diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
index d7a2669b0b..301b5f7ea4 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
@@ -22,91 +22,94 @@ from calibre.utils.date import UNDEFINED_DATE
 
 # Setup gprefs {{{
 gprefs = JSONConfig('gui')
+defs = gprefs.defaults
 
 if isosx:
-    gprefs.defaults['action-layout-menubar'] = (
+    defs['action-layout-menubar'] = (
         'Add Books', 'Edit Metadata', 'Convert Books',
         'Choose Library', 'Save To Disk', 'Preferences',
         'Help',
         )
-    gprefs.defaults['action-layout-menubar-device'] = (
+    defs['action-layout-menubar-device'] = (
         'Add Books', 'Edit Metadata', 'Convert Books',
         'Location Manager', 'Send To Device',
         'Save To Disk', 'Preferences', 'Help',
         )
-    gprefs.defaults['action-layout-toolbar'] = (
+    defs['action-layout-toolbar'] = (
         'Add Books', 'Edit Metadata', None, 'Convert Books', 'View', None,
         'Choose Library', 'Donate', None, 'Fetch News', 'Store', 'Save To Disk',
         'Connect Share', None, 'Remove Books',
         )
-    gprefs.defaults['action-layout-toolbar-device'] = (
+    defs['action-layout-toolbar-device'] = (
         'Add Books', 'Edit Metadata', None, 'Convert Books', 'View',
         'Send To Device', None, None, 'Location Manager', None, None,
         'Fetch News', 'Store', 'Save To Disk', 'Connect Share', None,
         'Remove Books',
         )
 else:
-    gprefs.defaults['action-layout-menubar'] = ()
-    gprefs.defaults['action-layout-menubar-device'] = ()
-    gprefs.defaults['action-layout-toolbar'] = (
+    defs['action-layout-menubar'] = ()
+    defs['action-layout-menubar-device'] = ()
+    defs['action-layout-toolbar'] = (
         'Add Books', 'Edit Metadata', None, 'Convert Books', 'View', None,
         'Store', 'Donate', 'Fetch News', 'Help', None,
         'Remove Books', 'Choose Library', 'Save To Disk',
         'Connect Share', 'Preferences',
         )
-    gprefs.defaults['action-layout-toolbar-device'] = (
+    defs['action-layout-toolbar-device'] = (
         'Add Books', 'Edit Metadata', None, 'Convert Books', 'View',
         'Send To Device', None, None, 'Location Manager', None, None,
         'Fetch News', 'Save To Disk', 'Store', 'Connect Share', None,
         'Remove Books', None, 'Help', 'Preferences',
         )
 
-gprefs.defaults['action-layout-toolbar-child'] = ()
+defs['action-layout-toolbar-child'] = ()
 
-gprefs.defaults['action-layout-context-menu'] = (
+defs['action-layout-context-menu'] = (
         'Edit Metadata', 'Send To Device', 'Save To Disk',
         'Connect Share', 'Copy To Library', None,
         'Convert Books', 'View', 'Open Folder', 'Show Book Details',
         'Similar Books', 'Tweak ePub', None, 'Remove Books',
         )
 
-gprefs.defaults['action-layout-context-menu-device'] = (
+defs['action-layout-context-menu-device'] = (
         'View', 'Save To Disk', None, 'Remove Books', None,
         'Add To Library', 'Edit Collections',
         )
 
-gprefs.defaults['action-layout-context-menu-cover-browser'] = (
+defs['action-layout-context-menu-cover-browser'] = (
         'Edit Metadata', 'Send To Device', 'Save To Disk',
         'Connect Share', 'Copy To Library', None,
         'Convert Books', 'View', 'Open Folder', 'Show Book Details',
         'Similar Books', 'Tweak ePub', None, 'Remove Books',
         )
 
