diff --git a/hw/xquartz/X11Application.m b/hw/xquartz/X11Application.m
index ed41b3c8c..990c00830 100644
--- a/hw/xquartz/X11Application.m
+++ b/hw/xquartz/X11Application.m
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ extern BOOL xpbproxy_init (void);
 #define VNCMODIFIERBUGWORKAROUND 1 
 
 #ifdef VNCMODIFIERBUGWORKAROUND
+static BOOL vncModifierBugWorkaround = YES;
 static NSEventType keyState[NUM_KEYCODES];
 #endif
 
@@ -207,10 +208,12 @@ static void message_kit_thread (SEL selector, NSObject *arg) {
         }
     } else {
 #ifdef VNCMODIFIERBUGWORKAROUND
-        DarwinUpdateModKeys(0);
-        for(i=0; i < NUM_KEYCODES; i++) {
-            if(keyState[i] == NSKeyDown)
-                DarwinSendKeyboardEvents(KeyRelease, i);
+        if(vncModifierBugWorkaround) {
+            DarwinUpdateModKeys(0);
+            for(i=0; i < NUM_KEYCODES; i++) {
+                if(keyState[i] == NSKeyDown)
+                    DarwinSendKeyboardEvents(KeyRelease, i);
+            }
         }
 #endif
         DarwinSendDDXEvent(kXquartzDeactivate, 0);
@@ -694,7 +697,11 @@ static NSMutableArray * cfarray_to_nsarray (CFArrayRef in) {
 {
     NSString *nsstr;
     const char *tem;
-	
+
+#ifdef VNCMODIFIERBUGWORKAROUND
+    vncModifierBugWorkaround = [self prefs_get_boolean:@"vncModifierBugWorkaround" default:vncModifierBugWorkaround];
+#endif
+    
     quartzUseSysBeep = [self prefs_get_boolean:@PREFS_SYSBEEP
                                        default:quartzUseSysBeep];
     quartzEnableRootless = [self prefs_get_boolean:@PREFS_ROOTLESS
@@ -898,8 +905,10 @@ void X11ApplicationMain (int argc, char **argv, char **envp) {
 					name:NSWindowDidBecomeKeyNotification object:nil];
 
 #ifdef VNCMODIFIERBUGWORKAROUND
-    for(i=0; i < NUM_KEYCODES; i++) {
-        keyState[i] = NSKeyUp;
+    if(vncModifierBugWorkaround) {
+        for(i=0; i < NUM_KEYCODES; i++) {
+            keyState[i] = NSKeyUp;
+        }
     }
 #endif
 
@@ -976,14 +985,15 @@ extern int darwin_modifier_flags; // darwinEvents.c
     tilt_x = 0;
     tilt_y = 0;
 
-#ifndef VNCMODIFIERBUGWORKAROUND
     /* We don't receive modifier key events while out of focus, and 3button
      * emulation mucks this up, so we need to check our modifier flag state
      * on every event... ugg
      */
+#ifdef VNCMODIFIERBUGWORKAROUND
+    if(!vncModifierBugWorkaround)
+#endif
     if(darwin_modifier_flags != [e modifierFlags])
         DarwinUpdateModKeys([e modifierFlags]);
-#endif
 
 	switch ([e type]) {
 		case NSLeftMouseDown:     ev_button=1; ev_type=ButtonPress;   goto handle_mouse;
@@ -1124,7 +1134,8 @@ extern int darwin_modifier_flags; // darwinEvents.c
             }
 
 #ifdef VNCMODIFIERBUGWORKAROUND
-            keyState[[e keyCode]] == [e type];
+            if(vncModifierBugWorkaround)
+                keyState[[e keyCode]] == [e type];
 #endif
 
             DarwinSendKeyboardEvents(([e type] == NSKeyDown) ? KeyPress : KeyRelease, [e keyCode]);
@@ -1132,7 +1143,8 @@ extern int darwin_modifier_flags; // darwinEvents.c
 
 #ifdef VNCMODIFIERBUGWORKAROUND
         case NSFlagsChanged:
-            DarwinUpdateModKeys([e modifierFlags]);
+            if(vncModifierBugWorkaround)
+                DarwinUpdateModKeys([e modifierFlags]);
             break;
 #endif