diff --git a/bitcoin-qt.pro b/bitcoin-qt.pro
index 2b980ba8..cbb92353 100644
--- a/bitcoin-qt.pro
+++ b/bitcoin-qt.pro
@@ -251,10 +251,14 @@ isEmpty(BOOST_INCLUDE_PATH) {
     macx:BOOST_INCLUDE_PATH = /opt/local/include
 }
 
-windows:LIBS += -lws2_32
+windows:LIBS += -lws2_32 -lshlwapi
 windows:DEFINES += WIN32
 windows:RC_FILE = src/qt/res/bitcoin-qt.rc
 
+!windows:!mac {
+    DEFINES += LINUX
+}
+
 macx:HEADERS += src/qt/macdockiconhandler.h
 macx:OBJECTIVE_SOURCES += src/qt/macdockiconhandler.mm
 macx:LIBS += -framework Foundation -framework ApplicationServices -framework AppKit
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 76317557..0d83b345 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "strlcpy.h"
 #include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
 #include <boost/filesystem/fstream.hpp>
+#include <boost/filesystem/convenience.hpp>
 #include <boost/interprocess/sync/file_lock.hpp>
 
 #if defined(BITCOIN_NEED_QT_PLUGINS) && !defined(_BITCOIN_QT_PLUGINS_INCLUDED)
@@ -523,6 +524,11 @@ bool AppInit2(int argc, char* argv[])
     if (fServer)
         CreateThread(ThreadRPCServer, NULL);
 
+#ifdef QT_GUI
+    if(GetStartOnSystemStartup())
+        SetStartOnSystemStartup(true); // Remove startup links to bitcoin-wx
+#endif
+
 #if !defined(QT_GUI)
     while (1)
         Sleep(5000);
@@ -530,3 +536,152 @@ bool AppInit2(int argc, char* argv[])
 