-gprefs.defaults['show_splash_screen'] = True
-gprefs.defaults['toolbar_icon_size'] = 'medium'
-gprefs.defaults['automerge'] = 'ignore'
-gprefs.defaults['toolbar_text'] = 'always'
-gprefs.defaults['font'] = None
-gprefs.defaults['tags_browser_partition_method'] = 'first letter'
-gprefs.defaults['tags_browser_collapse_at'] = 100
-gprefs.defaults['tag_browser_dont_collapse'] = []
-gprefs.defaults['edit_metadata_single_layout'] = 'default'
-gprefs.defaults['default_author_link'] = 'http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?search={author}'
-gprefs.defaults['preserve_date_on_ctl'] = True
-gprefs.defaults['manual_add_auto_convert'] = False
-gprefs.defaults['cb_fullscreen'] = False
-gprefs.defaults['worker_max_time'] = 0
-gprefs.defaults['show_files_after_save'] = True
-gprefs.defaults['auto_add_path'] = None
-gprefs.defaults['auto_add_check_for_duplicates'] = False
-gprefs.defaults['blocked_auto_formats'] = []
-gprefs.defaults['auto_add_auto_convert'] = True
-gprefs.defaults['ui_style'] = 'calibre' if iswindows or isosx else 'system'
-gprefs.defaults['tag_browser_old_look'] = False
-gprefs.defaults['book_list_tooltips'] = True
-gprefs.defaults['bd_show_cover'] = True
-gprefs.defaults['bd_overlay_cover_size'] = False
-gprefs.defaults['tags_browser_category_icons'] = {}
+defs['show_splash_screen'] = True
+defs['toolbar_icon_size'] = 'medium'
+defs['automerge'] = 'ignore'
+defs['toolbar_text'] = 'always'
+defs['font'] = None
+defs['tags_browser_partition_method'] = 'first letter'
+defs['tags_browser_collapse_at'] = 100
+defs['tag_browser_dont_collapse'] = []
+defs['edit_metadata_single_layout'] = 'default'
+defs['default_author_link'] = 'http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?search={author}'
+defs['preserve_date_on_ctl'] = True
+defs['manual_add_auto_convert'] = False
+defs['cb_fullscreen'] = False
+defs['worker_max_time'] = 0
+defs['show_files_after_save'] = True
+defs['auto_add_path'] = None
+defs['auto_add_check_for_duplicates'] = False
+defs['blocked_auto_formats'] = []
+defs['auto_add_auto_convert'] = True
+defs['ui_style'] = 'calibre' if iswindows or isosx else 'system'
+defs['tag_browser_old_look'] = False
+defs['book_list_tooltips'] = True
+defs['bd_show_cover'] = True
+defs['bd_overlay_cover_size'] = False
+defs['tags_browser_category_icons'] = {}
+defs['cover_browser_reflections'] = True
+del defs
 # }}}
 
 NONE = QVariant() #: Null value to return from the data function of item models
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/cover_flow.py b/src/calibre/gui2/cover_flow.py
index b7cebee2c0..8a7beb811c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/cover_flow.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/cover_flow.py
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ if pictureflow is not None:
             self.setContextMenuPolicy(Qt.DefaultContextMenu)
             if hasattr(self, 'setSubtitleFont'):
                 self.setSubtitleFont(QFont(rating_font()))
+            if not gprefs['cover_browser_reflections']:
+                self.setShowReflections(False)
 
         def set_context_menu(self, cm):
             self.context_menu = cm
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.cpp b/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.cpp
index 88fff1fd2c..e26309f4cf 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.cpp
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.cpp
@@ -340,6 +340,9 @@ public:
   int currentSlide() const;
   void setCurrentSlide(int index);
 
+  bool showReflections() const;
+  void setShowReflections(bool show);
+
   int getTarget() const;
 
   void showPrevious();
@@ -378,6 +381,7 @@ private:
   int slideHeight;
   int fontSize;
   int queueLength;
+  bool doReflections;
 
   int centerIndex;
   SlideInfo centerSlide;
@@ -416,6 +420,7 @@ PictureFlowPrivate::PictureFlowPrivate(PictureFlow* w, int queueLength_)
   slideWidth = 200;
   slideHeight = 200;
   fontSize = 10;
+  doReflections = true;
 
   centerIndex = 0;
   queueLength = queueLength_;
@@ -494,6 +499,15 @@ void PictureFlowPrivate::setCurrentSlide(int index)
   widget->emitcurrentChanged(centerIndex);
 }
 
+bool PictureFlowPrivate::showReflections() const {
+    return doReflections;
+}
+
+void PictureFlowPrivate::setShowReflections(bool show) {
+    doReflections = show;
+    triggerRender();
+}
+
 void PictureFlowPrivate::showPrevious()
 {
   if(step >= 0)
@@ -584,7 +598,7 @@ void PictureFlowPrivate::resetSlides()
   }
 }
 
-static QImage prepareSurface(QImage img, int w, int h)
+static QImage prepareSurface(QImage img, int w, int h, bool doReflections)
 {
   img = img.scaled(w, h, Qt::IgnoreAspectRatio, Qt::SmoothTransformation);
 
@@ -602,19 +616,21 @@ static QImage prepareSurface(QImage img, int w, int h)
     for(int y = 0; y < h; y++)
       result.setPixel(y, x, img.pixel(x, y));
 
