diff --git a/src/core/bittorrent/session.cpp b/src/core/bittorrent/session.cpp
index ad64966e0..873d994a8 100644
--- a/src/core/bittorrent/session.cpp
+++ b/src/core/bittorrent/session.cpp
@@ -1828,35 +1828,40 @@ void Session::setProxySettings(libt::proxy_settings proxySettings)
     proxySettings.proxy_peer_connections = Preferences::instance()->proxyPeerConnections();
     m_nativeSession->set_proxy(proxySettings);
 
-    // Define environment variable
-    QString proxy_str;
-    switch(proxySettings.type) {
-    case libt::proxy_settings::http_pw:
-        proxy_str = QString("http://%1:%2@%3:%4").arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.username)).arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.password))
-                .arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.hostname)).arg(proxySettings.port);
-        break;
-    case libt::proxy_settings::http:
-        proxy_str = QString("http://%1:%2").arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.hostname)).arg(proxySettings.port);
-        break;
-    case libt::proxy_settings::socks5:
-        proxy_str = QString("%1:%2").arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.hostname)).arg(proxySettings.port);
-        break;
-    case libt::proxy_settings::socks5_pw:
-        proxy_str = QString("%1:%2@%3:%4").arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.username)).arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.password))
-                .arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.hostname)).arg(proxySettings.port);
-        break;
-    default:
-        qDebug("Disabling HTTP communications proxy");
+    // Define environment variable for urllib in search engine plugins
+    if (Preferences::instance()->isProxyOnlyForTorrents()) {
         qputenv("http_proxy", QByteArray());
         qputenv("sock_proxy", QByteArray());
-        return;
     }
-    // We need this for urllib in search engine plugins
-    qDebug("HTTP communications proxy string: %s", qPrintable(proxy_str));
-    if ((proxySettings.type == libt::proxy_settings::socks5) || (proxySettings.type == libt::proxy_settings::socks5_pw))
-        qputenv("sock_proxy", proxy_str.toLocal8Bit());
-    else
-        qputenv("http_proxy", proxy_str.toLocal8Bit());
+    else {
+        QString proxy_str;
+        switch(proxySettings.type) {
+        case libt::proxy_settings::http_pw:
+            proxy_str = QString("http://%1:%2@%3:%4").arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.username)).arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.password))
+                    .arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.hostname)).arg(proxySettings.port);
+            break;
+        case libt::proxy_settings::http:
+            proxy_str = QString("http://%1:%2").arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.hostname)).arg(proxySettings.port);
+            break;
+        case libt::proxy_settings::socks5:
+            proxy_str = QString("%1:%2").arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.hostname)).arg(proxySettings.port);
+            break;
+        case libt::proxy_settings::socks5_pw:
+            proxy_str = QString("%1:%2@%3:%4").arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.username)).arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.password))
+                    .arg(Utils::String::fromStdString(proxySettings.hostname)).arg(proxySettings.port);
+            break;
+        default:
+            qDebug("Disabling HTTP communications proxy");
+            qputenv("http_proxy", QByteArray());
+            qputenv("sock_proxy", QByteArray());
+            return;
+        }
+        qDebug("HTTP communications proxy string: %s", qPrintable(proxy_str));
+        if ((proxySettings.type == libt::proxy_settings::socks5) || (proxySettings.type == libt::proxy_settings::socks5_pw))
+            qputenv("sock_proxy", proxy_str.toLocal8Bit());
+        else
+            qputenv("http_proxy", proxy_str.toLocal8Bit());
+    }
 }
 
 // Will resume torrents in backup directory
diff --git a/src/core/net/downloadmanager.cpp b/src/core/net/downloadmanager.cpp
index 4e1ff2047..7aed502c7 100644
--- a/src/core/net/downloadmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/core/net/downloadmanager.cpp
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ void DownloadManager::applyProxySettings()
     QNetworkProxy proxy;
     const Preferences* const pref = Preferences::instance();
 
-    if (pref->isProxyEnabled()) {
+    if (pref->isProxyEnabled() && !pref->isProxyOnlyForTorrents()) {
         // Proxy enabled
         proxy.setHostName(pref->getProxyIp());
         proxy.setPort(pref->getProxyPort());
diff --git a/src/core/preferences.cpp b/src/core/preferences.cpp
index c37719cbf..990d9f0c2 100644
--- a/src/core/preferences.cpp
+++ b/src/core/preferences.cpp
@@ -832,6 +832,16 @@ void Preferences::setForceProxy(bool enabled)
     setValue("Preferences/Connection/ProxyForce", enabled);
 }
 
