diff --git a/ankiqt/config.py b/ankiqt/config.py
index 418b6e449..f58e4995d 100644
--- a/ankiqt/config.py
+++ b/ankiqt/config.py
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ class Config(dict):
             'sortIndex': 0,
             'splitQA': True,
             'standaloneWindows': True,
+            'stripHTML': True,
             'studyOptionsScreen': 0,
             'suppressEstimates': False,
             'suppressUpdate': False,
diff --git a/ankiqt/ui/facteditor.py b/ankiqt/ui/facteditor.py
index b15ba5601..c943f1edc 100644
--- a/ankiqt/ui/facteditor.py
+++ b/ankiqt/ui/facteditor.py
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ class FactEdit(QTextEdit):
         if source.hasHtml() and "qrichtext" in unicode(source.html()):
             self.insertHtml(source.html())
             return
-        if source.hasText():
+        if source.hasText() and ankiqt.mw.config['stripHTML']:
             txt = unicode(source.text())
             l = txt.lower()
             if l.startswith("http://") or l.startswith("file://"):
@@ -1095,6 +1095,8 @@ class FactEdit(QTextEdit):
 
     def simplifyHTML(self, html):
         "Remove all style information and P tags."
+        if not ankiqt.mw.config['stripHTML']:
+            return html
         html = re.sub("\n", " ", html)
         html = re.sub("<br ?/?>", "\n", html)
         html = re.sub("<p ?/?>", "\n\n", html)
diff --git a/ankiqt/ui/preferences.py b/ankiqt/ui/preferences.py
index af2902b4c..30f78d10a 100644
--- a/ankiqt/ui/preferences.py
+++ b/ankiqt/ui/preferences.py
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ class Preferences(QDialog):
         self.dialog.openLastDeck.setChecked(self.config['loadLastDeck'])
         self.dialog.deckBrowserOrder.setChecked(self.config['deckBrowserOrder'])
         self.dialog.deleteMedia.setChecked(self.config['deleteMedia'])
+        self.dialog.stripHTML.setChecked(self.config['stripHTML'])
         self.dialog.deckBrowserLen.setValue(self.config['deckBrowserNameLength'])
 
     def updateAdvanced(self):
@@ -232,6 +233,7 @@ class Preferences(QDialog):
         self.config['alternativeTheme'] = self.dialog.alternativeTheme.isChecked()
         self.config['showProgress'] = self.dialog.showProgress.isChecked()
         self.config['preventEditUntilAnswer'] = self.dialog.preventEdits.isChecked()
+        self.config['stripHTML'] = self.dialog.stripHTML.isChecked()
         self.config['loadLastDeck'] = self.dialog.openLastDeck.isChecked()
         if self.dialog.deckBrowserOrder.isChecked():
             self.config['deckBrowserOrder'] = 1
diff --git a/designer/preferences.ui b/designer/preferences.ui
index ab4f43fa6..a30268e37 100644
--- a/designer/preferences.ui
+++ b/designer/preferences.ui
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@
            </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
-         <item row="6" column="0">
+         <item row="7" column="0">
           <widget class="QCheckBox" name="showStudyOptions">
            <property name="text">
             <string>Show study options on deck load</string>
@@ -562,28 +562,28 @@
            </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
-         <item row="10" column="0">
+         <item row="11" column="0">
           <widget class="QCheckBox" name="addZeroSpace">
            <property name="text">
             <string>Add hidden char to text (fixes Thai on OSX)</string>
            </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
-         <item row="7" column="0">
+         <item row="8" column="0">
           <widget class="QCheckBox" name="openLastDeck">
            <property name="text">
             <string>Always open last deck on startup</string>
            </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
-         <item row="8" column="0">
+         <item row="9" column="0">
           <widget class="QCheckBox" name="deckBrowserOrder">
            <property name="text">
             <string>Show decks with cards due first in browser</string>
            </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
-         <item row="9" column="0">
+         <item row="10" column="0">
           <widget class="QCheckBox" name="deleteMedia">
            <property name="text">
             <string>Delete original media on add</string>
@@ -597,6 +597,13 @@
            </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
+         <item row="6" column="0">
+          <widget class="QCheckBox" name="stripHTML">
+           <property name="text">
+            <string>Strip HTML when pasting text</string>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
+         </item>
         </layout>
        </item>
        <item>
@@ -711,6 +718,7 @@
   <tabstop>colourTimes</tabstop>
   <tabstop>showTimer</tabstop>
   <tabstop>showTray</tabstop>
+  <tabstop>stripHTML</tabstop>
   <tabstop>showStudyOptions</tabstop>
   <tabstop>openLastDeck</tabstop>
   <tabstop>deckBrowserOrder</tabstop>