diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/CommonRightButtonMenu.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/CommonRightButtonMenu.java
index e699bb99b..5ca3149bb 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/CommonRightButtonMenu.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/CommonRightButtonMenu.java
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ public CommonRightButtonMenu(MainFrame mainFrame)
     {
         this.mainFrame = mainFrame;
 
-        if (!ConfigurationUtils.isAddContactDisabled())
+        if (!ConfigurationUtils.isAddContactDisabled() &&
+            !ConfigurationUtils.isMergeContactDisabled())
             this.add(addContactItem);
 
         if (!ConfigurationUtils.isCreateGroupDisabled())
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/MetaContactRightButtonMenu.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/MetaContactRightButtonMenu.java
index ddc06503b..9296cb9dc 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/MetaContactRightButtonMenu.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/MetaContactRightButtonMenu.java
@@ -585,7 +585,8 @@ private void init()
             addSeparator();
         }
 
-        if (!ConfigurationUtils.isAddContactDisabled())
+        if (!ConfigurationUtils.isAddContactDisabled() &&
+            !ConfigurationUtils.isMergeContactDisabled())
         {
             add(addContactItem);
             addSeparator();
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/util/ConfigurationUtils.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/util/ConfigurationUtils.java
index f438aa831..bb1a58242 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/util/ConfigurationUtils.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/util/ConfigurationUtils.java
@@ -161,6 +161,11 @@ public class ConfigurationUtils
      */
     private static boolean isAddContactDisabled;
 
+    /**
+     * Indicates if the merge contact functionality is disabled.
+     */
+    private static boolean isMergeContactDisabled;
+
     /**
      * Indicates if the go to chatroom functionality is disabled.
      */
@@ -644,6 +649,13 @@ public static void loadGuiConfigurations()
                 "CONTACT_ADD_DISABLED",
                 false);
 
+        // Load the "MERGE_CONTACT_DISABLED" property.
+        isMergeContactDisabled
+            = configService.getBoolean(
+                "net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.contactlist." +
+                "CONTACT_MERGE_DISABLED",
+                false);
+
         // Load the "CREATE_GROUP_DISABLED" property.
         isCreateGroupDisabled
             = configService.getBoolean(
@@ -1184,6 +1196,17 @@ public static boolean isAddContactDisabled()
         return isAddContactDisabled;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns <code>true</code> if the "MERGE_CONTACT_DISABLED" property is
+     * true, otherwise - returns <code>false</code>.
+     * @return <code>true</code> if the "MERGE_CONTACT_DISABLED" property is
+     * true, otherwise - returns <code>false</code>.
+     */
+    public static boolean isMergeContactDisabled()
+    {
+        return isMergeContactDisabled;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns <code>true</code> if the "CREATE_GROUP_DISABLED" property is
      * true, otherwise - returns <code>false</code>..