diff --git a/src/core/prefs.c b/src/core/prefs.c
index 92aec455e..58ee473cf 100644
--- a/src/core/prefs.c
+++ b/src/core/prefs.c
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ static int num_workspaces = 4;
 static GDesktopTitlebarAction action_double_click_titlebar = G_DESKTOP_TITLEBAR_ACTION_TOGGLE_MAXIMIZE;
 static GDesktopTitlebarAction action_middle_click_titlebar = G_DESKTOP_TITLEBAR_ACTION_LOWER;
 static GDesktopTitlebarAction action_right_click_titlebar = G_DESKTOP_TITLEBAR_ACTION_MENU;
+static gboolean dynamic_workspaces = FALSE;
 static gboolean application_based = FALSE;
 static gboolean disable_workarounds = FALSE;
 static gboolean auto_raise = FALSE;
@@ -280,6 +281,13 @@ static MetaBoolPreference preferences_bool[] =
       },
       &use_system_font,
     },
+    {
+      { "dynamic-workspaces",
+        SCHEMA_MUTTER,
+        META_PREF_DYNAMIC_WORKSPACES,
+      },
+      &dynamic_workspaces,
+    },
     {
       { "application-based",
         SCHEMA_GENERAL,
@@ -1498,6 +1506,12 @@ meta_prefs_get_num_workspaces (void)
   return num_workspaces;
 }
 
+gboolean
+meta_prefs_get_dynamic_workspaces (void)
+{
+  return dynamic_workspaces;
+}
+
 gboolean
 meta_prefs_get_application_based (void)
 {
diff --git a/src/core/screen.c b/src/core/screen.c
index 4010c7a71..ba2b96717 100644
--- a/src/core/screen.c
+++ b/src/core/screen.c
@@ -1173,7 +1173,9 @@ prefs_changed_callback (MetaPreference pref,
 {
   MetaScreen *screen = data;
   
-  if (pref == META_PREF_NUM_WORKSPACES)
+  if ((pref == META_PREF_NUM_WORKSPACES ||
+       pref == META_PREF_DYNAMIC_WORKSPACES) &&
+      !meta_prefs_get_dynamic_workspaces ())
     {
       /* GSettings doesn't provide timestamps, but luckily update_num_workspaces
        * often doesn't need it...
@@ -1483,7 +1485,9 @@ meta_screen_remove_workspace (MetaScreen *screen, MetaWorkspace *workspace,
   new_num = g_list_length (screen->workspaces);
 
   set_number_of_spaces_hint (screen, new_num);
-  meta_prefs_set_num_workspaces (new_num);
+
+  if (!meta_prefs_get_dynamic_workspaces ())
+    meta_prefs_set_num_workspaces (new_num);
 
   /* If deleting a workspace before the current workspace, the active
    * workspace index changes, so we need to update that hint */
@@ -1538,7 +1542,9 @@ meta_screen_append_new_workspace (MetaScreen *screen, gboolean activate,
   new_num = g_list_length (screen->workspaces);
 
   set_number_of_spaces_hint (screen, new_num);
-  meta_prefs_set_num_workspaces (new_num);
+
+  if (!meta_prefs_get_dynamic_workspaces ())
+    meta_prefs_set_num_workspaces (new_num);
 
   meta_screen_queue_workarea_recalc (screen);
 
diff --git a/src/meta/prefs.h b/src/meta/prefs.h
index 8232a7254..bfdc72643 100644
--- a/src/meta/prefs.h
+++ b/src/meta/prefs.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ typedef enum
   META_PREF_THEME,
   META_PREF_TITLEBAR_FONT,
   META_PREF_NUM_WORKSPACES,
+  META_PREF_DYNAMIC_WORKSPACES,
   META_PREF_APPLICATION_BASED,
   META_PREF_KEYBINDINGS,
   META_PREF_DISABLE_WORKAROUNDS,
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ const char*                 meta_prefs_get_theme              (void);
 /* returns NULL if GTK default should be used */
 const PangoFontDescription* meta_prefs_get_titlebar_font      (void);
 int                         meta_prefs_get_num_workspaces     (void);
+gboolean                    meta_prefs_get_dynamic_workspaces (void);
 gboolean                    meta_prefs_get_application_based  (void);
 gboolean                    meta_prefs_get_disable_workarounds (void);
 gboolean                    meta_prefs_get_auto_raise         (void);
diff --git a/src/org.gnome.mutter.gschema.xml.in b/src/org.gnome.mutter.gschema.xml.in
index 8d11154e1..e3c559049 100644
--- a/src/org.gnome.mutter.gschema.xml.in
+++ b/src/org.gnome.mutter.gschema.xml.in
@@ -45,6 +45,16 @@
       </_description>
     </key>
 
+    <key name="dynamic-workspaces" type="b">
+      <default>false</default>
+      <_summary>Workspaces are managed dynamically</_summary>
+      <_description>
+        Determines whether workspaces are managed dynamically or
+        whether there's a static number of workspaces (determined
+        by the num-workspaces key in org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences).
+      </_description>
+    </key>
+
     <key name="workspaces-only-on-primary" type="b">
       <default>false</default>
       <_summary>Workspaces only on primary</_summary>