-  // create the reflection
-  int ht = hs - h;
-  for(int x = 0; x < w; x++)
-    for(int y = 0; y < ht; y++)
-    {
-      QRgb color = img.pixel(x, img.height()-y-1);
-      //QRgb565 color = img.scanLine(img.height()-y-1) + x*sizeof(QRgb565); //img.pixel(x, img.height()-y-1);
-      int a = qAlpha(color);
-      int r = qRed(color)   * a / 256 * (ht - y) / ht * 3/5;
-      int g = qGreen(color) * a / 256 * (ht - y) / ht * 3/5;
-      int b = qBlue(color)  * a / 256 * (ht - y) / ht * 3/5;
-      result.setPixel(h+y, x, qRgb(r, g, b));
-    }
+  if (doReflections) {
+    // create the reflection
+    int ht = hs - h;
+    for(int x = 0; x < w; x++)
+        for(int y = 0; y < ht; y++)
+        {
+        QRgb color = img.pixel(x, img.height()-y-1);
+        //QRgb565 color = img.scanLine(img.height()-y-1) + x*sizeof(QRgb565); //img.pixel(x, img.height()-y-1);
+        int a = qAlpha(color);
+        int r = qRed(color)   * a / 256 * (ht - y) / ht * 3/5;
+        int g = qGreen(color) * a / 256 * (ht - y) / ht * 3/5;
+        int b = qBlue(color)  * a / 256 * (ht - y) / ht * 3/5;
+        result.setPixel(h+y, x, qRgb(r, g, b));
+        }
+  }
 
   return result;
 }
@@ -652,12 +668,12 @@ QImage* PictureFlowPrivate::surface(int slideIndex)
       painter.setBrush(QBrush());
       painter.drawRect(2, 2, slideWidth-3, slideHeight-3);
       painter.end();
-      blankSurface = prepareSurface(blankSurface, slideWidth, slideHeight);
+      blankSurface = prepareSurface(blankSurface, slideWidth, slideHeight, doReflections);
     }
     return &blankSurface;
   }
 
-  surfaceCache.insert(slideIndex, new QImage(prepareSurface(img, slideWidth, slideHeight)));
+  surfaceCache.insert(slideIndex, new QImage(prepareSurface(img, slideWidth, slideHeight, doReflections)));
   return surfaceCache[slideIndex];
 }
 
@@ -1196,6 +1212,13 @@ QImage PictureFlow::slide(int index) const
   return d->slide(index);
 }
 
+bool PictureFlow::showReflections() const {
+    return d->showReflections();
+}
+
+void PictureFlow::setShowReflections(bool show) {
+    d->setShowReflections(show);
+}
 
 void PictureFlow::setImages(FlowImages *images) 
 {
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.h b/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.h
index c5a9c76190..bc427e8580 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.h
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.h
@@ -121,6 +121,12 @@ public:
   */  
   void setSlideSize(QSize size);
 
+  /*!
+    Turn the reflections on/off.
+  */  
+  void setShowReflections(bool show);
+  bool showReflections() const;
+
   /*!
     Returns the font used to render subtitles
   */  
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.sip b/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.sip
index 21c6209df5..0fab379147 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.sip
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/pictureflow/pictureflow.sip
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ public :
 
   int currentSlide() const;
 
+  bool showReflections() const;
+
+  void setShowReflections(bool show);
+
 public slots:
 
   void setCurrentSlide(int index);
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.py
index b3423e5a8c..54b5e3a625 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.py
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
         r('bd_overlay_cover_size', gprefs)
 
         r('cover_flow_queue_length', config, restart_required=True)
+        r('cover_browser_reflections', gprefs)
 
         def get_esc_lang(l):
             if l == 'en':
@@ -289,6 +290,8 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
         self.update_font_display()
         gui.tags_view.reread_collapse_parameters()
         gui.library_view.refresh_book_details()
+        if gui.cover_flow is not None:
+            gui.cover_flow.setShowReflections(gprefs['cover_browser_reflections'])
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     from calibre.gui2 import Application
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.ui
index fe6d9ecb62..5074eaf4e6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel.ui
@@ -496,10 +496,7 @@ a few top-level elements.</string>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="1" column="1">
-        <widget class="QSpinBox" name="opt_cover_flow_queue_length"/>
-       </item>
-       <item row="4" column="0" colspan="2">
+       <item row="5" column="0" colspan="2">
         <spacer name="verticalSpacer_4">
          <property name="orientation">
           <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
@@ -512,14 +509,17 @@ a few top-level elements.</string>
          </property>
         </spacer>
        </item>
-       <item row="2" column="0" colspan="2">
+       <item row="1" column="1">
+        <widget class="QSpinBox" name="opt_cover_flow_queue_length"/>
+       </item>
+       <item row="3" column="0" colspan="2">
         <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_cb_fullscreen">
          <property name="text">
           <string>When showing cover browser in separate window, show it &amp;fullscreen</string>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
-       <item row="3" column="0" colspan="2">
+       <item row="4" column="0" colspan="2">
         <widget class="QLabel" name="fs_help_msg">
          <property name="styleSheet">
           <string notr="true">margin-left: 1.5em</string>
@@ -532,6 +532,13 @@ a few top-level elements.</string>
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
+       <item row="2" column="0">
+        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_cover_browser_reflections">
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Show &amp;reflections in the cover browser</string>
+         </property>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
       </layout>
      </widget>
     </widget>