Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/RemoteControlPreference.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/RemoteControlPreference.java	(revision 4882)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/RemoteControlPreference.java	(revision 4883)
@@ -52,4 +52,5 @@
     private JCheckBox permissionChangeViewport = new JCheckBox(tr("Change the viewport"));
     private JCheckBox permissionReadProtocolversion = new JCheckBox(tr("Read protocol version"));
+    private JCheckBox loadInNewLayer = new JCheckBox(tr("Download objects to new layer"));
     private JCheckBox alwaysAskUserConfirm = new JCheckBox(tr("Confirm all Remote Control actions manually"));
 
@@ -84,4 +85,6 @@
         wrapper.add(new JSeparator(), GBC.eop().fill(GBC.HORIZONTAL).insets(15, 5, 15, 5));
 
+        wrapper.add(loadInNewLayer, GBC.eol().fill(GBC.HORIZONTAL));
+
         wrapper.add(alwaysAskUserConfirm, GBC.eol().fill(GBC.HORIZONTAL));
 
@@ -101,4 +104,5 @@
         permissionCreateObjects.setSelected(Main.pref.getBoolean(AddNodeHandler.permissionKey, AddNodeHandler.permissionDefault));
         permissionReadProtocolversion.setSelected(Main.pref.getBoolean(VersionHandler.permissionKey, VersionHandler.permissionDefault));
+        loadInNewLayer.setSelected(Main.pref.getBoolean(RequestHandler.loadInNewLayerKey, RequestHandler.loadInNewLayerDefault));
         alwaysAskUserConfirm.setSelected(Main.pref.getBoolean(RequestHandler.globalConfirmationKey, RequestHandler.globalConfirmationDefault));
 
@@ -128,4 +132,5 @@
             Main.pref.put(AddNodeHandler.permissionKey, permissionCreateObjects.isSelected());
             Main.pref.put(VersionHandler.permissionKey, permissionReadProtocolversion.isSelected());
+            Main.pref.put(RequestHandler.loadInNewLayerKey, loadInNewLayer.isSelected());
             Main.pref.put(RequestHandler.globalConfirmationKey, alwaysAskUserConfirm.isSelected());
         }
Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/remotecontrol/handler/LoadAndZoomHandler.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/remotecontrol/handler/LoadAndZoomHandler.java	(revision 4882)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/remotecontrol/handler/LoadAndZoomHandler.java	(revision 4883)
@@ -68,5 +68,5 @@
             minlon = Double.parseDouble(args.get("left"));
             maxlon = Double.parseDouble(args.get("right"));
-            boolean newLayer = Boolean.parseBoolean(args.get("new_layer"));
+            boolean newLayer = isLoadInNewLayer();
 
             if(command.equals(myCommand))
Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/remotecontrol/handler/LoadObjectHandler.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/remotecontrol/handler/LoadObjectHandler.java	(revision 4882)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/remotecontrol/handler/LoadObjectHandler.java	(revision 4883)
@@ -33,5 +33,5 @@
             ps.add(SimplePrimitiveId.fromString(i));
         }
-        boolean newLayer = Boolean.parseBoolean(args.get("new_layer"));
+        boolean newLayer = isLoadInNewLayer();
         boolean relationMembers = Boolean.parseBoolean(args.get("relation_members"));
         DownloadPrimitiveAction.processItems(newLayer, ps, true, relationMembers);
Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/remotecontrol/handler/RequestHandler.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/remotecontrol/handler/RequestHandler.java	(revision 4882)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/remotecontrol/handler/RequestHandler.java	(revision 4883)
@@ -24,4 +24,6 @@
     public static final String globalConfirmationKey = "remotecontrol.always-confirm";
     public static final boolean globalConfirmationDefault = false;
+    public static final String loadInNewLayerKey = "remotecontrol.new-layer";
+    public static final boolean loadInNewLayerDefault = false;
 
     /** The GET request arguments */
@@ -210,4 +212,10 @@
     }
 
+    protected boolean isLoadInNewLayer() {
+        return args.get("new_layer") != null && !args.get("new_layer").isEmpty()
+                ? Boolean.parseBoolean(args.get("new_layer"))
+                : Main.pref.getBoolean(loadInNewLayerKey, loadInNewLayerDefault);
+    }
+
     public static class RequestHandlerException extends Exception {