diff --git a/src/apps/deskbar/BarApp.cpp b/src/apps/deskbar/BarApp.cpp
index 7890bf9dd1..0a0ad002dc 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskbar/BarApp.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/deskbar/BarApp.cpp
@@ -199,6 +199,9 @@ TBarApp::SaveSettings()
 		fSettingsFile->Write(&fSettings.superExpando, sizeof(bool));
 		fSettingsFile->Write(&fSettings.expandNewTeams, sizeof(bool));
 		fSettingsFile->Write(&fSettings.autoRaise, sizeof(bool));
+		fSettingsFile->Write(&fSettings.recentAppsEnabled, sizeof(bool));
+		fSettingsFile->Write(&fSettings.recentDocsEnabled, sizeof(bool));
+		fSettingsFile->Write(&fSettings.recentFoldersEnabled, sizeof(bool));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -228,6 +231,9 @@ TBarApp::InitSettings()
 	settings.superExpando = false;
 	settings.expandNewTeams = false;
 	settings.autoRaise = false;
+	settings.recentAppsEnabled = true;
+	settings.recentDocsEnabled = true;
+	settings.recentFoldersEnabled = true;
 
 	BPath dirPath;
 	const char* settingsFileName = "Deskbar_settings";
@@ -288,6 +294,16 @@ TBarApp::InitSettings()
 			}
 			if (size >= kValidSettingsSize10)
 				fSettingsFile->Read(&settings.autoRaise, sizeof(bool));
+
+			if (size >= kValidSettingsSize11) {
+				fSettingsFile->Read(&settings.recentAppsEnabled, sizeof(bool));
+				fSettingsFile->Read(&settings.recentDocsEnabled, sizeof(bool));
+				fSettingsFile->Read(&settings.recentFoldersEnabled, sizeof(bool));
+			} else {
+				settings.recentAppsEnabled = settings.recentAppsCount > 0;
+				settings.recentDocsEnabled = settings.recentDocsCount > 0;
+				settings.recentFoldersEnabled = settings.recentFoldersCount > 0;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -299,6 +315,7 @@ void
 TBarApp::MessageReceived(BMessage* message)
 {
 	int32 count;
+	bool enabled;
 	switch (message->what) {
 		case 'gloc':
 		case 'sloc':
@@ -335,10 +352,18 @@ TBarApp::MessageReceived(BMessage* message)
 		case kUpdateRecentCounts:
 			if (message->FindInt32("applications", &count) == B_OK)
 				fSettings.recentAppsCount = count;
+			if (message->FindBool("applicationsEnabled", &enabled) == B_OK)
+				fSettings.recentAppsEnabled = enabled && count > 0;
+
 			if (message->FindInt32("folders", &count) == B_OK)
 				fSettings.recentFoldersCount = count;
+			if (message->FindBool("foldersEnabled", &enabled) == B_OK)
+				fSettings.recentFoldersEnabled = enabled && count > 0;
+
 			if (message->FindInt32("documents", &count) == B_OK)
 				fSettings.recentDocsCount = count;
+			if (message->FindBool("documentsEnabled", &enabled) == B_OK)
+				fSettings.recentDocsEnabled = enabled && count > 0;
 			break;
 
 		case kConfigClose:
diff --git a/src/apps/deskbar/BarApp.h b/src/apps/deskbar/BarApp.h
index 577a5023b9..59650e4cce 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskbar/BarApp.h
+++ b/src/apps/deskbar/BarApp.h
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@ struct desk_settings {
 	bool superExpando;			// version 9
 	bool expandNewTeams;
 	bool autoRaise;				// version 10
+	bool recentAppsEnabled;		// version 11
+	bool recentDocsEnabled;
+	bool recentFoldersEnabled;	
 };
 
