diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/bulk.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/bulk.py
index 1940b31906..821edd08bd 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/bulk.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/bulk.py
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ class BulkConfig(Config):
 
         self.input_label.hide()
         self.input_formats.hide()
+        self.opt_individual_saved_settings.setVisible(True)
+        self.opt_individual_saved_settings.setChecked(True)
+        self.opt_individual_saved_settings.setToolTip(_('For '
+            'settings that cannot be specified in this dialog, use the '
+            'values saved in a previous conversion (if they exist) instead '
+            'of using the defaults specified in the Preferences'))
+
 
         self.connect(self.output_formats, SIGNAL('currentIndexChanged(QString)'),
                 self.setup_pipeline)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/single.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/single.py
index c8a4b6bb97..b5cba20c2f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/single.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/single.py
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ class Config(ResizableDialog, Ui_Dialog):
     def __init__(self, parent, db, book_id,
             preferred_input_format=None, preferred_output_format=None):
         ResizableDialog.__init__(self, parent)
+        self.opt_individual_saved_settings.setVisible(False)
         self.db, self.book_id = db, book_id
 
         self.setup_input_output_formats(self.db, self.book_id, preferred_input_format,
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/single.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/single.ui
index 6fe57f86a2..290b31aaec 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/single.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/single.ui
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@
      <item>
       <widget class="QComboBox" name="input_formats"/>
      </item>
+     <item>
+      <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_individual_saved_settings">
+       <property name="text">
+        <string>Use &amp;saved conversion settings for individual books</string>
+       </property>
+      </widget>
+     </item>
      <item>
       <spacer name="horizontalSpacer">
        <property name="orientation">
@@ -109,7 +116,7 @@
         <x>0</x>
         <y>0</y>
         <width>810</width>
-        <height>492</height>
+        <height>489</height>
        </rect>
       </property>
       <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout_3">
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tools.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tools.py
index c3b442ebcb..cb263e9ca6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tools.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tools.py
@@ -111,17 +111,21 @@ def convert_bulk_ebook(parent, queue, db, book_ids, out_format=None, args=[]):
     user_recs = cPickle.loads(d.recommendations)
 
     book_ids = convert_existing(parent, db, book_ids, output_format)
-    return QueueBulk(parent, book_ids, output_format, queue, db, user_recs, args)
+    use_saved_single_settings = d.opt_individual_saved_settings.isChecked()
+    return QueueBulk(parent, book_ids, output_format, queue, db, user_recs,
+            args, use_saved_single_settings=use_saved_single_settings)
 
 class QueueBulk(QProgressDialog):
 
-    def __init__(self, parent, book_ids, output_format, queue, db, user_recs, args):
+    def __init__(self, parent, book_ids, output_format, queue, db, user_recs,
+            args, use_saved_single_settings=True):
         QProgressDialog.__init__(self, '',
                 QString(), 0, len(book_ids), parent)
         self.setWindowTitle(_('Queueing books for bulk conversion'))
         self.book_ids, self.output_format, self.queue, self.db, self.args, self.user_recs = \
                 book_ids, output_format, queue, db, args, user_recs
         self.parent = parent
+        self.use_saved_single_settings = use_saved_single_settings
         self.i, self.bad, self.jobs, self.changed = 0, [], [], False
         self.timer = QTimer(self)
         self.connect(self.timer, SIGNAL('timeout()'), self.do_book)
@@ -149,11 +153,12 @@ class QueueBulk(QProgressDialog):
 
             combined_recs = GuiRecommendations()
             default_recs = load_defaults('%s_input' % input_format)
-            specific_recs = load_specifics(self.db, book_id)
             for key in default_recs:
                 combined_recs[key] = default_recs[key]
-            for key in specific_recs:
-                combined_recs[key] = specific_recs[key]
+            if self.use_saved_single_settings:
+                specific_recs = load_specifics(self.db, book_id)
+                for key in specific_recs:
+                    combined_recs[key] = specific_recs[key]
             for item in self.user_recs:
                 combined_recs[item[0]] = item[1]
             save_specifics(self.db, book_id, combined_recs)
diff --git a/src/calibre/manual/conversion.rst b/src/calibre/manual/conversion.rst
index 67658c3952..8775b864a7 100644
--- a/src/calibre/manual/conversion.rst
+++ b/src/calibre/manual/conversion.rst
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ button in the individual book conversion dialog.
 When you Bulk Convert a set of books, settings are taken in the following order:
 
     * From the defaults set in Preferences->Conversion
-    * From the saved conversion settings for each book being converted (if any)
+    * From the saved conversion settings for each book being converted (if any). This can be turned off by the option in the top left corner of the Bulk Conversion dialog.
     * From the settings set in the Bulk conversion dialog
 
 Note that the final settings for each book in a Bulk Conversion will be saved and re-used if the book is converted again. Since the