diff --git a/mobile/res/values/strings.xml b/mobile/res/values/strings.xml
index 8d1ed63c..6ac72d23 100644
--- a/mobile/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/mobile/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@
     <string name="pref_plugins_title">Available plugins</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_user_loc_sensor">Use sensor orientation</string>
+    <string name="pref_user_loc_sensor_sum">Fancier but eats battery packs for breakfast</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_fullscreen">Hide in fullscreen mode</string>
diff --git a/mobile/res/xml/preferences.xml b/mobile/res/xml/preferences.xml
index d7f7e446..a92dcc8e 100644
--- a/mobile/res/xml/preferences.xml
+++ b/mobile/res/xml/preferences.xml
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@
             android:key="pref_user_loc"
             android:summary="@string/pref_user_loc_sum"
             android:title="@string/pref_user_loc"/>
+        <CheckBoxPreference
+            android:defaultValue="true"
+            android:key="pref_user_loc_sensor"
+            android:dependency="pref_user_loc"
+            android:summary="@string/pref_user_loc_sensor_sum"
+            android:title="@string/pref_user_loc_sensor"/>
         <CheckBoxPreference
             android:defaultValue="false"
             android:key="pref_user_zoom"
diff --git a/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_Mobile.java b/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_Mobile.java
index 455824e8..2cd93077 100644
--- a/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_Mobile.java
+++ b/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_Mobile.java
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ public class IITC_Mobile extends Activity implements OnSharedPreferenceChangeLis
         mIitcWebView.updateFullscreenStatus();
 
         mUserLocation = new IITC_UserLocation(this);
-        mUserLocation.setEnabled(mSharedPrefs.getBoolean("pref_user_loc", false));
+        mUserLocation.setLocationEnabled(mSharedPrefs.getBoolean("pref_user_loc", false));
+        mUserLocation.setSensorEnabled(mSharedPrefs.getBoolean("pref_user_loc_sensor", true));
 
         // pass ActionBar to helper because we deprecated getActionBar
         mNavigationHelper = new IITC_NavigationHelper(this, super.getActionBar());
@@ -112,7 +113,9 @@ public class IITC_Mobile extends Activity implements OnSharedPreferenceChangeLis
             mDesktopMode = sharedPreferences.getBoolean("pref_force_desktop", false);
             mNavigationHelper.onPrefChanged();
         } else if (key.equals("pref_user_loc")) {
-            mUserLocation.setEnabled(sharedPreferences.getBoolean("pref_user_loc", false));
+            mUserLocation.setLocationEnabled(sharedPreferences.getBoolean("pref_user_loc", false));
+        } else if (key.equals("pref_user_loc_sensor")) {
+            mUserLocation.setSensorEnabled(sharedPreferences.getBoolean("pref_user_loc_sensor", true));
         } else if (key.equals("pref_fullscreen")) {
             mIitcWebView.updateFullscreenStatus();
             mNavigationHelper.onPrefChanged();
diff --git a/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_UserLocation.java b/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_UserLocation.java
index 6d137450..07294d6a 100644
--- a/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_UserLocation.java
+++ b/mobile/src/com/cradle/iitc_mobile/IITC_UserLocation.java
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.view.Surface;
 
 public class IITC_UserLocation implements LocationListener, SensorEventListener {
-    private boolean mEnabled = false;
+    private boolean mLocationEnabled = false;
+    private boolean mSensorEnabled = false;
     private IITC_Mobile mIitc;
     private Location mLastLocation = null;
     private LocationManager mLocationManager;
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ public class IITC_UserLocation implements LocationListener, SensorEventListener
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
 
-        if (mSensorAccelerometer != null && mSensorMagnetometer != null) {
+        if (mSensorAccelerometer != null && mSensorMagnetometer != null && mSensorEnabled) {
             mSensorManager.registerListener(this, mSensorAccelerometer, SensorManager.SENSOR_DELAY_UI);
             mSensorManager.registerListener(this, mSensorMagnetometer, SensorManager.SENSOR_DELAY_UI);
         }
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ public class IITC_UserLocation implements LocationListener, SensorEventListener
 
         mLocationManager.removeUpdates(this);
 
-        if (mSensorAccelerometer != null && mSensorMagnetometer != null) {
+        if (mSensorAccelerometer != null && mSensorMagnetometer != null && mSensorEnabled) {
             mSensorManager.unregisterListener(this, mSensorAccelerometer);
             mSensorManager.unregisterListener(this, mSensorMagnetometer);
         }
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ public class IITC_UserLocation implements LocationListener, SensorEventListener
     }
 
     private void updateListeners() {
-        if (mRunning && mEnabled)
+        if (mRunning && mLocationEnabled)
             registerListeners();
         else
             unregisterListeners();
@@ -102,10 +103,17 @@ public class IITC_UserLocation implements LocationListener, SensorEventListener
         updateListeners();
     }
 
-    public void setEnabled(boolean enabled) {
-        if (enabled == mEnabled) return;
+    public void setLocationEnabled(boolean enabled) {
+        if (enabled == mLocationEnabled) return;
 
-        mEnabled = enabled;
+        mLocationEnabled = enabled;
+        updateListeners();
+    }
+
+    public void setSensorEnabled(boolean enabled) {
+        if (enabled == mSensorEnabled) return;
+
+        mSensorEnabled = enabled;
         updateListeners();
     }