diff --git a/addressbook/inc/class.addressbook_hooks.inc.php b/addressbook/inc/class.addressbook_hooks.inc.php
index 89006a4ca5..67116fa5f0 100644
--- a/addressbook/inc/class.addressbook_hooks.inc.php
+++ b/addressbook/inc/class.addressbook_hooks.inc.php
@@ -150,6 +150,15 @@ class addressbook_hooks
 			'admin'  => false,
 			'default'=> '0'
 		);
+		$settings['hide_groups_as_lists'] = array(
+			'type'   => 'check',
+			'label'  => 'Hide user groups as distribution lists',
+			'name'   => 'hide_groups_as_lists',
+			'help'   => 'User groups are automatically shown as distribution lists.',
+			'xmlrpc' => False,
+			'admin'  => false,
+			'default'=> '0'
+		);
 		$contacts = new Api\Contacts();
 		$fileas_options = $contacts->fileas_options();
 		foreach(Api\Contacts\Storage::$duplicate_fields as $key => $label)
diff --git a/addressbook/lang/egw_en.lang b/addressbook/lang/egw_en.lang
index b6a92e151e..32e105a9e8 100644
--- a/addressbook/lang/egw_en.lang
+++ b/addressbook/lang/egw_en.lang
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ group %1	addressbook	en	Group %1
 h	addressbook	en	h
 hide accounts from addressbook	addressbook	en	Hide user accounts
 hide all accounts	addressbook	en	Hide all accounts
+hide user groups as distribution lists	addressbook	en	Hide user groups as distribution lists
 hides accounts completly from the adressbook.	addressbook	en	Hide user accounts completely from the address book.
 history logging	admin	en	History logging
 home address	addressbook	en	Home address
@@ -507,6 +508,7 @@ use country list	addressbook	en	Use country list
 use setup for a full account-migration	admin	en	Use setup for a full account migration
 use this tag for addresslabels. put the content, you want to repeat, between two tags.	addressbook	en	Use this tag for address labels. Place the content you want to repeat between two tags.
 used for links and for the own sorting of the list	addressbook	en	Used for links and for the own sorting of the list
+user groups are automatically shown as distribution lists.	addressbook	en	User groups are automatically shown as distribution lists.
 user preference	addressbook	en	User preference
 vcard	common	en	vCard
 vcards require a first name entry.	addressbook	en	vCards require a first name entry.
diff --git a/api/src/Contacts/Storage.php b/api/src/Contacts/Storage.php
index 0522c104f2..78c7ba8a32 100755
--- a/api/src/Contacts/Storage.php
+++ b/api/src/Contacts/Storage.php
@@ -1164,8 +1164,10 @@ class Storage
 			}
 		}
 
-		// add groups for all backends, if accounts addressbook is not hidden
-		if ($GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['preferences']['addressbook']['hide_accounts'] !== '1')
+		// add groups for all backends, if accounts addressbook is not hidden &
+		// preference has not turned them off
+		if ($GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['preferences']['addressbook']['hide_accounts'] !== '1' &&
+				$GLOBALS['egw_info']['user']['preferences']['addressbook']['hide_groups_as_lists'] == '0')
 		{
 			foreach($GLOBALS['egw']->accounts->search(array(
 				'type' => 'groups'