 55910bc70b..c7ec44524c 100644
--- a/source/web/jsp/users/user-console.jsp
+++ b/source/web/jsp/users/user-console.jsp
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@
                               
                               <div style="padding:4px"></div>
                               
-                              <a:panel label="#{msg.general_pref}" id="pref-panel" rendered="#{NavigationBean.isGuest == false}"
+                              <a:panel label="#{msg.general_pref}" id="pref-panel" rendered="#{NavigationBean.isGuest == false || UserPreferencesBean.allowGuestConfig == true}"
                                        border="white" bgcolor="white" titleBorder="lbgrey" expandedTitleBorder="dotted" titleBgcolor="white">
                                  <table cellspacing=2 cellpadding=2 border=0>
                                     <tr>