     return true;
 }
+
+#ifdef WIN32
+string StartupShortcutPath()
+{
+    return MyGetSpecialFolderPath(CSIDL_STARTUP, true) + "\\Bitcoin.lnk";
+}
+
+bool GetStartOnSystemStartup()
+{
+    return filesystem::exists(StartupShortcutPath().c_str());
+}
+
+bool SetStartOnSystemStartup(bool fAutoStart)
+{
+    // If the shortcut exists already, remove it for updating
+    remove(StartupShortcutPath().c_str());
+
+    if (fAutoStart)
+    {
+        CoInitialize(NULL);
+
+        // Get a pointer to the IShellLink interface.
+        IShellLink* psl = NULL;
+        HRESULT hres = CoCreateInstance(CLSID_ShellLink, NULL,
+                                CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER, IID_IShellLink,
+                                reinterpret_cast<void**>(&psl));
+
+        if (SUCCEEDED(hres))
+        {
+            // Get the current executable path
+            TCHAR pszExePath[MAX_PATH];
+            GetModuleFileName(NULL, pszExePath, sizeof(pszExePath));
+
+            TCHAR pszArgs[5] = TEXT("-min");
+
+            // Set the path to the shortcut target
+            psl->SetPath(pszExePath);
+            PathRemoveFileSpec(pszExePath);
+            psl->SetWorkingDirectory(pszExePath);
+            psl->SetShowCmd(SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE);
+            psl->SetArguments(pszArgs);
+
+            // Query IShellLink for the IPersistFile interface for
+            // saving the shortcut in persistent storage.
+            IPersistFile* ppf = NULL;
+            hres = psl->QueryInterface(IID_IPersistFile,
+                                       reinterpret_cast<void**>(&ppf));
+            if (SUCCEEDED(hres))
+            {
+                WCHAR pwsz[MAX_PATH];
+                // Ensure that the string is ANSI.
+                MultiByteToWideChar(CP_ACP, 0, StartupShortcutPath().c_str(), -1, pwsz, MAX_PATH);
+                // Save the link by calling IPersistFile::Save.
+                hres = ppf->Save(pwsz, TRUE);
+                ppf->Release();
+                psl->Release();
+                CoUninitialize();
+                return true;
+            }
+            psl->Release();
+        }
+        CoUninitialize();
+        return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
+#elif defined(LINUX)
+
+// Follow the Desktop Application Autostart Spec:
+//  http://standards.freedesktop.org/autostart-spec/autostart-spec-latest.html
+
+boost::filesystem::path GetAutostartDir()
+{
+    namespace fs = boost::filesystem;
+
+    char* pszConfigHome = getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME");
+    if (pszConfigHome) return fs::path(pszConfigHome) / fs::path("autostart");
+    char* pszHome = getenv("HOME");
+    if (pszHome) return fs::path(pszHome) / fs::path(".config/autostart");
+    return fs::path();
+}
+
+boost::filesystem::path GetAutostartFilePath()
+{
+    return GetAutostartDir() / boost::filesystem::path("bitcoin.desktop");
+}
+
+bool GetStartOnSystemStartup()
+{
+    boost::filesystem::ifstream optionFile(GetAutostartFilePath());
+    if (!optionFile.good())
+        return false;
+    // Scan through file for "Hidden=true":
+    string line;
+    while (!optionFile.eof())
+    {
+        getline(optionFile, line);
+        if (line.find("Hidden") != string::npos &&
+            line.find("true") != string::npos)
+            return false;
+    }
+    optionFile.close();
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool SetStartOnSystemStartup(bool fAutoStart)
+{
+    if (!fAutoStart)
+    {
+#if defined(BOOST_FILESYSTEM_VERSION) && BOOST_FILESYSTEM_VERSION >= 3
+        unlink(GetAutostartFilePath().string().c_str());
+#else
+        unlink(GetAutostartFilePath().native_file_string().c_str());
+#endif
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        char pszExePath[MAX_PATH+1];
+        memset(pszExePath, 0, sizeof(pszExePath));
+        if (readlink("/proc/self/exe", pszExePath, sizeof(pszExePath)-1) == -1)
+            return false;
+
+        boost::filesystem::create_directories(GetAutostartDir());
+
+        boost::filesystem::ofstream optionFile(GetAutostartFilePath(), ios_base::out|ios_base::trunc);
+        if (!optionFile.good())
+            return false;
+        // Write a bitcoin.desktop file to the autostart directory:
+        optionFile << "[Desktop Entry]\n";
+        optionFile << "Type=Application\n";
+        optionFile << "Name=Bitcoin\n";
+        optionFile << "Exec=" << pszExePath << " -min\n";
+        optionFile << "Terminal=false\n";
+        optionFile << "Hidden=false\n";
+        optionFile.close();
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+#else
+
+// TODO: OSX startup stuff; see:
+// http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPSystemStartup/Articles/CustomLogin.html
+
+bool GetStartOnSystemStartup() { return false; }
+bool SetStartOnSystemStartup(bool fAutoStart) { return false; }
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/init.h b/src/init.h
index 4017f257..6721b289 100644
--- a/src/init.h
+++ b/src/init.h
@@ -11,4 +11,7 @@ void Shutdown(void* parg);
 bool AppInit(int argc, char* argv[]);
 bool AppInit2(int argc, char* argv[]);
 
+bool GetStartOnSystemStartup();
+bool SetStartOnSystemStartup(bool fAutoStart);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/qt/optionsmodel.cpp b/src/qt/optionsmodel.cpp
index efc216da..35d0b57e 100644
--- a/src/qt/optionsmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/optionsmodel.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "bitcoinunits.h"
 
 #include "headers.h"
+#include "init.h"
 
 OptionsModel::OptionsModel(CWallet *wallet, QObject *parent) :
     QAbstractListModel(parent),
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ QVariant OptionsModel::data(const QModelIndex & index, int role) const
         switch(index.row())
         {
         case StartAtStartup:
-            return QVariant();
+            return QVariant(GetStartOnSystemStartup());
         case MinimizeToTray:
             return QVariant(fMinimizeToTray);
         case MapPortUPnP:
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ bool OptionsModel::setData(const QModelIndex & index, const QVariant & value, in
         switch(index.row())
         {
         case StartAtStartup:
-            successful = false; /*TODO*/
+            successful = SetStartOnSystemStartup(value.toBool());
             break;
         case MinimizeToTray:
             fMinimizeToTray = value.toBool();