diff --git a/src/p_spec.cpp b/src/p_spec.cpp
index d58062a7e..676191555 100644
--- a/src/p_spec.cpp
+++ b/src/p_spec.cpp
@@ -714,6 +714,7 @@ void P_SectorDamage(int tag, int amount, FName type, const PClass *protectClass,
 //============================================================================
 
 CVAR(Bool, showsecretsector, false, 0)
+CVAR(Bool, cl_showsecretmessage, true, CVAR_ARCHIVE)
 
 void P_GiveSecret(AActor *actor, bool printmessage, bool playsound, int sectornum)
 {
@@ -723,7 +724,7 @@ void P_GiveSecret(AActor *actor, bool printmessage, bool playsound, int sectornu
 		{
 			actor->player->secretcount++;
 		}
-		if (actor->CheckLocalView (consoleplayer))
+		if (cl_showsecretmessage && actor->CheckLocalView(consoleplayer))
 		{
 			if (printmessage)
 			{
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt b/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt
index 3d5a3ea3c..408e534a8 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt
+++ b/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt
@@ -1098,6 +1098,7 @@ OptionMenu MessageOptions
 	Title 	"MESSAGES"
 	Option "Show messages",				"show_messages", "OnOff"
 	Option "Show obituaries",			"show_obituaries", "OnOff"
+	Option "Show secret notifications",	"cl_showsecretmessage", "OnOff"
 	Option "Scale text in high res", 	"con_scaletext", "ScaleValues"
 	Option "Minimum message level", 	"msg", "MessageLevels"
 	Option "Center messages",			"con_centernotify", "OnOff"