diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncV2Provider.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncV2Provider.java
index 12b0f5da1..1a6b8c480 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncV2Provider.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncV2Provider.java
@@ -269,8 +269,10 @@ public class ActFmSyncV2Provider extends SyncV2Provider {
             public void run() {
                 int time = Preferences.getInt(LAST_FEATURED_TAG_FETCH_TIME, 0);
                 try {
-                    time = actFmSyncService.fetchFeaturedLists(time);
-                    Preferences.setInt(LAST_FEATURED_TAG_FETCH_TIME, time);
+                    if (Preferences.getBoolean(R.string.p_show_featured_lists_labs, false)) {
+                        time = actFmSyncService.fetchFeaturedLists(time);
+                        Preferences.setInt(LAST_FEATURED_TAG_FETCH_TIME, time);
+                    }
                 } catch (JSONException e) {
                     handler.handleException("actfm-sync", e, e.toString()); //$NON-NLS-1$
                 } catch (IOException e) {
diff --git a/astrid/res/values/keys.xml b/astrid/res/values/keys.xml
index 05e1c3153..8a07945cb 100644
--- a/astrid/res/values/keys.xml
+++ b/astrid/res/values/keys.xml
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@
   <!-- force tablets to use phone layout -->
   <string name="p_force_phone_layout">force_phone_layout</string>
   
+  <!-- show featured lists -->
+  <string name="p_show_featured_lists_labs">show_featured_lists_labs</string>
+  
   <string-array name="TEA_reminder_random_hours">
     <!-- values (in hours) associated with items above. -->
     <item>1</item>
diff --git a/astrid/res/values/strings-core.xml b/astrid/res/values/strings-core.xml
index a2e1f102e..1dcd9767e 100644
--- a/astrid/res/values/strings-core.xml
+++ b/astrid/res/values/strings-core.xml
@@ -662,6 +662,8 @@
   <string name = "EPr_cal_start_at_due_time">Start calendar events at due time</string>
   
   <string name="EPr_force_phone_layout">Use phone layout</string>
+
+  <string name="EPr_show_featured_lists">Show featured lists</string>
   
   <string name="EPr_swipe_lists_restart_alert">You will need to restart Astrid for this change to take effect</string>
   
diff --git a/astrid/res/xml/preferences_labs.xml b/astrid/res/xml/preferences_labs.xml
index f5318301a..dd7171e4e 100644
--- a/astrid/res/xml/preferences_labs.xml
+++ b/astrid/res/xml/preferences_labs.xml
@@ -34,5 +34,9 @@
         android:title="@string/EPr_force_phone_layout"
         android:key="@string/p_force_phone_layout"
         android:defaultValue="false"/>
+    <CheckBoxPreference
+        android:title="@string/EPr_show_featured_lists"
+        android:key="@string/p_show_featured_lists_labs"
+        android:defaultValue="false"/>
     
 </PreferenceScreen>
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/DefaultFilterMode.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/DefaultFilterMode.java
index 7a0c68155..6f01049ec 100644
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/DefaultFilterMode.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/DefaultFilterMode.java
@@ -3,15 +3,20 @@ package com.todoroo.astrid.activity;
 import android.content.Context;
 
 import com.timsu.astrid.R;
+import com.todoroo.andlib.utility.Preferences;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.api.Filter;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.api.FilterListItem;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.core.CoreFilterExposer;
+import com.todoroo.astrid.ui.MainMenuPopover;
 
 public class DefaultFilterMode implements FilterModeSpec {
 
     @Override
     public int[] getForbiddenMenuItems() {
-        return new int[0];
+        if (Preferences.getBoolean(R.string.p_show_featured_lists_labs, false))
+            return new int[0];
+        else
+            return new int[] { MainMenuPopover.MAIN_MENU_ITEM_FEATURED_LISTS };
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/utility/AstridPreferences.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/utility/AstridPreferences.java
index 2c08a700e..42ef87485 100644
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/utility/AstridPreferences.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/utility/AstridPreferences.java
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ public class AstridPreferences {
             Preferences.setString(R.string.p_theme, ThemeService.THEME_WHITE);
         }
 
+        setShowFriendsView();
+
+        setShowFeaturedLists();
+
+        editor.commit();
+    }
+
+    private static void setShowFriendsView() {
         // Show friends view if necessary
         boolean showFriends = false;
         TodorooCursor<User> users = PluginServices.getUserDao().query(Query.select(User.ID).limit(1));
@@ -92,7 +100,10 @@ public class AstridPreferences {
             users.close();
         }
         Preferences.setBoolean(R.string.p_show_friends_view, showFriends);
+    }
 
+    private static void setShowFeaturedLists() {
+        // Show featured lists if necessary
         boolean showFeaturedLists = false;
         TodorooCursor<TagData> featLists = PluginServices.getTagDataService().query(Query.select(TagData.ID)
                 .where(Functions.bitwiseAnd(TagData.FLAGS, TagData.FLAG_FEATURED).gt(0)).limit(1));
@@ -102,8 +113,6 @@ public class AstridPreferences {
             featLists.close();
         }
         Preferences.setBoolean(R.string.p_show_featured_lists, showFeaturedLists);
-
-        editor.commit();
     }
 
     /* ======================================================================