Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/Main.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/Main.java	(revision 3954)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/Main.java	(revision 3956)
@@ -216,8 +216,10 @@
         // capabilities are already known to the editor instance. However
         // if it goes wrong that's not critical at this stage.
-        try {
-            OsmApi.getOsmApi().initialize(null);
-        } catch (Exception x) {
-            // ignore any exception here.
+        if (Main.pref.getBoolean("get-capabilities-at-start", false)) {
+            try {
+                OsmApi.getOsmApi().initialize(null);
+            } catch (Exception x) {
+                // ignore any exception here.
+            }
         }