diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
index 2401dd0326..e02212aaa7 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
@@ -466,7 +466,9 @@ Editor::Editor ()
 	_group_tabs = new EditorGroupTabs (*this);
 	controls_layout.add (edit_controls_vbox);
 
-	controls_layout.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &controls_layout, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign, _("Right-click\nor Double-click here\nto add Track, Bus,\n or VCA.")));
+	if (UIConfiguration::instance().get_render_plus_hints ()) {
+		controls_layout.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &controls_layout, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign, _("Right-click\nor Double-click here\nto add Track, Bus,\n or VCA.")));
+	}
 
 	HSeparator* separator = manage (new HSeparator());
 	separator->set_name("TrackSeparator");
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/io_plugin_window.cc b/gtk2_ardour/io_plugin_window.cc
index f21229bc8f..929119a09e 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/io_plugin_window.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/io_plugin_window.cc
@@ -144,7 +144,9 @@ IOPluginWindow::PluginBox::PluginBox (bool is_pre)
 {
 	add_events (Gdk::BUTTON_PRESS_MASK | Gdk::BUTTON_RELEASE_MASK);
 	signal_button_press_event ().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &IOPluginWindow::PluginBox::button_press_event));
-	_base.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &_base, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign, _("Right-click or Double-click here\nto add I/O Plugins")));
+	if (UIConfiguration::instance().get_render_plus_hints ()) {
+		_base.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &_base, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign, _("Right-click or Double-click here\nto add I/O Plugins")));
+	}
 
 	std::vector<Gtk::TargetEntry> target_table;
 	target_table.push_back (Gtk::TargetEntry ("x-ardour/plugin.favorite", Gtk::TARGET_SAME_APP)); // from sidebar
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
index de62738346..284b2ddc10 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
@@ -185,8 +185,9 @@ Mixer_UI::Mixer_UI ()
 	/* add as last item of strip packer */
 	strip_packer.pack_end (scroller_base, true, true);
 	scroller_base.set_size_request (PX_SCALE (20), -1);
-	scroller_base.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &scroller_base, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign,
-			_("Right-click or Double-click here\nto add Track, Bus, or VCA channels")));
+	if (UIConfiguration::instance().get_render_plus_hints ()) {
+		scroller_base.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &scroller_base, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign, _("Right-click or Double-click here\nto add Track, Bus, or VCA channels")));
+	}
 
 #ifdef MIXBUS
 	/* create a drop-shadow at the end of the mixer strips */
@@ -1778,8 +1779,9 @@ Mixer_UI::redisplay_track_list ()
 
 	vca_hpacker.pack_end (vca_scroller_base, true, true);
 	vca_scroller_base.set_size_request (PX_SCALE (20), -1);
-	vca_scroller_base.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &vca_scroller_base, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign,
-			_("Right-click or Double-click here\nto add Track, Bus, or VCA channels")));
+	if (UIConfiguration::instance().get_render_plus_hints ()) {
+		vca_scroller_base.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &vca_scroller_base, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign, _("Right-click or Double-click here\nto add Track, Bus, or VCA channels")));
+	}
 	vca_scroller_base.show();
 
 	for (i = rows.begin(); i != rows.end(); ++i) {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
index e9a734e129..24fb1cfb1c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
@@ -2580,6 +2580,13 @@ RCOptionEditor::RCOptionEditor ()
 		     sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::set_use_tooltips)
 		     ));
 
+	add_option (_("Appearance"), new BoolOption (
+				"render-plus-hints",
+				_("Render + hints on page background (requires restart)"),
+				sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::get_render_plus_hints),
+				sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::set_render_plus_hints)
+				));
+
 	bo = new BoolOption (
 			"super-rapid-clock-update",
 			_("Update clocks at TC Frame rate"),
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/recorder_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/recorder_ui.cc
index e60b64f7a6..3e449f6166 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/recorder_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/recorder_ui.cc
@@ -162,8 +162,10 @@ RecorderUI::RecorderUI ()
 	_scroller_base.signal_button_press_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &RecorderUI::scroller_button_event));
 	_scroller_base.signal_button_release_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &RecorderUI::scroller_button_event));
 	_scroller_base.set_size_request (-1, PX_SCALE (20));
-	_scroller_base.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &_scroller_base, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign,
-			_("Right-click or Double-click here\nto add Tracks")));
+
+	if (UIConfiguration::instance().get_render_plus_hints ()) {
+		_scroller_base.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &_scroller_base, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign, _("Right-click or Double-click here\nto add Tracks")));
+	}
 
 	/* LAYOUT */
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_page.cc b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_page.cc
index e0c05fe018..076e007f1c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_page.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_page.cc
@@ -114,8 +114,9 @@ TriggerPage::TriggerPage ()
 	_no_strips.set_can_focus ();
 	_no_strips.add_events (Gdk::BUTTON_PRESS_MASK | Gdk::BUTTON_RELEASE_MASK);
 	_no_strips.set_size_request (PX_SCALE (20), -1);
-	_no_strips.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &_no_strips, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign,
-			_("Drop a clip here\nto create a new Track")));
+	if (UIConfiguration::instance().get_render_plus_hints ()) {
+		_no_strips.signal_expose_event ().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::ptr_fun (&ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::expose_with_text), &_no_strips, ArdourWidgets::ArdourIcon::ShadedPlusSign, _("Drop a clip here\nto create a new Track")));
+	}
 	_no_strips.signal_button_press_event ().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &TriggerPage::no_strip_button_event));
 	_no_strips.signal_button_release_event ().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &TriggerPage::no_strip_button_event));
 	_no_strips.signal_drag_motion ().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &TriggerPage::no_strip_drag_motion));
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.inc.h b/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.inc.h
index 9b59b2c3da..cb4136478f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.inc.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.inc.h
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, preview_video_frame_on_drag, "preview-video-frame-on-d
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, use_double_click_to_zoom_to_selection, "use-double-click-to-zoom-to-selection", false)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, widget_prelight, "widget-prelight", true)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, use_tooltips, "use-tooltips", true)
+UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, render_plus_hints, "render-plus-hints", true)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (std::string, mixer_strip_visibility, "mixer-element-visibility", "Input,PhaseInvert,RecMon,SoloIsoLock,Output,Comments")
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, allow_non_quarter_pulse, "allow-non-quarter-pulse", false)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, show_region_gain, "show-region-gain", false)