diff --git a/localization.c b/localization.c
index ea204ce..6961727 100644
--- a/localization.c
+++ b/localization.c
@@ -514,6 +514,12 @@ GeneralSettingsDlgProc(HWND hwndDlg, UINT msg, UNUSED WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lPar
             CheckRadioButton (hwndDlg, ID_RB_BALLOON0, ID_RB_BALLOON2, ID_RB_BALLOON2);
         if (o.show_script_window)
             Button_SetCheck(GetDlgItem(hwndDlg, ID_CHK_SHOW_SCRIPT_WIN), BST_CHECKED);
+        if (o.enable_persistent == 0) /* Never */
+            CheckRadioButton (hwndDlg, ID_RB_BALLOON3, ID_RB_BALLOON5, ID_RB_BALLOON5);
+        else if (o.enable_persistent == 1) /* Enabled, but no auto-attach */
+            CheckRadioButton (hwndDlg, ID_RB_BALLOON3, ID_RB_BALLOON5, ID_RB_BALLOON4);
+        else if (o.enable_persistent == 2) /* Enabled and auto-attach */
+            CheckRadioButton (hwndDlg, ID_RB_BALLOON3, ID_RB_BALLOON5, ID_RB_BALLOON3);
 
         break;
 
@@ -541,6 +547,12 @@ GeneralSettingsDlgProc(HWND hwndDlg, UINT msg, UNUSED WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lPar
                 o.show_balloon = 2;
             else
                 o.show_balloon = 1;
+            if (IsDlgButtonChecked(hwndDlg, ID_RB_BALLOON3))
+                o.enable_persistent = 2;
+            else if (IsDlgButtonChecked(hwndDlg, ID_RB_BALLOON4))
+                o.enable_persistent = 1;
+            else
+                o.enable_persistent = 0;
             o.show_script_window =
                 (Button_GetCheck(GetDlgItem(hwndDlg, ID_CHK_SHOW_SCRIPT_WIN)) == BST_CHECKED);
 
diff --git a/openvpn-gui-res.h b/openvpn-gui-res.h
index 6674eb1..5cd0353 100644
--- a/openvpn-gui-res.h
+++ b/openvpn-gui-res.h
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@
 #define ID_CHK_ALWAYS_USE_ISERVICE       243
 #define ID_RB_BALLOON3                   244
 #define ID_RB_BALLOON4                   245
+#define ID_RB_BALLOON5                   246
+#define ID_TXT_PERSISTENT                247
 
 /* Proxy Auth Dialog */
 #define ID_DLG_PROXY_AUTH                250
diff --git a/openvpn.c b/openvpn.c
index fa727c8..0747bed 100644
--- a/openvpn.c
+++ b/openvpn.c
@@ -125,7 +125,8 @@ OnReady(connection_t *c, UNUSED char *msg)
     /* ask for the current state, especially useful when the daemon was prestarted */
     ManagementCommand(c, "state", OnStateChange, regular);
 
-    if (c->flags & FLAG_DAEMON_PERSISTENT) /* find the current state */
+    if (c->flags & FLAG_DAEMON_PERSISTENT
+        && o.enable_persistent == 2)
     {
         c->auto_connect = true;
     }
@@ -2106,7 +2107,8 @@ ThreadOpenVPNStatus(void *p)
         wait_event = c->hProcess;
     }
 
-    if (o.silent_connection == 0 && (c->flags & FLAG_DAEMON_PERSISTENT) == 0)
+    /* For persistent connections, popup the status win only if we're in manual mode */
+    if (o.silent_connection == 0 && ((c->flags & FLAG_DAEMON_PERSISTENT) == 0 || o.enable_persistent == 1))
         ShowWindow(c->hwndStatus, SW_SHOW);
 
