diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py
index ebbef8e845..6ec8406618 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from PyQt4.Qt import QPixmap, QTimer
 
 from calibre import as_unicode
 from calibre.gui2 import (error_dialog, choose_files, choose_dir,
-        warning_dialog, info_dialog)
+        warning_dialog, info_dialog, gprefs)
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.add_empty_book import AddEmptyBookDialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.progress import ProgressDialog
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from calibre.constants import filesystem_encoding
 from calibre.gui2.actions import InterfaceAction
 from calibre.gui2 import question_dialog
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import MetaInformation
+from calibre.ptempfile import PersistentTemporaryFile
 
 def get_filters():
     return [
@@ -194,6 +195,7 @@ class AddAction(InterfaceAction):
         dlg = AddEmptyBookDialog(self.gui, self.gui.library_view.model().db,
                                  author, series)
         if dlg.exec_() == dlg.Accepted:
+            temp_files = []
             num = dlg.qty_to_add
             series = dlg.selected_series
             db = self.gui.library_view.model().db
@@ -203,7 +205,15 @@ class AddAction(InterfaceAction):
                 if series:
                     mi.series = series
                     mi.series_index = db.get_next_series_num_for(series)
-                ids.append(db.import_book(mi, []))
+                fmts = []
+                if gprefs.get('create_empty_epub_file', False):
+                    from calibre.ebooks.oeb.polish.create import create_book
+                    pt = PersistentTemporaryFile(suffix='.epub')
+                    pt.close()
+                    temp_files.append(pt.name)
+                    create_book(mi, pt.name)
+                    fmts = [pt.name]
+                ids.append(db.import_book(mi, fmts))
             self.gui.library_view.model().books_added(num)
             if hasattr(self.gui, 'db_images'):
                 self.gui.db_images.reset()
@@ -211,6 +221,8 @@ class AddAction(InterfaceAction):
             if ids:
                 ids.reverse()
                 self.gui.library_view.select_rows(ids)
+            for path in temp_files:
+                os.remove(path)
 
     def add_isbns(self, books, add_tags=[]):
         self.isbn_books = list(books)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/add_empty_book.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/add_empty_book.py
index 185a3699e7..0119659793 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/add_empty_book.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/add_empty_book.py
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ __license__   = 'GPL v3'
 
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import QDialog, QGridLayout, QLabel, QDialogButtonBox,  \
-            QApplication, QSpinBox, QToolButton, QIcon
+            QApplication, QSpinBox, QToolButton, QIcon, QCheckBox
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import string_to_authors
 from calibre.gui2.complete2 import EditWithComplete
 from calibre.utils.config import tweaks
+from calibre.gui2 import gprefs
 
 class AddEmptyBookDialog(QDialog):
 
@@ -61,12 +62,23 @@ class AddEmptyBookDialog(QDialog):
         self.sclear_button.clicked.connect(self.reset_series)
         self._layout.addWidget(self.sclear_button, 5, 1, 1, 1)
 
-        button_box = QDialogButtonBox(QDialogButtonBox.Ok | QDialogButtonBox.Cancel)
+        self.create_epub = c = QCheckBox(_('Create an empty EPUB file as well'))
+        c.setChecked(gprefs.get('create_empty_epub_file', False))
+        c.setToolTip(_('Also create an empty EPUB file that you can subsequently edit'))
+        self._layout.addWidget(c, 6, 0, 1, -1)
+
+        button_box = self.bb = QDialogButtonBox(QDialogButtonBox.Ok | QDialogButtonBox.Cancel)
         button_box.accepted.connect(self.accept)
         button_box.rejected.connect(self.reject)
-        self._layout.addWidget(button_box)
+        self._layout.addWidget(button_box, 7, 0, 1, -1)
         self.resize(self.sizeHint())
 
+    def accept(self):
+        oval = gprefs.get('create_empty_epub_file', False)
+        if self.create_epub.isChecked() != oval:
+            gprefs['create_empty_epub_file'] = self.create_epub.isChecked()
+        return QDialog.accept(self)
+
     def reset_author(self, *args):
         self.authors_combo.setEditText(_('Unknown'))