diff --git a/doc/sample-ngircd.conf.tmpl b/doc/sample-ngircd.conf.tmpl
index 57e65892..018855d5 100644
--- a/doc/sample-ngircd.conf.tmpl
+++ b/doc/sample-ngircd.conf.tmpl
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@
 	# they are not(!) channel-operators?
 	;OperCanUseMode = no
 
+	# Should IRC Operators get AutoOp (+o) in persistent (+P) channels?
+	;OperChanPAutoOp = yes
+
 	# Mask IRC Operator mode requests as if they were coming from the
 	# server? (This is a compatibility hack for ircd-irc2 servers)
 	;OperServerMode = no
diff --git a/man/ngircd.conf.5.tmpl b/man/ngircd.conf.5.tmpl
index aff11a67..c03cf740 100644
--- a/man/ngircd.conf.5.tmpl
+++ b/man/ngircd.conf.5.tmpl
@@ -268,6 +268,10 @@ while connecting. Default: no.
 Should IRC Operators be allowed to use the MODE command even if they are
 not(!) channel-operators? Default: no.
 .TP
+\fBOperChanPAutoOp\fR (boolean)
+Should IRC Operators get AutoOp (+o) in persistent (+P) channels?
+Default: yes.
+.TP
 \fBOperServerMode\fR (boolean)
 If \fBOperCanUseMode\fR is enabled, this may lead the compatibility problems
 with Servers that run the ircd-irc2 Software. This Option "masks" mode
diff --git a/src/ngircd/conf.c b/src/ngircd/conf.c
index 0052de8f..4ac37ad4 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/conf.c
+++ b/src/ngircd/conf.c
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ Conf_Test( void )
 	printf("  MorePrivacy = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_MorePrivacy));
 	printf("  NoticeAuth = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_NoticeAuth));
 	printf("  OperCanUseMode = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_OperCanMode));
+	printf("  OperChanPAutoOp = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_OperChanPAutoOp));
 	printf("  OperServerMode = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_OperServerMode));
 #ifdef PAM
 	printf("  PAM = %s\n", yesno_to_str(Conf_PAM));
@@ -733,6 +734,7 @@ Set_Defaults(bool InitServers)
 	Conf_MorePrivacy = false;
 	Conf_NoticeAuth = false;
 	Conf_OperCanMode = false;
+	Conf_OperChanPAutoOp = true;
 	Conf_OperServerMode = false;
 #ifdef PAM
 	Conf_PAM = true;
@@ -1181,6 +1183,7 @@ CheckLegacyGlobalOption(int Line, char *Var, char *Arg)
 	    || strcasecmp(Var, "ConnectIPv4") == 0
 	    || strcasecmp(Var, "ConnectIPv6") == 0
 	    || strcasecmp(Var, "OperCanUseMode") == 0
+	    || strcasecmp(Var, "OperChanPAutoOp") == 0
 	    || strcasecmp(Var, "OperServerMode") == 0
 	    || strcasecmp(Var, "PredefChannelsOnly") == 0
 	    || strcasecmp(Var, "SyslogFacility") == 0
@@ -1556,6 +1559,10 @@ Handle_OPTIONS(int Line, char *Var, char *Arg)
 		Conf_OperCanMode = Check_ArgIsTrue(Arg);
 		return;
 	}
+	if (strcasecmp(Var, "OperChanPAutoOp") == 0) {
+		Conf_OperChanPAutoOp = Check_ArgIsTrue(Arg);
+		return;
+	}
 	if (strcasecmp(Var, "OperServerMode") == 0) {
 		Conf_OperServerMode = Check_ArgIsTrue(Arg);
 		return;
diff --git a/src/ngircd/conf.h b/src/ngircd/conf.h
index 7a4e38aa..90d74d20 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/conf.h
+++ b/src/ngircd/conf.h
@@ -151,6 +151,9 @@ GLOBAL bool Conf_PredefChannelsOnly;
 /** Flag indicating if IRC operators are allowed to always use MODE (true) */
 GLOBAL bool Conf_OperCanMode;
 
+/** Flag indicating if IRC operators get AutoOp in persistent (+P) channels */
+GLOBAL bool Conf_OperChanPAutoOp;
+
 /**
  * If true, mask channel MODE commands of IRC operators to the server.
  * Background: ircd2 will ignore channel MODE commands if an IRC operator
diff --git a/src/ngircd/irc-channel.c b/src/ngircd/irc-channel.c
index 72fbdc24..4a157d67 100644
--- a/src/ngircd/irc-channel.c
+++ b/src/ngircd/irc-channel.c
@@ -167,8 +167,10 @@ join_set_channelmodes(CHANNEL *chan, CLIENT *target, const char *flags)
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* If channel persistent and client is ircop: make client chanop */
-	if (strchr(Channel_Modes(chan), 'P') && strchr(Client_Modes(target), 'o'))
+	/* If the channel is persistent (+P) and client is an IRC op:
+	 * make client chanop, if not disabled in configuration. */
+	if (strchr(Channel_Modes(chan), 'P') && Conf_OperChanPAutoOp
+	    && strchr(Client_Modes(target), 'o'))
 		Channel_UserModeAdd(chan, target, 'o');
 } /* join_set_channelmodes */