diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index 7d1fed624..9c79563f8 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ The author is Alessandro Ranellucci (me).
         --retract-lift      Lift Z by the given distance in mm when retracting (default: 0)
        
        Cooling options:
+        --cooling           Enable fan and cooling control
         --min-fan-speed     Minimum fan speed (default: 35%)
         --max-fan-speed     Maximum fan speed (default: 100%)
         --bridge-fan-speed  Fan speed to use when bridging (default: 100%)
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r.pm b/lib/Slic3r.pm
index 3b62ecc9b..bb2c1ac8e 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r.pm
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ our $retract_before_travel  = 2;    # mm
 our $retract_lift           = 0;    # mm
 
 # cooling options
+our $cooling                = 0;
 our $min_fan_speed          = 35;
 our $max_fan_speed          = 100;
 our $bridge_fan_speed       = 100;
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
index 80ba87ea1..b3172572c 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
@@ -293,6 +293,11 @@ our $Options = {
     },
     
     # cooling options
+    'cooling' => {
+        label   => 'Enable cooling',
+        cli     => 'cooling',
+        type    => 'bool',
+    },
     'min_fan_speed' => {
         label   => 'Min fan speed (%)',
         cli     => 'min-fan-speed=i',
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm
index 785dca6ea..c1ce91bc2 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm
@@ -158,8 +158,7 @@ sub extrude_path {
         }
     }
     
-    # TODO: optimize: avoid calculation if cooling is disabled
-    if (1) {
+    if ($Slic3r::cooling) {
         $self->elapsed_time($self->elapsed_time + (unscale($path_length) / $self->speeds->{$self->last_speed} * 60));
     }
     
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/SkeinPanel.pm b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/SkeinPanel.pm
index d0fc516e8..6714933a4 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/SkeinPanel.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/SkeinPanel.pm
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ sub new {
         },
         cooling => {
             title => 'Cooling',
-            options => [qw(min_fan_speed max_fan_speed bridge_fan_speed fan_below_layer_time slowdown_below_layer_time min_print_speed disable_fan_first_layers)],
+            options => [qw(cooling min_fan_speed max_fan_speed bridge_fan_speed fan_below_layer_time slowdown_below_layer_time min_print_speed disable_fan_first_layers)],
             label_width => 300,
         },
         skirt => {
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm
index 540c44d90..753c971a4 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm
@@ -660,33 +660,35 @@ sub export_gcode {
         }
         last if !$layer_gcode;
         
-        my $layer_time = $extruder->elapsed_time;
         my $fan_speed = 0;
         my $speed_factor = 1;
-        Slic3r::debugf "Layer %d estimated printing time: %d seconds\n", $layer->id, $layer_time;
-        if ($layer_time < $Slic3r::fan_below_layer_time) {
-            if ($layer_time < $Slic3r::slowdown_below_layer_time) {
-                $fan_speed = $Slic3r::max_fan_speed;
-                $speed_factor = $layer_time / $Slic3r::slowdown_below_layer_time;
-            } else {
-                $fan_speed = $Slic3r::max_fan_speed - ($Slic3r::max_fan_speed - $Slic3r::min_fan_speed)
-                    * ($layer_time - $Slic3r::slowdown_below_layer_time)
-                    / ($Slic3r::fan_below_layer_time - $Slic3r::slowdown_below_layer_time); #/
+        if ($Slic3r::cooling) {
+            my $layer_time = $extruder->elapsed_time;
+            Slic3r::debugf "Layer %d estimated printing time: %d seconds\n", $layer->id, $layer_time;
+            if ($layer_time < $Slic3r::fan_below_layer_time) {
+                if ($layer_time < $Slic3r::slowdown_below_layer_time) {
+                    $fan_speed = $Slic3r::max_fan_speed;
+                    $speed_factor = $layer_time / $Slic3r::slowdown_below_layer_time;
+                } else {
+                    $fan_speed = $Slic3r::max_fan_speed - ($Slic3r::max_fan_speed - $Slic3r::min_fan_speed)
+                        * ($layer_time - $Slic3r::slowdown_below_layer_time)
+                        / ($Slic3r::fan_below_layer_time - $Slic3r::slowdown_below_layer_time); #/
+                }
             }
+            Slic3r::debugf "  fan = %d%%, speed = %d%%\n", $fan_speed, $speed_factor * 100;
+            
+            if ($speed_factor < 1) {
+                $layer_gcode =~ s/^(?=.*? [XY])(G1 .*?F)(\d+(?:\.\d+)?)/
+                    my $new_speed = $2 * $speed_factor;
+                    $1 . sprintf("%.${dec}f", $new_speed < $min_print_speed ? $min_print_speed : $new_speed)
+                    /gexm;
+            }
+            $fan_speed = 0 if $layer->id < $Slic3r::disable_fan_first_layers;
+            $layer_gcode = $extruder->set_fan($fan_speed) . $layer_gcode;
         }
-        Slic3r::debugf "  fan = %d%%, speed = %d%%\n", $fan_speed, $speed_factor * 100;
-        
-        if ($speed_factor < 1) {
-            $layer_gcode =~ s/^(?=.*? [XY])(G1 .*?F)(\d+(?:\.\d+)?)/
-                my $new_speed = $2 * $speed_factor;
-                $1 . sprintf("%.${dec}f", $new_speed < $min_print_speed ? $min_print_speed : $new_speed)
-                /gexm;
-        }
-        $fan_speed = 0 if $layer->id < $Slic3r::disable_fan_first_layers;
-        $layer_gcode = $extruder->set_fan($fan_speed) . $layer_gcode;
         
         # bridge fan speed
-        if ($Slic3r::bridge_fan_speed == 0 || $layer->id < $Slic3r::disable_fan_first_layers) {
+        if (!$Slic3r::cooling || $Slic3r::bridge_fan_speed == 0 || $layer->id < $Slic3r::disable_fan_first_layers) {
             $layer_gcode =~ s/^_BRIDGE_FAN_(?:START|END)\n//gm;
         } else {
             $layer_gcode =~ s/^_BRIDGE_FAN_START\n/ $extruder->set_fan($Slic3r::bridge_fan_speed, 1) /gmex;
diff --git a/slic3r.pl b/slic3r.pl
index 36b2ec495..eeef4cbcc 100755
--- a/slic3r.pl
+++ b/slic3r.pl
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ Usage: slic3r.pl [ OPTIONS ] file.stl
     --retract-lift      Lift Z by the given distance in mm when retracting (default: $Slic3r::retract_lift)
    
    Cooling options:
+    --cooling           Enable fan and cooling control
     --min-fan-speed     Minimum fan speed (default: $Slic3r::min_fan_speed%)
     --max-fan-speed     Maximum fan speed (default: $Slic3r::max_fan_speed%)
     --bridge-fan-speed  Fan speed to use when bridging (default: $Slic3r::bridge_fan_speed%)