 // the following structures are defined to compute
@@ -128,6 +131,7 @@ const uint32 kValidSettingsSize7 = sizeof(bool) + kValidSettingsSize6;
 const uint32 kValidSettingsSize8 = 2 * sizeof(bool) + kValidSettingsSize7;
 const uint32 kValidSettingsSize9 = 2 * sizeof(bool) + kValidSettingsSize8;
 const uint32 kValidSettingsSize10 = sizeof(bool) + kValidSettingsSize9;
+const uint32 kValidSettingsSize11 = 3 * sizeof(bool) + kValidSettingsSize10;
 
 class TBarView;
 class BFile;
diff --git a/src/apps/deskbar/BeMenu.cpp b/src/apps/deskbar/BeMenu.cpp
index 703e1792e1..82f84efcc0 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskbar/BeMenu.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/deskbar/BeMenu.cpp
@@ -155,23 +155,24 @@ TBeMenu::AddNextItem()
 			kRecentApplications};
 		const int recentTypes = 3;
 		TRecentsMenu* recentItem[recentTypes];
-		int count = 0;
+
+		bool enabled = false;
 
 		for (int i = 0; i < recentTypes; i++) {
 			recentItem[i] = new TRecentsMenu(recentTitle[i], fBarView,
 				recentType[i]);
 
 			if (recentItem[i])
-				count += recentItem[i]->RecentsCount();
+				enabled |= recentItem[i]->RecentsEnabled();
 		}
-		if (count > 0) {
+		if (enabled) {
 			AddSeparatorItem();
 
-			for (int i = 0;i < recentTypes;i++) {
+			for (int i = 0; i < recentTypes; i++) {
 				if (!recentItem[i])
 					continue;
 
-				if (recentItem[i]->RecentsCount() > 0) {
+				if (recentItem[i]->RecentsEnabled()) {
 					recentItem[i]->SetTypesList(TypesList());
 					recentItem[i]->SetTarget(Target());
 					AddItem(recentItem[i]);
@@ -391,6 +392,7 @@ TRecentsMenu::TRecentsMenu(const char* name, TBarView* bar, int32 which,
 	fAppRef(NULL),
 	fSignature(NULL),
 	fRecentsCount(0),
+	fRecentsEnabled(false),
 	fItemIndex(0),
 	fBarView(bar)
 {
@@ -401,12 +403,15 @@ TRecentsMenu::TRecentsMenu(const char* name, TBarView* bar, int32 which,
 	switch (which) {
 		case kRecentDocuments:
 			fRecentsCount = app->Settings()->recentDocsCount;
+			fRecentsEnabled = app->Settings()->recentDocsEnabled;
 			break;
 		case kRecentApplications:
 			fRecentsCount = app->Settings()->recentAppsCount;
+			fRecentsEnabled = app->Settings()->recentAppsEnabled;
 			break;
 		case kRecentAppDocuments:
 			fRecentsCount = app->Settings()->recentDocsCount;
+			fRecentsEnabled = app->Settings()->recentDocsEnabled;
 			if (signature != NULL)
 				fSignature = strdup(signature);
 			if (appRef != NULL)
@@ -414,6 +419,7 @@ TRecentsMenu::TRecentsMenu(const char* name, TBarView* bar, int32 which,
 			break;
 		case kRecentFolders:
 			fRecentsCount = app->Settings()->recentFoldersCount;
+			fRecentsEnabled = app->Settings()->recentFoldersEnabled;
 			break;
 	}
 }
@@ -454,7 +460,7 @@ TRecentsMenu::StartBuildingItemList()
 bool
 TRecentsMenu::AddNextItem()
 {
-	if (fRecentsCount > 0 && AddRecents(fRecentsCount))
+	if (fRecentsCount > 0 && fRecentsEnabled && AddRecents(fRecentsCount))
 		return true;
 
 	fItemIndex = 0;
diff --git a/src/apps/deskbar/BeMenu.h b/src/apps/deskbar/BeMenu.h
index 26cc059c2e..276275d709 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskbar/BeMenu.h
+++ b/src/apps/deskbar/BeMenu.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class TRecentsMenu : public BNavMenu {
 		void			ResetTargets();
 
 		int32			RecentsCount();
+		bool			RecentsEnabled();
 
 	private:
 		virtual	bool	StartBuildingItemList();
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ class TRecentsMenu : public BNavMenu {
 		entry_ref		*fAppRef;
 		char			*fSignature;
 		int32			fRecentsCount;
+		bool			fRecentsEnabled;
 
 		int32 			fItemIndex;
 		BMessage		fRecentList;
@@ -86,6 +88,13 @@ TRecentsMenu::RecentsCount()
 }
 
