diff --git a/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml b/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
index 98336d37a..166f4b902 100644
--- a/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
+++ b/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
@@ -9,6 +9,17 @@
 		<string>settings_rlv.xml</string>
 	</array>
 
+    <key>PhoenixIMAnnounceStealFocus</key>
+    <map>
+      <key>Comment</key>
+      <string>Open a new IM tab when another person begins typing to you and announce that they are doing so.</string>
+      <key>Persist</key>
+      <integer>1</integer>
+      <key>Type</key>
+      <string>Boolean</string>
+      <key>Value</key>
+      <integer>0</integer>
+    </map>
     <key>UseNewTargetOmegaCode</key>
     <map>
       <key>Comment</key>
diff --git a/indra/newview/ascentprefschat.cpp b/indra/newview/ascentprefschat.cpp
index bc0a0f5ee..cf60bb715 100644
--- a/indra/newview/ascentprefschat.cpp
+++ b/indra/newview/ascentprefschat.cpp
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ void LLPrefsAscentChat::refreshValues()
 	//Chat UI -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 	mWoLfVerticalIMTabs             = gSavedSettings.getBOOL("WoLfVerticalIMTabs");
 	mOtherChatsTornOff              = gSavedSettings.getBOOL("OtherChatsTornOff");
+	mIMAnnounceStealFocus           = gSavedSettings.getBOOL("PhoenixIMAnnounceStealFocus");
 	mShowLocalChatFloaterBar        = gSavedSettings.getBOOL("ShowLocalChatFloaterBar");
 	mHorizButt                      = gSavedSettings.getBOOL("ContactsUseHorizontalButtons");
 	mOneLineIMButt                  = gSavedSettings.getBOOL("UseConciseIMButtons");
@@ -561,6 +562,7 @@ void LLPrefsAscentChat::cancel()
 	//Chat UI -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 	gSavedSettings.setBOOL("WoLfVerticalIMTabs",                   mWoLfVerticalIMTabs);
 	gSavedSettings.setBOOL("OtherChatsTornOff",                    mOtherChatsTornOff);
+	gSavedSettings.setBOOL("PhoenixIMAnnounceStealFocus",          mIMAnnounceStealFocus);
 	gSavedSettings.setBOOL("ShowLocalChatFloaterBar",              mShowLocalChatFloaterBar);
 	gSavedSettings.setBOOL("ContactsUseHorizontalButtons",         mHorizButt);
 	gSavedSettings.setBOOL("UseConciseIMButtons",                  mOneLineIMButt);
diff --git a/indra/newview/ascentprefschat.h b/indra/newview/ascentprefschat.h
index 700800941..aa0b91d9d 100644
--- a/indra/newview/ascentprefschat.h
+++ b/indra/newview/ascentprefschat.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ protected:
     //Chat UI -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 	bool mWoLfVerticalIMTabs;
 	bool mOtherChatsTornOff;
+	bool mIMAnnounceStealFocus;
 	bool mShowLocalChatFloaterBar;
 	bool mHorizButt;
 	bool mOneLineIMButt;
diff --git a/indra/newview/llimview.cpp b/indra/newview/llimview.cpp
index 64be462f7..b04a2cd18 100644
--- a/indra/newview/llimview.cpp
+++ b/indra/newview/llimview.cpp
@@ -766,7 +766,10 @@ LLUUID LLIMMgr::addSession(
 		floater->open();
 	}
 	//mTabContainer->selectTabPanel(panel);
-	floater->setInputFocus(TRUE);
+	if(gSavedSettings.getBOOL("PhoenixIMAnnounceStealFocus"))
+	{	
+		floater->setInputFocus(TRUE);
+	}
 	return floater->getSessionID();
 }
 
@@ -816,7 +819,10 @@ LLUUID LLIMMgr::addSession(
 		floater->open();
 	}
 	//mTabContainer->selectTabPanel(panel);
-	floater->setInputFocus(TRUE);
+	if(gSavedSettings.getBOOL("PhoenixIMAnnounceStealFocus"))
+	{
+		floater->setInputFocus(TRUE);
+	}
 	return floater->getSessionID();
 }
 
diff --git a/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en-us/panel_preferences_ascent_chat.xml b/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en-us/panel_preferences_ascent_chat.xml
index 4e53b9bd6..f5a8d8ca4 100644
--- a/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en-us/panel_preferences_ascent_chat.xml
+++ b/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en-us/panel_preferences_ascent_chat.xml
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
       <check_box bottom_delta="-25" left="10" follows="top" initial_value="false" control_name="WoLfVerticalIMTabs"
         label="Use Vertical IMs (Requires a restart)" name="use_vertical_ims_check"/>
       <check_box bottom_delta="-20" follows="top" control_name="OtherChatsTornOff" label="Open new IMs in separate floaters" name="chats_torn_off"/>
+      <check_box bottom_delta="-20" follows="top" control_name="PhoenixIMAnnounceStealFocus" label="Focus new instant messages" name="chat_steal_focus"/>
       <check_box bottom_delta="-20" follows="left|top" control_name="ShowLocalChatFloaterBar" label="Show chat bar in torn-off local chat floater" name="show_local_chat_floater_bar"/>
       <check_box bottom_delta="-20" control_name="ContactsUseHorizontalButtons" follows="top" height="16" label="Use horizontal buttons for contacts floater (Needs restart)" tool_tip="When enabled, the buttons on the Friends and Groups panels will be at the bottom, horizontally arranged, instead of vertically arranged on the right." name="horiz_butt"/>	  
       <check_box bottom_delta="-20" control_name="UseConciseIMButtons" follows="top" height="16" label="Buttons on the same line as name for IMs (Affects new IMs)" name="im_concise_butt"/>