diff --git a/python/core/composer/qgscomposition.sip b/python/core/composer/qgscomposition.sip
index 4aa1e95d61d..cfbd8a156d2 100644
--- a/python/core/composer/qgscomposition.sip
+++ b/python/core/composer/qgscomposition.sip
@@ -222,6 +222,20 @@ class QgsComposition : QGraphicsScene
      * @note Added in QGIS 2.5
     */
     int snapTolerance() const;
+	
+    /**Sets whether selection bounding boxes should be shown in the composition
+     * @param boundsVisible set to true to show selection bounding box
+     * @see boundingBoxesVisible
+     * @note added in QGIS 2.7
+    */
+    void setBoundingBoxesVisible( const bool boundsVisible );
+
+    /**Returns whether selection bounding boxes should be shown in the composition
+     * @returns true if selection bounding boxes should be shown
+     * @see setBoundingBoxesVisible
+     * @note added in QGIS 2.7
+    */
+    bool boundingBoxesVisible() const;	
 
     /**Returns pointer to undo/redo command storage*/
     QUndoStack* undoStack();
diff --git a/src/app/composer/qgscomposer.cpp b/src/app/composer/qgscomposer.cpp
index 3bbf4e88294..fca3d53ced5 100644
--- a/src/app/composer/qgscomposer.cpp
+++ b/src/app/composer/qgscomposer.cpp
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ QgsComposer::QgsComposer( QgisApp *qgis, const QString& title )
   mActionSnapGuides->setCheckable( true );
   mActionSmartGuides->setCheckable( true );
   mActionShowRulers->setCheckable( true );
+  mActionShowBoxes->setCheckable( true );
 
   mActionAtlasPreview->setCheckable( true );
 
@@ -332,6 +333,7 @@ QgsComposer::QgsComposer( QgisApp *qgis, const QString& title )
   viewMenu->addAction( mActionSmartGuides );
   viewMenu->addAction( mActionClearGuides );
   viewMenu->addSeparator();
+  viewMenu->addAction( mActionShowBoxes );
   viewMenu->addAction( mActionShowRulers );
 
   // Panel and toolbar submenus
@@ -1192,6 +1194,15 @@ void QgsComposer::on_mActionSmartGuides_triggered( bool checked )
   }
 }
 
+void QgsComposer::on_mActionShowBoxes_triggered( bool checked )
+{
+  //show or hide bounding boxes
+  if ( mComposition )
+  {
+    mComposition->setBoundingBoxesVisible( checked );
+  }
+}
+
 void QgsComposer::on_mActionClearGuides_triggered()
 {
   //clear guide lines
@@ -3155,6 +3166,8 @@ void QgsComposer::restoreGridSettings()
   mActionShowGuides->setChecked( mComposition->snapLinesVisible() );
   mActionSnapGuides->setChecked( mComposition->alignmentSnap() );
   mActionSmartGuides->setChecked( mComposition->smartGuidesEnabled() );
+  //general view settings
+  mActionShowBoxes->setChecked( mComposition->boundingBoxesVisible() );
 }
 
 void QgsComposer::deleteItemWidgets()
diff --git a/src/app/composer/qgscomposer.h b/src/app/composer/qgscomposer.h
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 45362185b54..baacb82db43
--- a/src/app/composer/qgscomposer.h
+++ b/src/app/composer/qgscomposer.h
@@ -317,6 +317,9 @@ class QgsComposer: public QMainWindow, private Ui::QgsComposerBase
     //!Enable or disable smart guides
     void on_mActionSmartGuides_triggered( bool checked );
 
+    //!Show/hide bounding boxes
+    void on_mActionShowBoxes_triggered( bool checked );
+
     //!Show/hide rulers
     void toggleRulers( bool checked );
 
diff --git a/src/core/composer/qgscomposermousehandles.cpp b/src/core/composer/qgscomposermousehandles.cpp
index 8bf9f01a448..a8b3da6e5be 100755
--- a/src/core/composer/qgscomposermousehandles.cpp
+++ b/src/core/composer/qgscomposermousehandles.cpp
@@ -89,12 +89,18 @@ void QgsComposerMouseHandles::paint( QPainter* painter, const QStyleOptionGraphi
     return;
   }
 
-  //draw resize handles around bounds of entire selection
-  double rectHandlerSize = rectHandlerBorderTolerance();
-  drawHandles( painter, rectHandlerSize );
+  if ( mComposition->boundingBoxesVisible() )
+  {
+    //draw resize handles around bounds of entire selection
+    double rectHandlerSize = rectHandlerBorderTolerance();
+    drawHandles( painter, rectHandlerSize );
+  }
 
