diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/preferences/PreferenceController.java b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/preferences/PreferenceController.java
index cbd5c0f29..ffac05321 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/preferences/PreferenceController.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/preferences/PreferenceController.java
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ public class PreferenceController {
                         if (newValue instanceof Boolean) {
                             ui.findPreference(UserPreferences.PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL_WIFI_FILTER).setEnabled((Boolean) newValue);
                             setSelectedNetworksEnabled((Boolean) newValue && UserPreferences.isEnableAutodownloadWifiFilter());
+                            ui.findPreference(UserPreferences.PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL_ON_BATTERY).setEnabled((Boolean) newValue);
                         }
                         return true;
                     }
@@ -376,6 +377,8 @@ public class PreferenceController {
         setSelectedNetworksEnabled(UserPreferences.isEnableAutodownload()
                 && UserPreferences.isEnableAutodownloadWifiFilter());
 
+        ui.findPreference(UserPreferences.PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL_ON_BATTERY)
+                .setEnabled(UserPreferences.isEnableAutodownload());
     }
 
     private void setEpisodeCacheSizeText(int cacheSize) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml b/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml
index 5f4a7583d..afb8bb135 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml
@@ -92,6 +92,11 @@
                 android:key="prefEnableAutoDl"
                 android:title="@string/pref_automatic_download_title"
                 android:defaultValue="false"/>
+            <CheckBoxPreference
+                android:key="prefEnableAutoDownloadOnBattery"
+                android:title="@string/pref_automatic_download_on_battery_title"
+                android:summary="@string/pref_automatic_download_on_battery_sum"
+                android:defaultValue="true"/>
             <CheckBoxPreference
                 android:key="prefEnableAutoDownloadWifiFilter"
                 android:title="@string/pref_autodl_wifi_filter_title"
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/preferences/UserPreferences.java b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/preferences/UserPreferences.java
index 186b390a8..a3b9f6049 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/preferences/UserPreferences.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/preferences/UserPreferences.java
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public class UserPreferences implements
     public static final String PREF_DATA_FOLDER = "prefDataFolder";
     public static final String PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL = "prefEnableAutoDl";
     public static final String PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL_WIFI_FILTER = "prefEnableAutoDownloadWifiFilter";
+    public static final String PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL_ON_BATTERY = "prefEnableAutoDownloadOnBattery";
     private static final String PREF_AUTODL_SELECTED_NETWORKS = "prefAutodownloadSelectedNetworks";
     public static final String PREF_EPISODE_CACHE_SIZE = "prefEpisodeCacheSize";
     private static final String PREF_PLAYBACK_SPEED = "prefPlaybackSpeed";
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ public class UserPreferences implements
     private int theme;
     private boolean enableAutodownload;
     private boolean enableAutodownloadWifiFilter;
+    private boolean enableAutodownloadOnBattery;
     private String[] autodownloadSelectedNetworks;
     private int episodeCacheSize;
     private String playbackSpeed;
@@ -144,6 +146,7 @@ public class UserPreferences implements
         episodeCacheSize = readEpisodeCacheSizeInternal(sp.getString(
                 PREF_EPISODE_CACHE_SIZE, "20"));
         enableAutodownload = sp.getBoolean(PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL, false);
+        enableAutodownloadOnBattery = sp.getBoolean(PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL_ON_BATTERY, true);
         playbackSpeed = sp.getString(PREF_PLAYBACK_SPEED, "1.0");
         playbackSpeedArray = readPlaybackSpeedArray(sp.getString(
                 PREF_PLAYBACK_SPEED_ARRAY, null));
@@ -344,6 +347,11 @@ public class UserPreferences implements
         return instance.enableAutodownload;
     }
 
