diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-common-irc.c b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-common-irc.c
index 5cc67fd0..9a6eb78b 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-common-irc.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-common-irc.c
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ void fe_common_irc_init(void)
 	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "beep_when_away", TRUE);
 	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "show_away_once", TRUE);
 	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "show_quit_once", FALSE);
+	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "print_active_channel", FALSE);
 
 	theme_register(fecommon_irc_formats);
 
diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events.c b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events.c
index 24a1c0c3..e79cf122 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-events.c
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ static void print_channel_msg(IRC_SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
 {
 	CHANNEL_REC *chanrec;
 	NICK_REC *nickrec;
-	int for_me;
 	const char *nickmode;
+	int for_me, print_channel;
 	char *color;
 
 	chanrec = channel_find(server, target);
@@ -71,7 +71,12 @@ static void print_channel_msg(IRC_SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
 	nickmode = (!settings_get_bool("show_nickmode") || nickrec == NULL) ? "" :
 		(nickrec->op ? "@" : nickrec->voice ? "+" : " ");
 
-	if (window_item_is_active((WI_ITEM_REC *) chanrec)) {
+	print_channel = !window_item_is_active((WI_ITEM_REC *) chanrec);
+	if (!print_channel && settings_get_bool("print_active_channel") &&
+	    window_item_window((WI_ITEM_REC *) chanrec)->items->next != NULL)
+		print_channel = TRUE;
+
+	if (!print_channel) {
 		/* message to active channel in window */
 		if (color != NULL) {
 			/* highlighted nick */
diff --git a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-irc-commands.c b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-irc-commands.c
index f390c6b0..31af63df 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/irc/fe-irc-commands.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/irc/fe-irc-commands.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ static void cmd_msg(gchar *data, IRC_SERVER_REC *server, WI_ITEM_REC *item)
     const char *nickmode;
     char *target, *msg, *freestr, *newtarget;
     void *free_arg;
-    int free_ret;
+    int free_ret, print_channel;
 
     g_return_if_fail(data != NULL);
 
@@ -148,7 +148,14 @@ static void cmd_msg(gchar *data, IRC_SERVER_REC *server, WI_ITEM_REC *item)
 	    nickrec->op ? "@" : nickrec->voice ? "+" : " ";
 
 	window = channel == NULL ? NULL : window_item_window((WI_ITEM_REC *) channel);
-	if (window != NULL && window->active == (WI_ITEM_REC *) channel)
+
+	print_channel = window == NULL ||
+		window->active != (WI_ITEM_REC *) channel;
+	if (!print_channel && settings_get_bool("print_active_channel") &&
+	    window != NULL && g_slist_length(window->items) > 1)
+		print_channel = TRUE;
+
+	if (!print_channel)
 	{
 	    printformat(server, target, MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC | MSGLEVEL_NOHILIGHT,
 			IRCTXT_OWN_MSG, server->nick, msg, nickmode);