 
+inline bool
+TRecentsMenu::RecentsEnabled()
+{
+	return fRecentsEnabled;
+}
+
+
 class TBeMenu : public BNavMenu {
 	public:
 		TBeMenu(TBarView* bar);
diff --git a/src/apps/deskbar/PreferencesWindow.cpp b/src/apps/deskbar/PreferencesWindow.cpp
index c291445f57..e6e89b2390 100644
--- a/src/apps/deskbar/PreferencesWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/deskbar/PreferencesWindow.cpp
@@ -87,32 +87,18 @@ PreferencesWindow::PreferencesWindow(BRect frame)
 	fAppsShowExpanders->SetValue(appSettings->superExpando);
 	fAppsExpandNew->SetValue(appSettings->expandNewTeams);
 
-	fMenuRecentDocuments->SetValue(false);
-	fMenuRecentApplications->SetValue(false);
-	fMenuRecentFolders->SetValue(false);
-
-	fMenuRecentDocumentCount->SetEnabled(false);
-	fMenuRecentApplicationCount->SetEnabled(false);
-	fMenuRecentFolderCount->SetEnabled(false);
-
 	int32 docCount = appSettings->recentDocsCount;
 	int32 appCount = appSettings->recentAppsCount;
 	int32 folderCount = appSettings->recentFoldersCount;
 
-	if (docCount > 0) {
-		fMenuRecentDocuments->SetValue(true);
-		fMenuRecentDocumentCount->SetEnabled(true);
-	}
-
-	if (appCount > 0) {
-		fMenuRecentApplications->SetValue(true);
-		fMenuRecentApplicationCount->SetEnabled(true);
-	}
-
-	if (folderCount > 0) {
-		fMenuRecentFolders->SetValue(true);
-		fMenuRecentFolderCount->SetEnabled(true);
-	}
+	fMenuRecentDocuments->SetValue(appSettings->recentDocsEnabled);
+	fMenuRecentDocumentCount->SetEnabled(appSettings->recentDocsEnabled);
+	
+	fMenuRecentApplications->SetValue(appSettings->recentAppsEnabled);
+	fMenuRecentApplicationCount->SetEnabled(appSettings->recentAppsEnabled);
+	
+	fMenuRecentFolders->SetValue(appSettings->recentFoldersEnabled);
+	fMenuRecentFolderCount->SetEnabled(appSettings->recentFoldersEnabled);
 
 	BString docString;
 	BString appString;
@@ -281,20 +267,13 @@ PreferencesWindow::_UpdateRecentCounts()
 	int32 appCount = atoi(fMenuRecentApplicationCount->Text());
 	int32 folderCount = atoi(fMenuRecentFolderCount->Text());
 
-	if (docCount <= 0 || fMenuRecentDocuments->Value() == false)
-		message.AddInt32("documents", 0);
-	else
-		message.AddInt32("documents", docCount);
+	message.AddInt32("documents", max_c(0, docCount));
+	message.AddInt32("applications", max_c(0, appCount));
+	message.AddInt32("folders", max_c(0, folderCount));
 
-	if (appCount <= 0 || fMenuRecentApplications->Value() == false)
-		message.AddInt32("applications", 0);
-	else
-		message.AddInt32("applications", appCount);
-
-	if (folderCount <= 0 || fMenuRecentFolders->Value() == false)
-		message.AddInt32("folders", 0);
-	else
-		message.AddInt32("folders", folderCount);
+	message.AddBool("documentsEnabled", fMenuRecentDocuments->Value());
+	message.AddBool("applicationsEnabled", fMenuRecentApplications->Value());
+	message.AddBool("foldersEnabled", fMenuRecentFolders->Value());
 
 	be_app->PostMessage(&message);