diff --git a/rtdata/languages/default b/rtdata/languages/default
index 185191bcd..70e351595 100644
--- a/rtdata/languages/default
+++ b/rtdata/languages/default
@@ -1994,6 +1994,8 @@ PREFERENCES_PROPERTY;Property
 PREFERENCES_PRTINTENT;Rendering intent
 PREFERENCES_PRTPROFILE;Color profile
 PREFERENCES_PSPATH;Adobe Photoshop installation directory
+PREFERENCES_RAW_DECODER;Raw Decoder
+PREFERENCES_RAW_DECODER_ENABLE_LIBRAW;Use LibRaw
 PREFERENCES_REMEMBERZOOMPAN;Remember zoom % and pan offset
 PREFERENCES_REMEMBERZOOMPAN_TOOLTIP;Remember the zoom % and pan offset of the current image when opening a new image.\n\nThis option only works in 'Single Editor Tab Mode' and when 'Demosaicing method used for the preview at <100% zoom' is set to 'As in PP3'.
 PREFERENCES_SAVE_TP_OPEN_NOW;Save tool collapsed/expanded state now
diff --git a/rtengine/rawimage.cc b/rtengine/rawimage.cc
index d96993a0d..4577a3f63 100644
--- a/rtengine/rawimage.cc
+++ b/rtengine/rawimage.cc
@@ -492,8 +492,14 @@ int RawImage::loadRaw(bool loadData, unsigned int imageNum, bool closeFile, Prog
 
     shot_select = imageNum;
 
-    libraw.reset(new LibRaw());
+    if (settings->enableLibRaw) {
+        libraw.reset(new LibRaw());
+    }
     int libraw_error = [&]() -> int {
+        if (!settings->enableLibRaw) {
+            return LIBRAW_SUCCESS;
+        }
+
         libraw->imgdata.params.use_camera_wb = 1;
 
         int err = libraw->open_buffer(ifp->data, ifp->size);
@@ -654,7 +660,9 @@ int RawImage::loadRaw(bool loadData, unsigned int imageNum, bool closeFile, Prog
             return libraw_error;
         }
     } else {
-        libraw->recycle();
+        if (libraw) {
+            libraw->recycle();
+        }
     }
 
     if (decoder == Decoder::DCRAW) {
diff --git a/rtengine/settings.h b/rtengine/settings.h
index fbbb51bbb..383611c2a 100644
--- a/rtengine/settings.h
+++ b/rtengine/settings.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public:
     Glib::ustring   flatFieldsPath;         ///< The default directory for flat fields
     Glib::ustring   cameraProfilesPath;     ///< The default directory for camera profiles
     Glib::ustring   lensProfilesPath;       ///< The default directory for lens profiles
+    bool            enableLibRaw;           ///< Use LibRaw to decode raw images.
 
     Glib::ustring   adobe;                  // filename of AdobeRGB1998 profile (default to the bundled one)
     Glib::ustring   prophoto;               // filename of Prophoto     profile (default to the bundled one)
diff --git a/rtgui/options.cc b/rtgui/options.cc
index 61d67f9b6..cc3ca6cca 100644
--- a/rtgui/options.cc
+++ b/rtgui/options.cc
@@ -591,6 +591,7 @@ void Options::setDefaults()
 #else
     rtSettings.iccDirectory = "/usr/share/color/icc";
 #endif
+    rtSettings.enableLibRaw = true;
 //   rtSettings.viewingdevice = 0;
 //   rtSettings.viewingdevicegrey = 3;
     //  rtSettings.viewinggreySc = 1;
@@ -1745,6 +1746,14 @@ void Options::readFromFile(Glib::ustring fname)
                 }
             }
 
