diff --git a/include/Song.h b/include/Song.h
index 08c99af4712..cc7431ee50d 100644
--- a/include/Song.h
+++ b/include/Song.h
@@ -265,6 +265,16 @@ class EXPORT Song : public TrackContainer
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	inline void setDisconnectMidiControllersOnLoad( bool val )
+	{
+		m_disconnectMidiControllersOnLoad = val;
+	}
+
+	inline bool getDisconnectMidiControllersOnLoad()
+	{
+		return m_disconnectMidiControllersOnLoad;
+	}
+
 	void addController( Controller * c );
 	void removeController( Controller * c );
 	
@@ -378,6 +388,8 @@ private slots:
 	volatile bool m_playing;
 	volatile bool m_paused;
 
+	bool m_disconnectMidiControllersOnLoad;
+
 	bool m_loadingProject;
 	bool m_isCancelled;
 
diff --git a/src/core/ControllerConnection.cpp b/src/core/ControllerConnection.cpp
index 45e36e12fc0..9cc74d993e2 100644
--- a/src/core/ControllerConnection.cpp
+++ b/src/core/ControllerConnection.cpp
@@ -198,9 +198,19 @@ void ControllerConnection::saveSettings( QDomDocument & _doc, QDomElement & _thi
 void ControllerConnection::loadSettings( const QDomElement & _this )
 {
 	QDomNode node = _this.firstChild();
+
+	bool disconnectMidiControllers = Engine::getSong()->getDisconnectMidiControllersOnLoad();
+
 	if( !node.isNull() )
 	{
-		setController( Controller::create( node.toElement(), Engine::getSong() ) );
+		if ( disconnectMidiControllers )
+		{
+			deleteConnection();
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			setController( Controller::create( node.toElement(), Engine::getSong() ) );
+		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
diff --git a/src/core/main.cpp b/src/core/main.cpp
index cc9cb4f2a73..b351946d254 100644
--- a/src/core/main.cpp
+++ b/src/core/main.cpp
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ void printHelp()
 		"      --allowroot                Bypass root user startup check (use with\n"
 		"          caution).\n"
 		"  -c, --config <configfile>      Get the configuration from <configfile>\n"
+		"      --disconnect-midi-controllers\n"
+		"                                 Disconnect all MIDI inputs and controllers.\n"
 		"  -h, --help                     Show this usage information and exit.\n"
 		"  -v, --version                  Show version information and exit.\n"
 		"\nOptions if no action is given:\n"
@@ -208,6 +210,7 @@ int main( int argc, char * * argv )
 	bool allowRoot = false;
 	bool renderLoop = false;
 	bool renderTracks = false;
+	bool disconnectMidiControllers = false;
 	QString fileToLoad, fileToImport, renderOut, profilerOutputFile, configFile;
 
 	// first of two command-line parsing stages
@@ -616,6 +619,10 @@ int main( int argc, char * * argv )
 
 			configFile = QString::fromLocal8Bit( argv[i] );
 		}
+		else if( arg == "--disconnect-midi-controllers" )
+		{
+			disconnectMidiControllers = true;
+		}
 		else
 		{
 			if( argv[i][0] == '-' )
@@ -877,6 +884,7 @@ int main( int argc, char * * argv )
 			}
 			else
 			{
+				Engine::getSong()->setDisconnectMidiControllersOnLoad( disconnectMidiControllers );
 				Engine::getSong()->loadProject( fileToLoad );
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/core/midi/MidiPort.cpp b/src/core/midi/MidiPort.cpp
index 9e3cdb13d83..37572a59592 100644
--- a/src/core/midi/MidiPort.cpp
+++ b/src/core/midi/MidiPort.cpp
@@ -235,7 +235,9 @@ void MidiPort::loadSettings( const QDomElement& thisElement )
 
 	// restore connections
 
-	if( isInputEnabled() )
+	bool disconnectMidiControllers = Engine::getSong()->getDisconnectMidiControllersOnLoad();
+
+	if( isInputEnabled() && !disconnectMidiControllers )
 	{
 		QStringList rp = thisElement.attribute( "inports" ).split( ',' );
 		for( Map::ConstIterator it = m_readablePorts.begin(); it != m_readablePorts.end(); ++it )