diff --git a/kcontrol/kicker/advancedDialog.cpp b/kcontrol/kicker/advancedDialog.cpp
index 29de71df7..d2a87be69 100644
--- a/kcontrol/kicker/advancedDialog.cpp
+++ b/kcontrol/kicker/advancedDialog.cpp
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ advancedDialog::advancedDialog(TQWidget* parent, const char* name)
             this, TQT_SLOT(changed()));
     connect(m_advancedWidget->menubarPanelTransparent, TQT_SIGNAL(clicked()),
             this, TQT_SLOT(changed()));
+    connect(m_advancedWidget->menubarPanelBlurred, TQT_SIGNAL(clicked()),
+            this, TQT_SLOT(changed()));
     connect(m_advancedWidget->kickerResizeHandle, TQT_SIGNAL(clicked()),
             this, TQT_SLOT(changed()));
     connect(m_advancedWidget->kickerDeepButtons, TQT_SIGNAL(clicked()),
@@ -94,9 +96,11 @@ void advancedDialog::load()
     m_advancedWidget->tintColorB->setColor( color );
     int tintValue = c.readNumEntry( "TintValue", 33 );
     m_advancedWidget->tintSlider->setValue( tintValue );
-    
+
     bool transparentMenubarPanel = c.readBoolEntry("MenubarPanelTransparent", false);
     m_advancedWidget->menubarPanelTransparent->setChecked( transparentMenubarPanel );
+    bool blurredMenubarPanel = c.readBoolEntry("MenubarPanelBlurred", false);
+    m_advancedWidget->menubarPanelBlurred->setChecked( blurredMenubarPanel );
 
     bool useKickerResizeHandle = c.readBoolEntry("UseResizeHandle", false);
     m_advancedWidget->kickerResizeHandle->setChecked( useKickerResizeHandle );
@@ -123,6 +127,8 @@ void advancedDialog::save()
                  m_advancedWidget->tintSlider->value());
     c.writeEntry("MenubarPanelTransparent",
                  m_advancedWidget->menubarPanelTransparent->isChecked());
+    c.writeEntry("MenubarPanelBlurred",
+                 m_advancedWidget->menubarPanelBlurred->isChecked());
     c.writeEntry("UseResizeHandle",
                  m_advancedWidget->kickerResizeHandle->isChecked());
     c.writeEntry("ShowDeepButtons",
@@ -157,6 +163,8 @@ void advancedDialog::save()
                              m_advancedWidget->tintSlider->value());
         extConfig.writeEntry("MenubarPanelTransparent",
                              m_advancedWidget->menubarPanelTransparent->isChecked());
+        extConfig.writeEntry("MenubarPanelBlurred",
+                             m_advancedWidget->menubarPanelBlurred->isChecked());
         extConfig.writeEntry("UseResizeHandle",
                              m_advancedWidget->kickerResizeHandle->isChecked());
         extConfig.writeEntry("ShowDeepButtons",
diff --git a/kcontrol/kicker/advancedOptions.ui b/kcontrol/kicker/advancedOptions.ui
index 5f0866c3b..c49cf45b2 100644
--- a/kcontrol/kicker/advancedOptions.ui
+++ b/kcontrol/kicker/advancedOptions.ui
@@ -296,6 +296,17 @@
                         <string>Normally if you have the desktop's or current application's menu bar displayed in a panel at the top of the screen (MacOS-style), transparency is disabled for this panel to avoid the desktop background clashing with the menu bar. Set this option to make it transparent anyways.</string>
                     </property>
                 </widget>
+                <widget class="TQCheckBox" row="4" column="0" rowspan="1" colspan="2">
+                    <property name="name">
+                        <cstring>menubarPanelBlurred</cstring>
+                    </property>
+                    <property name="text">
+                        <string>Blur the background when transparency is enabled</string>
+                    </property>
+                    <property name="whatsThis" stdset="0">
+                        <string>When checked, the displayed semi-transparent background image will be blurred to reduce eyestrain</string>
+                    </property>
+                </widget>
             </grid>
         </widget>
 	<widget class="TQGroupBox">
diff --git a/kicker/kicker/core/containerarea.cpp b/kicker/kicker/core/containerarea.cpp
index a202c910a..00d781b98 100644
--- a/kicker/kicker/core/containerarea.cpp
+++ b/kicker/kicker/core/containerarea.cpp
@@ -1446,6 +1446,12 @@ void ContainerArea::setBackground()
 
         double tint = double(KickerSettings::tintValue()) / 100;
         _rootPixmap->setFadeEffect(tint, KickerSettings::tintColor());
+        if (KickerSettings::menubarPanelBlurred()) {
+            _rootPixmap->setBlurEffect(0.0, 4.0);
+        }
+        else {
+            _rootPixmap->setBlurEffect(0.0, 0.0);
+        }
         _rootPixmap->start();
         _bgSet = true;
         return;
diff --git a/kicker/libkicker/kickerSettings.kcfg b/kicker/libkicker/kickerSettings.kcfg
index ec6575a21..635d9c646 100644
--- a/kicker/libkicker/kickerSettings.kcfg
+++ b/kicker/libkicker/kickerSettings.kcfg
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@
       <default>false</default>
    </entry>
 
+<entry name="MenubarPanelBlurred" type="Bool" >
+      <label>Enable blurring for menubar panel</label>
+      <whatsthis>When this option is enabled, the panel containing the menubar will blur pseudo-transparent image</whatsthis>
+      <default>false</default>
+   </entry>
+
 <entry name="UseBackgroundTheme" type="Bool" >
       <label>Enable background image</label>
       <whatsthis>When this option is enabled, the panel will display a tiled image as its background</whatsthis>