     /* Load echo msg histroy from registry */
diff --git a/openvpn_config.c b/openvpn_config.c
index 1b49404..8b3a5aa 100644
--- a/openvpn_config.c
+++ b/openvpn_config.c
@@ -115,7 +115,10 @@ AddConfigFileToList(int config, const TCHAR *filename, const TCHAR *config_dir)
         c->flags |= FLAG_DAEMON_PERSISTENT;
         _sntprintf_0(c->log_path, _T("%ls\\%ls.log"), o.global_log_dir, c->config_name);
         /* set to auto-connect -- this attempts to attach to them on startup */
-        c->auto_connect = true;
+        if (o.enable_persistent == 2)
+        {
+            c->auto_connect = true;
+        }
     }
 
     /* Check if connection should be autostarted */
@@ -443,7 +446,8 @@ BuildFileList()
         BuildFileList0 (o.global_config_dir, recurse_depth, root1, flags);
     }
 
-    if (o.service_state == service_connected)
+    if (o.service_state == service_connected
+        && o.enable_persistent)
     {
         root1 = NewConfigGroup(L"Persistent Profiles", root0, flags);
         if (!IsSamePath(o.config_auto_dir, o.config_dir))
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index e7d0904..f65ed97 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ typedef struct {
     DWORD mgmt_port_offset;             /* management interface port = this offset + index of connection profile */
 
     DWORD ovpn_engine;                  /* 0 - openvpn2, 1 - openvpn3 */
+    DWORD enable_persistent;            /* 0 - disabled, 1 - enabled, 2 - enabled & auto attach */
 #ifdef DEBUG
     FILE *debug_fp;
 #endif
diff --git a/registry.c b/registry.c
index 836e4b3..8ec96e5 100644
--- a/registry.c
+++ b/registry.c
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ struct regkey_int {
       {L"popup_mute_interval", &o.popup_mute_interval, 24},
       {L"disable_popup_messages", &o.disable_popup_messages, 0},
       {L"management_port_offset", &o.mgmt_port_offset, 25340},
+      {L"enable_peristent_connections", &o.enable_persistent, 2},
       {L"ovpn_engine", &o.ovpn_engine, OPENVPN_ENGINE_OVPN2}
     };
 
diff --git a/res/openvpn-gui-res-en.rc b/res/openvpn-gui-res-en.rc
index 325c070..7922b97 100644
--- a/res/openvpn-gui-res-en.rc
+++ b/res/openvpn-gui-res-en.rc
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ BEGIN
     GROUPBOX "Startup", 202, 6, 47, 235, 30
     AUTOCHECKBOX "Launch on User &Logon", ID_CHK_STARTUP, 17, 59, 100, 12
 
-    GROUPBOX "Preferences", ID_GROUPBOX3, 6, 82, 235, 105
+    GROUPBOX "Preferences", ID_GROUPBOX3, 6, 82, 235, 135
     AUTOCHECKBOX "A&ppend to log", ID_CHK_LOG_APPEND, 17, 95, 60, 10
     AUTOCHECKBOX "Show script &window", ID_CHK_SHOW_SCRIPT_WIN, 17, 110, 200, 10
     AUTOCHECKBOX "S&ilent connection", ID_CHK_SILENT, 17, 125, 200, 10
@@ -182,6 +182,10 @@ BEGIN
     AUTORADIOBUTTON "On &connect", ID_RB_BALLOON1, 28, 170, 50, 10, WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP
     AUTORADIOBUTTON "On connect/&reconnect", ID_RB_BALLOON2, 86, 170, 90, 10
     AUTORADIOBUTTON "&Never", ID_RB_BALLOON0, 181, 170, 40, 10
+    LTEXT "Persistent Connections", ID_TXT_PERSISTENT, 17, 185, 100, 10
+    AUTORADIOBUTTON "A&uto", ID_RB_BALLOON3, 28, 200, 50, 10, WS_GROUP | WS_TABSTOP
+    AUTORADIOBUTTON "&Manual", ID_RB_BALLOON4, 86, 200, 90, 10
+    AUTORADIOBUTTON "&Disable", ID_RB_BALLOON5, 181, 200, 40, 10
 END
 
 /* Advanced Dialog */