diff --git a/micropolis-java/src/micropolisj/engine/Micropolis.java b/micropolis-java/src/micropolisj/engine/Micropolis.java
index 1a1454c4..fe505ae4 100644
--- a/micropolis-java/src/micropolisj/engine/Micropolis.java
+++ b/micropolis-java/src/micropolisj/engine/Micropolis.java
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@ public class Micropolis
 	static final int DEFAULT_WIDTH = 120;
 	static final int DEFAULT_HEIGHT = 100;
 
+	public boolean keepHeader = false;
+	byte [] bbHeader = new byte[128];
+
 	public final CityBudget budget = new CityBudget(this);
 	public boolean autoBulldoze = true;
 	public boolean autoBudget = false;
@@ -2085,7 +2088,7 @@ public void load(File filename)
 			// but otherwise use the same format as us,
 			// so read in that 128-byte header and continue
 			// as before.
-			byte [] bbHeader = new byte[128];
+			keepHeader = true;
 			fis.read(bbHeader);
 		}
 		load(fis);
@@ -2146,6 +2149,9 @@ public void save(OutputStream outStream)
 		throws IOException
 	{
 		DataOutputStream out = new DataOutputStream(outStream);
+		if (keepHeader) {
+			out.write(bbHeader);
+		}
 		writeHistoryArray(history.res, out);
 		writeHistoryArray(history.com, out);
 		writeHistoryArray(history.ind, out);
@@ -2181,6 +2187,12 @@ public void setSpeed(Speed newSpeed)
 		fireOptionsChanged();
 	}
 
+	public void toggleKeepHeader()
+	{
+		keepHeader = !keepHeader;
+		fireOptionsChanged();
+	}
+
 	public void animate()
 	{
 		this.acycle = (this.acycle+1) % 960;
diff --git a/micropolis-java/src/micropolisj/gui/MainWindow.java b/micropolis-java/src/micropolisj/gui/MainWindow.java
index 47fc7146..98389bae 100644
--- a/micropolis-java/src/micropolisj/gui/MainWindow.java
+++ b/micropolis-java/src/micropolisj/gui/MainWindow.java
@@ -587,6 +587,17 @@ public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ev)
 			}}));
 		optionsMenu.add(menuItem);
 
+		keepHeaderMenuItem = new JCheckBoxMenuItem(strings.getString("menu.options.keep_header"));
+		setupKeys(keepHeaderMenuItem, "menu.options.keep_header");
+		keepHeaderMenuItem.addActionListener(wrapActionListener(
+			new ActionListener() {
+			public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ev)
+			{
+				onKeepHeaderClicked();
+			}
+			}));
+		optionsMenu.add(keepHeaderMenuItem);
+
 		JMenu disastersMenu = new JMenu(strings.getString("menu.disasters"));
 		setupKeys(disastersMenu, "menu.disasters");
 		menuBar.add(disastersMenu);
@@ -795,6 +806,7 @@ private Micropolis getEngine()
 	JMenuItem autoBulldozeMenuItem;
 	JMenuItem disastersMenuItem;
 	JMenuItem soundsMenuItem;
+	JMenuItem keepHeaderMenuItem;
 	Map<Speed,JMenuItem> priorityMenuItems;
 	Map<Integer,JMenuItem> difficultyMenuItems;
 
@@ -825,6 +837,12 @@ private void onSoundClicked()
 		reloadOptions();
 	}
 
+	private void onKeepHeaderClicked()
+	{
+		dirty1 = true;
+		getEngine().toggleKeepHeader();
+	}
+
 	void makeClean()
 	{
 		dirty1 = false;
@@ -1582,6 +1600,7 @@ private void reloadOptions()
 		autoBulldozeMenuItem.setSelected(getEngine().autoBulldoze);
 		disastersMenuItem.setSelected(!getEngine().noDisasters);
 		soundsMenuItem.setSelected(doSounds);
+		keepHeaderMenuItem.setSelected(getEngine().keepHeader);
 		for (Speed spd : priorityMenuItems.keySet())
 		{
 			priorityMenuItems.get(spd).setSelected(getEngine().simSpeed == spd);
diff --git a/micropolis-java/strings/GuiStrings.properties b/micropolis-java/strings/GuiStrings.properties
index 950076e1..c123efb0 100644
--- a/micropolis-java/strings/GuiStrings.properties
+++ b/micropolis-java/strings/GuiStrings.properties
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ menu.options.zoom_in = Zoom In
 menu.options.zoom_in.shortcut = PLUS
 menu.options.zoom_out = Zoom Out
 menu.options.zoom_out.shortcut = MINUS
+menu.options.keep_header = Keep 128 bytes header
+menu.options.keep_header.key = H
 
 menu.difficulty = Difficulty
 menu.difficulty.key = F