diff --git a/modules/search/search.admin.inc b/modules/search/search.admin.inc
index a609485ac048..a37d37b9f502 100644
--- a/modules/search/search.admin.inc
+++ b/modules/search/search.admin.inc
@@ -125,6 +125,16 @@ function search_admin_settings($form) {
     '#options' => $module_options,
     '#description' => t('Choose which search module is the default.')
   );
+  $form['logging'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'fieldset',
+    '#title' => t('Logging')
+  );
+  $form['logging']['search_logging'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#title' => t('Log searches'),
+    '#default_value' => variable_get('search_logging', 1),
+    '#description' => t('If checked, all searches will be logged. Uncheck to skip logging. Logging may affect performance.'),
+  );
   $form['#validate'][] = 'search_admin_settings_validate';
   $form['#submit'][] = 'search_admin_settings_submit';
 
diff --git a/modules/search/search.install b/modules/search/search.install
index f0113b3f0c69..c91283c465fb 100644
--- a/modules/search/search.install
+++ b/modules/search/search.install
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ function search_uninstall() {
   variable_del('minimum_word_size');
   variable_del('overlap_cjk');
   variable_del('search_cron_limit');
+  variable_del('search_logging');
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/modules/search/search.pages.inc b/modules/search/search.pages.inc
index 2123dd75a9e5..b24de8edae68 100644
--- a/modules/search/search.pages.inc
+++ b/modules/search/search.pages.inc
@@ -57,9 +57,10 @@ function search_view($module = NULL, $keys = '') {
     }
     // Only search if there are keywords or non-empty conditions.
     if ($keys || !empty($conditions)) {
-      // Log the search keys.
-      watchdog('search', 'Searched %type for %keys.', array('%keys' => $keys, '%type' => $info['title']), WATCHDOG_NOTICE, l(t('results'), 'search/' . $info['path'] . '/' . $keys));
-
+       if (variable_get('search_logging', TRUE)) {
+         // Log the search keys.
+         watchdog('search', 'Searched %type for %keys.', array('%keys' => $keys, '%type' => $info['title']), WATCHDOG_NOTICE, l(t('results'), 'search/' . $info['path'] . '/' . $keys));
+       }
       // Collect the search results.
       $results = search_data($keys, $info['module'], $conditions);
     }
diff --git a/modules/search/search.test b/modules/search/search.test
index 913d198911de..d3a60b490b1e 100644
--- a/modules/search/search.test
+++ b/modules/search/search.test
@@ -1453,7 +1453,7 @@ class SearchConfigSettingsForm extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     parent::setUp('search', 'search_extra_type');
 
     // Login as a user that can create and search content.
-    $this->search_user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array('search content', 'administer search', 'administer nodes', 'bypass node access', 'access user profiles', 'administer users', 'administer blocks'));
+    $this->search_user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array('search content', 'administer search', 'administer nodes', 'bypass node access', 'access user profiles', 'administer users', 'administer blocks', 'access site reports'));
     $this->drupalLogin($this->search_user);
 
     // Add a single piece of content and index it.
@@ -1502,6 +1502,19 @@ class SearchConfigSettingsForm extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     );
     $this->drupalPost('admin/config/search/settings', $edit, t('Save configuration'));
     $this->assertNoText(t('The configuration options have been saved.'), 'Form does not save with an invalid word length.');
+
+    // Test logging setting. It should be on by default.
+    $text = $this->randomName(5);
+    $this->drupalPost('search/node', array('keys' => $text), t('Search'));
+    $this->drupalGet('admin/reports/dblog');
+    $this->assertLink('Searched Content for ' . $text . '.', 0, 'Search was logged');
+
+    // Turn off logging.
+    variable_set('search_logging', FALSE);
+    $text = $this->randomName(5);
+    $this->drupalPost('search/node', array('keys' => $text), t('Search'));
+    $this->drupalGet('admin/reports/dblog');
+    $this->assertNoLink('Searched Content for ' . $text . '.', 'Search was not logged');
   }
 
   /**