diff --git a/admin/admin_board.php b/admin/admin_board.php
index 6b3194930..4b92a5df5 100644
--- a/admin/admin_board.php
+++ b/admin/admin_board.php
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ switch ($mode) {
             'NETWORK_NEWS_FORUM_ID' => $new['network_news_forum_id'],
             'WHOIS_INFO' => $new['whois_info'],
             'SHOW_MOD_INDEX' => $new['show_mod_index'],
+            'SHOW_BOARD_START_INDEX' => $new['show_board_start_index'],
             'BIRTHDAY_ENABLED' => $new['birthday_enabled'],
             'BIRTHDAY_MAX_AGE' => $new['birthday_max_age'],
             'BIRTHDAY_MIN_AGE' => $new['birthday_min_age'],
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index 98813fc76..73fec4f7e 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ $template->assign_vars(array(
     'U_ATOM_FEED' => file_exists($bb_cfg['atom']['path'] . '/f/0.atom') ? make_url($bb_cfg['atom']['url'] . '/f/0.atom') : false,
 
     'SHOW_LAST_TOPIC' => $show_last_topic,
-    'BOARD_START' => $bb_cfg['show_board_start_date'] ? ($lang['BOARD_STARTED'] . ':&nbsp;' . '<b>' . bb_date($bb_cfg['board_startdate']) . '</b>') : '',
+    'BOARD_START' => $bb_cfg['show_board_start_index'] ? ($lang['BOARD_STARTED'] . ':&nbsp;' . '<b>' . bb_date($bb_cfg['board_startdate']) . '</b>') : false,
 ));
 
 // Set tpl vars for bt_userdata
diff --git a/install/sql/mysql.sql b/install/sql/mysql.sql
index b7a818595..d98b8704b 100644
--- a/install/sql/mysql.sql
+++ b/install/sql/mysql.sql
@@ -577,7 +577,8 @@ VALUES ('allow_autologin', '1'),
        ('show_mod_index', '0'),
        ('premod', '0'),
        ('tor_comment', '1'),
-       ('terms', '');
+       ('terms', ''),
+       ('show_board_start_index', '1');
 
 -- ----------------------------
 -- Table structure for `bb_cron`
diff --git a/install/upgrade/changes.txt b/install/upgrade/changes.txt
index eebab19e8..a06277502 100644
--- a/install/upgrade/changes.txt
+++ b/install/upgrade/changes.txt
@@ -57,3 +57,6 @@ ALTER TABLE `bb_users` CHANGE `username` `username` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL DEFAUL
 ALTER TABLE `bb_users` CHANGE `user_password` `user_password` VARCHAR(255) CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_bin NOT NULL DEFAULT '';
 ALTER TABLE `bb_users` CHANGE `user_actkey` `user_actkey` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '';
 ALTER TABLE `bb_users` CHANGE `user_newpasswd` `user_newpasswd` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '';
+
+// 2.4.0-alpha3
+INSERT INTO bb_config VALUES ('show_board_start_index', '1');
diff --git a/library/config.php b/library/config.php
index abfa48c00..74891d477 100644
--- a/library/config.php
+++ b/library/config.php
@@ -519,7 +519,6 @@ $bb_cfg['allow_change'] = [
     'dateformat' => true,
 ];
 
-$bb_cfg['show_board_start_date'] = true;
 $bb_cfg['show_jumpbox'] = true;
 
 $bb_cfg['trash_forum_id'] = 0; // (int) 7
diff --git a/library/language/source/main.php b/library/language/source/main.php
index e18e04ec9..b4fc2d445 100644
--- a/library/language/source/main.php
+++ b/library/language/source/main.php
@@ -2065,6 +2065,7 @@ $lang['NOAVATAR'] = 'No avatar';
 $lang['TRACKER_STATS'] = 'Statistics on the tracker';
 $lang['WHOIS_INFO'] = 'Information about IP address';
 $lang['SHOW_MOD_HOME_PAGE'] = 'Show on moderators the index.php';
+$lang['SHOW_BOARD_STARTED_INDEX'] = 'Show board start date on index.php';
 $lang['PREMOD_HELP'] = '<h4><span class="tor-icon tor-dup">&#8719;</span> Pre-moderation</h4> <h6>If you do not have distributions to the status of v, #, or T in this section, including subsections, the distribution will automatically receive this status</h6>';
 $lang['TOR_COMMENT'] = '<h4>Comment on the status of a distribution</h4> <h6>The comment allows you to point out the errors made to the releaser. If the statuses are incomplete, a release response form is available to the release manager to correct the release</h6>';
 $lang['SEED_BONUS_ADD'] = '<h4>Adding seed bonus </h4> <h6> Number of distributions are handed out by the user and the size of bonuses for them (charging times an hour) </h6>';
diff --git a/styles/templates/admin/admin_board.tpl b/styles/templates/admin/admin_board.tpl
index 26bd4cf50..72045d2d8 100644
--- a/styles/templates/admin/admin_board.tpl
+++ b/styles/templates/admin/admin_board.tpl
@@ -203,6 +203,13 @@
 		<label><input type="radio" name="show_mod_index" value="0" <!-- IF not SHOW_MOD_INDEX -->checked="checked"<!-- ENDIF --> />{L_DISABLED}</label>
 	</td>
 </tr>
+<tr>
+    <td><h4>{L_SHOW_BOARD_STARTED_INDEX}</h4></td>
+    <td>
+        <label><input type="radio" name="show_board_start_index" value="1" <!-- IF SHOW_BOARD_START_INDEX -->checked="checked"<!-- ENDIF --> />{L_ENABLED}</label>&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        <label><input type="radio" name="show_board_start_index" value="0" <!-- IF not SHOW_BOARD_START_INDEX -->checked="checked"<!-- ENDIF --> />{L_DISABLED}</label>
+    </td>
+</tr>
 <tr>
 	<td>{L_PREMOD_HELP}</td>
 	<td>
diff --git a/styles/templates/default/index.tpl b/styles/templates/default/index.tpl
index 5eeeb465d..090a27a26 100644
--- a/styles/templates/default/index.tpl
+++ b/styles/templates/default/index.tpl
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
 				<p>{TOTAL_GENDER}</p>
 				<p>{NEWEST_USER}</p>
 
-                <!-- IF $bb_cfg['show_board_start_date'] -->
+                <!-- IF BOARD_START -->
                 <p style="margin-top: 4px;">{BOARD_START}</p>
                 <!-- ENDIF -->