diff --git a/resources/default_tweaks.py b/resources/default_tweaks.py
index 6f774f6f97..f5c13cea6e 100644
--- a/resources/default_tweaks.py
+++ b/resources/default_tweaks.py
@@ -567,3 +567,9 @@ show_saved_search_box = False
 # exclude_fields_on_paste = ['cover', 'timestamp', '#mycolumn']
 # to prevent pasting of the cover, Date and custom column, mycolumn.
 exclude_fields_on_paste = []
+
+#: Skip internet connected check
+# Skip checking whether the internet is available before downloading news.
+# Useful if for some reason your operating systems network checking
+# facilities are not reliable (for example NetworkManager on Linux).
+skip_network_check = False
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/network.py b/src/calibre/utils/network.py
index bb38245c70..bbfd045069 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/network.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/network.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ __copyright__ = '2010, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 from calibre.constants import iswindows, islinux, isbsd
+from calibre.utils.config_base import tweaks
 
 
 class LinuxNetworkStatus(object):
@@ -49,10 +50,13 @@ class DummyNetworkStatus(object):
     def __call__(self):
         return True
 
+
 _network_status = WindowsNetworkStatus() if iswindows else \
         LinuxNetworkStatus() if (islinux or isbsd) else \
         DummyNetworkStatus()
 
 
 def internet_connected():
+    if tweaks['skip_network_check']:
+        return True
     return _network_status()