+void Preferences::setProxyOnlyForTorrents(bool enabled)
+{
+    setValue("Preferences/Connection/ProxyOnlyForTorrents", enabled);
+}
+
+bool Preferences::isProxyOnlyForTorrents() const
+{
+    return value("Preferences/Connection/ProxyOnlyForTorrents", false).toBool();
+}
+
 // Bittorrent options
 int Preferences::getMaxConnecs() const
 {
diff --git a/src/core/preferences.h b/src/core/preferences.h
index b44179a5d..0024bb78f 100644
--- a/src/core/preferences.h
+++ b/src/core/preferences.h
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@ public:
     void setProxyPeerConnections(bool enabled);
     bool getForceProxy() const;
     void setForceProxy(bool enabled);
+    void setProxyOnlyForTorrents(bool enabled);
+    bool isProxyOnlyForTorrents() const;
 
     // Bittorrent options
     int getMaxConnecs() const;
diff --git a/src/gui/options.ui b/src/gui/options.ui
index 5bdfc2fa9..48d0db07b 100644
--- a/src/gui/options.ui
+++ b/src/gui/options.ui
@@ -1374,6 +1374,19 @@
                  </property>
                 </widget>
                </item>
+               <item>
+                <widget class="QCheckBox" name="isProxyOnlyForTorrents">
+                 <property name="text">
+                  <string>Use proxy only for torrents</string>
+                 </property>
+                 <property name="toolTip">
+                  <string>RSS feeds, search engine, software updates or anything else other than torrent transfers and related operations (such as peer exchanges) will use a direct connection</string>
+                 </property>
+                 <property name="checked">
+                  <bool>false</bool>
+                 </property>
+                </widget>
+               </item>
                <item>
                 <widget class="QGroupBox" name="checkProxyAuth">
                  <property name="enabled">
diff --git a/src/gui/options_imp.cpp b/src/gui/options_imp.cpp
index 24b7a9533..543aa85ce 100644
--- a/src/gui/options_imp.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/options_imp.cpp
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ options_imp::options_imp(QWidget *parent):
   connect(spinProxyPort, SIGNAL(valueChanged(QString)), this, SLOT(enableApplyButton()));
   connect(checkProxyPeerConnecs, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), SLOT(enableApplyButton()));
   connect(checkForceProxy, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), SLOT(enableApplyButton()));
+  connect(isProxyOnlyForTorrents, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), SLOT(enableApplyButton()));
   connect(checkProxyAuth, SIGNAL(toggled(bool)), this, SLOT(enableApplyButton()));
   connect(textProxyUsername, SIGNAL(textChanged(QString)), this, SLOT(enableApplyButton()));
   connect(textProxyPassword, SIGNAL(textChanged(QString)), this, SLOT(enableApplyButton()));
@@ -441,6 +442,7 @@ void options_imp::saveOptions() {
   pref->setProxyPort(getProxyPort());
   pref->setProxyPeerConnections(checkProxyPeerConnecs->isChecked());
   pref->setForceProxy(checkForceProxy->isChecked());
+  pref->setProxyOnlyForTorrents(isProxyOnlyForTorrents->isChecked());
   pref->setProxyAuthEnabled(isProxyAuthEnabled());
   pref->setProxyUsername(getProxyUsername());
   pref->setProxyPassword(getProxyPassword());
@@ -694,6 +696,7 @@ void options_imp::loadOptions() {
   spinProxyPort->setValue(pref->getProxyPort());
   checkProxyPeerConnecs->setChecked(pref->proxyPeerConnections());
   checkForceProxy->setChecked(pref->getForceProxy());
+  isProxyOnlyForTorrents->setChecked(pref->isProxyOnlyForTorrents());
   checkProxyAuth->setChecked(pref->isProxyAuthEnabled());
   textProxyUsername->setText(pref->getProxyUsername());
   textProxyPassword->setText(pref->getProxyPassword());
@@ -996,6 +999,7 @@ void options_imp::enableProxy(int index) {
     spinProxyPort->setEnabled(true);
     checkProxyPeerConnecs->setEnabled(true);
     checkForceProxy->setEnabled(true);
+    isProxyOnlyForTorrents->setEnabled(true);
     if (index > 1) {
       checkProxyAuth->setEnabled(true);
     } else {
@@ -1010,6 +1014,7 @@ void options_imp::enableProxy(int index) {
     spinProxyPort->setEnabled(false);
     checkProxyPeerConnecs->setEnabled(false);
     checkForceProxy->setEnabled(false);
+    isProxyOnlyForTorrents->setEnabled(false);
     checkProxyAuth->setEnabled(false);
     checkProxyAuth->setChecked(false);
   }