+    public static boolean isEnableAutodownloadOnBattery() {
+        instanceAvailable();
+        return instance.enableAutodownloadOnBattery;
+    }
+
     public static boolean shouldPauseForFocusLoss() {
         instanceAvailable();
         return instance.pauseForFocusLoss;
@@ -395,6 +403,8 @@ public class UserPreferences implements
                     PREF_EPISODE_CACHE_SIZE, "20"));
         } else if (key.equals(PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL)) {
             enableAutodownload = sp.getBoolean(PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL, false);
+        } else if (key.equals(PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL_ON_BATTERY)) {
+            enableAutodownloadOnBattery = sp.getBoolean(PREF_ENABLE_AUTODL_ON_BATTERY, true);
         } else if (key.equals(PREF_PLAYBACK_SPEED)) {
             playbackSpeed = sp.getString(PREF_PLAYBACK_SPEED, "1.0");
         } else if (key.equals(PREF_PLAYBACK_SPEED_ARRAY)) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/storage/DBTasks.java b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/storage/DBTasks.java
index b1aff5594..b02e621ae 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/storage/DBTasks.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/storage/DBTasks.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.service.download.DownloadStatus;
 import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.service.playback.PlaybackService;
 import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.util.DownloadError;
 import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.util.NetworkUtils;
+import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.util.PowerUtils;
 import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.util.QueueAccess;
 import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.util.comparator.FeedItemPubdateComparator;
 import de.danoeh.antennapod.core.util.exception.MediaFileNotFoundException;
@@ -449,7 +450,8 @@ public final class DBTasks {
     /**
      * Looks for undownloaded episodes in the queue or list of unread items and request a download if
      * 1. Network is available
-     * 2. There is free space in the episode cache
+     * 2. The device is charging or the user allows auto download on battery
+     * 3. There is free space in the episode cache
      * This method is executed on an internal single thread executor.
      *
      * @param context  Used for accessing the DB.
@@ -463,8 +465,10 @@ public final class DBTasks {
             public void run() {
                 if (BuildConfig.DEBUG)
                     Log.d(TAG, "Performing auto-dl of undownloaded episodes");
-                if (NetworkUtils.autodownloadNetworkAvailable(context)
-                        && UserPreferences.isEnableAutodownload()) {
+                if ((NetworkUtils.autodownloadNetworkAvailable(context)
+                        && UserPreferences.isEnableAutodownload())
+                     && (PowerUtils.deviceCharging(context)
+                        || UserPreferences.isEnableAutodownloadOnBattery())) {
                     final List<FeedItem> queue = DBReader.getQueue(context);
                     final List<FeedItem> unreadItems = DBReader
                             .getUnreadItemsList(context);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/util/PowerUtils.java b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/util/PowerUtils.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..39deea36a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/util/PowerUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+package de.danoeh.antennapod.core.util;
+
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.Intent;
+import android.content.IntentFilter;
+import android.os.BatteryManager;
+
+/**
+ * Created by Tom on 1/5/15.
+ */
+public class PowerUtils {
+
+    private static final String TAG = "PowerUtils";
+
+    private PowerUtils() {
+
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return true if the device is charging
+     */
+    public static boolean deviceCharging(Context context) {
+        // from http://developer.android.com/training/monitoring-device-state/battery-monitoring.html
+        IntentFilter iFilter = new IntentFilter(Intent.ACTION_BATTERY_CHANGED);
+        Intent batteryStatus = context.registerReceiver(null, iFilter);
+
+        int status = batteryStatus.getIntExtra(BatteryManager.EXTRA_STATUS, -1);
+        return (status == BatteryManager.BATTERY_STATUS_CHARGING ||
+                status == BatteryManager.BATTERY_STATUS_FULL);
+
+    }
+}
diff --git a/core/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/core/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 75376cef8..dcad6c201 100644
--- a/core/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/core/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -235,6 +235,8 @@
     <string name="pref_automatic_download_sum">Configure the automatic download of episodes.</string>
     <string name="pref_autodl_wifi_filter_title">Enable Wi-Fi filter</string>
     <string name="pref_autodl_wifi_filter_sum">Allow automatic download only for selected Wi-Fi networks.</string>
+    <string name="pref_automatic_download_on_battery_title">Automatic download on battery</string>
+    <string name="pref_automatic_download_on_battery_sum">Allow automatic download while on battery</string>
     <string name="pref_episode_cache_title">Episode cache</string>
     <string name="pref_theme_title_light">Light</string>
     <string name="pref_theme_title_dark">Dark</string>