diff --git a/code/boot.js b/code/boot.js
index 6ec417fb..0539fa42 100644
--- a/code/boot.js
+++ b/code/boot.js
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 // created a basic framework. All of these functions should only ever
 // be run once.
 
+// Used to disable on multitouch devices
+window.showZoom = true;
 
 window.setupBackButton = function() {
   var c = window.isSmartphone()
@@ -156,7 +158,7 @@ window.setupMap = function() {
 
 
   window.map = new L.Map('map', $.extend(getPosition(),
-    {zoomControl: !window.isSmartphone()}
+    {zoomControl: window.showZoom}
   ));
 
   var addLayers = {};
diff --git a/mobile/res/values/strings.xml b/mobile/res/values/strings.xml
index 7b991044..b8c76f70 100644
--- a/mobile/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/mobile/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
     <string name="pref_misc_cat">Misc</string>
     <string name="pref_plugins">Plugins</string>
     <string name="pref_plugins_title">Available plugins</string>
+    <string name="pref_user_zoom">Show zoom control</string>
+    <string name="pref_user_zoom_sum">Shows +/- buttons even on multitouch capable devices.</string>
     <string name="pref_user_loc">Display user location</string>
     <string name="pref_user_loc_sum">Show users position on map</string>
     <string name="pref_force_https">Force https</string>
diff --git a/mobile/res/xml/preferences.xml b/mobile/res/xml/preferences.xml
index 278cb821..3e1efe86 100644
--- a/mobile/res/xml/preferences.xml
+++ b/mobile/res/xml/preferences.xml
@@ -12,12 +12,17 @@
     <PreferenceCategory
         android:key="pref_about_cat"
         android:title="@string/pref_ui_cat">
+	    <CheckBoxPreference
+	        android:key="pref_user_zoom"
+	        android:title="@string/pref_user_zoom"
+	        android:summary="@string/pref_user_zoom_sum"
+	        android:defaultValue="false" />
 	    <CheckBoxPreference
 	        android:key="pref_user_loc"
 	        android:title="@string/pref_user_loc"
 	        android:summary="@string/pref_user_loc_sum"
 	        android:defaultValue="false" />
-    </PreferenceCategory>
+	    </PreferenceCategory>
 
     <PreferenceCategory
         android:key="pref_mics"
diff --git a/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_Mobile.java b/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_Mobile.java
index 2ecc15ce..9aaabd2e 100644
--- a/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_Mobile.java
+++ b/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_Mobile.java
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ public class IITC_Mobile extends Activity {
         listener = new OnSharedPreferenceChangeListener() {
             @Override
             public void onSharedPreferenceChanged(SharedPreferences sharedPreferences, String key) {
-                if (key.equals("pref_force_desktop"))
-                    desktop = sharedPreferences.getBoolean("pref_force_desktop", false);
                 if (key.equals("pref_user_loc"))
                     user_loc = sharedPreferences.getBoolean("pref_user_loc", false);
                 IITC_Mobile.this.loadUrl(intel_url);
diff --git a/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_WebViewClient.java b/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_WebViewClient.java
index c75f538b..ded549b2 100644
--- a/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_WebViewClient.java
+++ b/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_WebViewClient.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package com.cradle.iitc_mobile;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.content.SharedPreferences;
+import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
 import android.content.res.AssetManager;
 import android.net.Uri;
 import android.net.http.SslError;
@@ -89,6 +90,16 @@ public class IITC_WebViewClient extends WebViewClient {
         }
 
         this.js = js;
+        
+        PackageManager pm = context.getPackageManager();
+        boolean hasMultitouch = 
+            pm.hasSystemFeature(PackageManager.FEATURE_TOUCHSCREEN_MULTITOUCH);
+        boolean forcedZoom = sharedPref.getBoolean("pref_user_zoom", false);
+		if (hasMultitouch && !forcedZoom) {
+            js = js.replace("window.showZoom = true;", "window.showZoom = false;");
+        }
+        
+
 
         // need to wrap the mobile iitc.js version in a document ready. IITC
         // expects to be injected after the DOM has been loaded completely.