-  //draw dotted boxes around selected items
-  drawSelectedItemBounds( painter );
+  if ( mIsResizing || mIsDragging || mComposition->boundingBoxesVisible() )
+  {
+    //draw dotted boxes around selected items
+    drawSelectedItemBounds( painter );
+  }
 }
 
 void QgsComposerMouseHandles::drawHandles( QPainter* painter, double rectHandlerSize )
@@ -589,6 +595,7 @@ void QgsComposerMouseHandles::mouseReleaseEvent( QGraphicsSceneMouseEvent* event
   {
     mIsDragging = false;
     mIsResizing = false;
+    update();
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/core/composer/qgscomposition.cpp b/src/core/composer/qgscomposition.cpp
index 016a0d00430..bb23c6096c5 100644
--- a/src/core/composer/qgscomposition.cpp
+++ b/src/core/composer/qgscomposition.cpp
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ void QgsComposition::init()
   mGuidesVisible = true;
   mSmartGuides = true;
   mSnapTolerance = 0;
+  mBoundingBoxesVisible = true;
   mSelectionHandles = 0;
   mActiveItemCommand = 0;
   mActiveMultiFrameCommand = 0;
@@ -215,6 +216,7 @@ void QgsComposition::loadDefaults()
   mSnapGridOffsetX = settings.value( "/Composer/defaultSnapGridOffsetX", 0 ).toDouble();
   mSnapGridOffsetY = settings.value( "/Composer/defaultSnapGridOffsetY", 0 ).toDouble();
   mSnapTolerance = settings.value( "/Composer/defaultSnapTolerancePixels", 5 ).toInt();
+  mBoundingBoxesVisible = settings.value( "/Composer/showBoundingBoxes", true ).toBool();
 }
 
 void QgsComposition::updateBounds()
@@ -2142,6 +2144,20 @@ void QgsComposition::setGridStyle( const GridStyle s )
   updatePaperItems();
 }
 
+void QgsComposition::setBoundingBoxesVisible( const bool boundsVisible )
+{
+  mBoundingBoxesVisible = boundsVisible;
+
+  //save to settings
+  QSettings settings;
+  settings.setValue( "/Composer/showBoundingBoxes", mBoundingBoxesVisible );
+
+  if ( mSelectionHandles )
+  {
+    mSelectionHandles->update();
+  }
+}
+
 void QgsComposition::updateSettings()
 {
   //load new composer setting values
diff --git a/src/core/composer/qgscomposition.h b/src/core/composer/qgscomposition.h
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index e7b031ad639..a5c2dd8a26e
--- a/src/core/composer/qgscomposition.h
+++ b/src/core/composer/qgscomposition.h
@@ -284,6 +284,20 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsComposition : public QGraphicsScene
     */
     int snapTolerance() const { return mSnapTolerance; }
 
+    /**Sets whether selection bounding boxes should be shown in the composition
+     * @param boundsVisible set to true to show selection bounding box
+     * @see boundingBoxesVisible
+     * @note added in QGIS 2.7
+    */
+    void setBoundingBoxesVisible( const bool boundsVisible );
+
+    /**Returns whether selection bounding boxes should be shown in the composition
+     * @returns true if selection bounding boxes should be shown
+     * @see setBoundingBoxesVisible
+     * @note added in QGIS 2.7
+    */
+    bool boundingBoxesVisible() const { return mBoundingBoxesVisible; }
+
     /**Returns pointer to undo/redo command storage*/
     QUndoStack* undoStack() { return mUndoStack; }
 
@@ -742,6 +756,7 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsComposition : public QGraphicsScene
     /**Arbitraty snap lines (horizontal and vertical)*/
     QList< QGraphicsLineItem* > mSnapLines;
 
+    bool mBoundingBoxesVisible;
     QgsComposerMouseHandles* mSelectionHandles;
 
     QUndoStack* mUndoStack;
diff --git a/src/ui/qgscomposerbase.ui b/src/ui/qgscomposerbase.ui
index 74041ded76e..534a97cc854 100755
--- a/src/ui/qgscomposerbase.ui
+++ b/src/ui/qgscomposerbase.ui
@@ -1012,6 +1012,17 @@
     <string>Atlas &amp;Settings</string>
    </property>
   </action>
+  <action name="mActionShowBoxes">
+   <property name="text">
+    <string>Show Bounding Boxes</string>
+   </property>
+   <property name="toolTip">
+    <string>Show bounding boxes</string>
+   </property>
+   <property name="shortcut">
+    <string>Ctrl+Shift+B</string>
+   </property>
+  </action>
  </widget>
  <resources>
   <include location="../../python/plugins/fTools/resources.qrc"/>