Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/display/LafPreference.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/display/LafPreference.java	(revision 17705)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/display/LafPreference.java	(revision 17706)
@@ -37,4 +37,5 @@
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.gui.preferences.SubPreferenceSetting;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.gui.preferences.TabPreferenceSetting;
+import org.openstreetmap.josm.gui.util.WindowGeometry;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.gui.widgets.FileChooserManager;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.gui.widgets.JosmComboBox;
@@ -91,4 +92,5 @@
     private final JCheckBox dynamicButtons = new JCheckBox(tr("Dynamic buttons in side menus"));
     private final JCheckBox isoDates = new JCheckBox(tr("Display ISO dates"));
+    private final JCheckBox dialogGeometry = new JCheckBox(tr("Remember dialog geometries"));
     private final JCheckBox nativeFileChoosers = new JCheckBox(tr("Use native file choosers (nicer, but do not support file filters)"));
     private final JCheckBox zoomReverseWheel = new JCheckBox(tr("Reverse zoom with mouse wheel"));
@@ -182,4 +184,7 @@
         isoDates.setSelected(DateUtils.PROP_ISO_DATES.get());
         panel.add(isoDates, GBC.eop().insets(20, 0, 0, 0));
+
+        dialogGeometry.setSelected(WindowGeometry.GUI_GEOMETRY_ENABLED.get());
+        panel.add(dialogGeometry, GBC.eop().insets(20, 0, 0, 0));
 
         nativeFileChoosers.setToolTipText(
@@ -234,4 +239,5 @@
         Config.getPref().putBoolean(ToggleDialog.PROP_DYNAMIC_BUTTONS.getKey(), dynamicButtons.isSelected());
         Config.getPref().putBoolean(DateUtils.PROP_ISO_DATES.getKey(), isoDates.isSelected());
+        WindowGeometry.GUI_GEOMETRY_ENABLED.put(dialogGeometry.isSelected());
         Config.getPref().putBoolean(FileChooserManager.PROP_USE_NATIVE_FILE_DIALOG.getKey(), nativeFileChoosers.isSelected());
         MapMover.PROP_ZOOM_REVERSE_WHEEL.put(zoomReverseWheel.isSelected());
Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/util/WindowGeometry.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/util/WindowGeometry.java	(revision 17705)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/util/WindowGeometry.java	(revision 17706)
@@ -21,4 +21,5 @@
 import javax.swing.JComponent;
 
+import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.preferences.BooleanProperty;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.gui.MainApplication;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.spi.preferences.Config;
@@ -39,4 +40,9 @@
      */
     public static final String PREF_KEY_GUI_GEOMETRY = "gui.geometry";
+
+    /**
+     * Whether storing/restoring of geometries to/from preferences is enabled
+     */
+    public static final BooleanProperty GUI_GEOMETRY_ENABLED = new BooleanProperty(PREF_KEY_GUI_GEOMETRY + ".enabled", true);
 
     /** the top left point */
@@ -214,4 +220,7 @@
 
     protected final void initFromPreferences(String preferenceKey) throws WindowGeometryException {
+        if (!GUI_GEOMETRY_ENABLED.get()) {
+            throw new WindowGeometryException("window geometry from preferences is disabled");
+        }
         String value = Config.getPref().get(preferenceKey);
         if (value.isEmpty())