diff --git a/inc/config.php b/inc/config.php
index c2a68e6c..721cff41 100644
--- a/inc/config.php
+++ b/inc/config.php
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@
 	// Number of news entries to display per page
 	$config['mod']['news_page'] = 40;
 	
-	// Number of results to dispaly per page
+	// Number of results to display per page
 	$config['mod']['search_page'] = 200;
 	
 	// How many entries to show per page in the moderator noticeboard
@@ -868,6 +868,8 @@
 	// Number of entries to summarize and display on the dashboard
 	$config['mod']['noticeboard_dashboard'] = 5;
 	
+	// Check public ban message by default
+	$config['mod']['check_ban_message'] = false;
 	// Default public ban message
 	$config['mod']['default_ban_message'] = 'USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST';
 	// What to append to the post for public bans ("%s" is the message)
diff --git a/templates/mod/ban_form.html b/templates/mod/ban_form.html
index edc1ab3b..6c7560ad 100644
--- a/templates/mod/ban_form.html
+++ b/templates/mod/ban_form.html
@@ -41,11 +41,11 @@
 					<label for="reason">{% trans 'Message' %}</label>
 				</th>
 				<td>
-					<input type="checkbox" id="public_message" name="public_message"> 
+					<input type="checkbox" id="public_message" name="public_message"{% if config.mod.check_ban_message %} checked{% endif %}> 
 					<input type="text" name="message" id="message" size="35" maxlength="200" value="{{ config.mod.default_ban_message|e }}"> 
 					<span class="unimportant">({% trans 'public; attached to post' %})</span>
 					<script type="text/javascript">
-						document.getElementById('message').disabled = true;
+						document.getElementById('message').disabled = !document.getElementById('public_message').checked;
 						document.getElementById('public_message').onchange = function() {
 							document.getElementById('message').disabled = !this.checked;
 						}