+            const Glib::ustring groupRawDecoder = "Raw Decoder";
+            if (keyFile.has_group(groupRawDecoder)) {
+                const Glib::ustring keyEnableLibRaw = "EnableLibRaw";
+                if (keyFile.has_key(groupRawDecoder, keyEnableLibRaw)) {
+                    rtSettings.enableLibRaw = keyFile.get_boolean(groupRawDecoder, keyEnableLibRaw);
+                }
+            }
+
             if (keyFile.has_group("Color Management")) {
                 if (keyFile.has_key("Color Management", "ICCDirectory")) {
                     rtSettings.iccDirectory = keyFile.get_string("Color Management", "ICCDirectory");
@@ -2590,6 +2599,8 @@ void Options::saveToFile(Glib::ustring fname)
         keyFile.set_integer("Crop Settings", "GuidesMode", cropGuides);
         keyFile.set_boolean("Crop Settings", "AutoFit", cropAutoFit);
 
+        keyFile.set_boolean("Raw Decoder", "EnableLibRaw", rtSettings.enableLibRaw);
+
         keyFile.set_string("Color Management", "PrinterProfile", rtSettings.printerProfile);
         keyFile.set_integer("Color Management", "PrinterIntent", rtSettings.printerIntent);
         keyFile.set_boolean("Color Management", "PrinterBPC", rtSettings.printerBPC);
diff --git a/rtgui/preferences.cc b/rtgui/preferences.cc
index 103075274..c9d360e7e 100644
--- a/rtgui/preferences.cc
+++ b/rtgui/preferences.cc
@@ -744,6 +744,14 @@ Gtk::Widget* Preferences::getImageProcessingPanel ()
     cropFrame->add(*cropGrid);
     vbImageProcessing->pack_start(*cropFrame, Gtk::PACK_SHRINK, 4);
 
+    Gtk::Frame *rawDecoderFrame = Gtk::manage(new Gtk::Frame(M("PREFERENCES_RAW_DECODER")));
+    Gtk::Box *rawDecoderContainer = Gtk::manage(new Gtk::Box(Gtk::ORIENTATION_VERTICAL));
+    rawDecoderFrame->add(*rawDecoderContainer);
+    enableLibRaw = Gtk::manage(new Gtk::CheckButton());
+    enableLibRaw->add(*Gtk::manage(new Gtk::Label(M("PREFERENCES_RAW_DECODER_ENABLE_LIBRAW"))));
+    rawDecoderContainer->pack_start(*enableLibRaw);
+    vbImageProcessing->pack_start(*rawDecoderFrame, Gtk::PACK_SHRINK, 4);
+
     swImageProcessing->add(*vbImageProcessing);
 
     return swImageProcessing;
@@ -1995,6 +2003,8 @@ void Preferences::storePreferences()
     moptions.cropGuides = Options::CropGuidesMode(cropGuidesCombo->get_active_row_number());
     moptions.cropAutoFit = cropAutoFitCB->get_active();
 
+    moptions.rtSettings.enableLibRaw = enableLibRaw->get_active();
+
     toolLocationPreference->updateOptions();
 
     moptions.rtSettings.metadata_xmp_sync = rtengine::Settings::MetadataXmpSync(metadataSyncCombo->get_active_row_number());
@@ -2229,6 +2239,8 @@ void Preferences::fillPreferences()
     cropGuidesCombo->set_active(moptions.cropGuides);
     cropAutoFitCB->set_active(moptions.cropAutoFit);
 
+    enableLibRaw->set_active(moptions.rtSettings.enableLibRaw);
+
     addc.block(false);
     setc.block(false);
     cpfconn.block(false);
diff --git a/rtgui/preferences.h b/rtgui/preferences.h
index 219844d55..4135b9792 100644
--- a/rtgui/preferences.h
+++ b/rtgui/preferences.h
@@ -249,6 +249,8 @@ class Preferences final :
     Gtk::ComboBoxText *cropGuidesCombo;
     Gtk::CheckButton *cropAutoFitCB;
 
+    Gtk::CheckButton *enableLibRaw;
+
     Gtk::ComboBoxText *metadataSyncCombo;
     Gtk::ComboBoxText *xmpSidecarCombo;