diff --git a/common/locales/en/character.json b/common/locales/en/character.json
index 4e3f8a4645..dfb6cfab20 100644
--- a/common/locales/en/character.json
+++ b/common/locales/en/character.json
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
     "classEquipBonus": "Class Bonus",
     "battleGear": "Battle Gear",
     "battleGearText": "This is the gear you wear into battle; it affects numbers when interacting with your tasks.",
+    "autoEquipBattleGear": "Auto-equip new gear",
     "costume": "Costume",
     "costumeText": "If you prefer the look of other gear to what you have equipped, check the \"Use Costume\" box to visually don a costume while wearing your battle gear underneath.",
     "useCostume": "Use Costume",
diff --git a/common/script/index.coffee b/common/script/index.coffee
index 4ed93b832a..473167bc2e 100644
--- a/common/script/index.coffee
+++ b/common/script/index.coffee
@@ -978,7 +978,7 @@ api.wrap = (user, main=true) ->
             message = i18n.t('armoireExp', req.language)
             armoireResp = {"type": "experience", "value": armoireExp}
         else
-          user.items.gear.equipped[item.type] = item.key
+          if user.preferences.autoEquip then user.items.gear.equipped[item.type] = item.key
           user.items.gear.owned[item.key] = true
           message = user.fns.handleTwoHanded(item, null, req)
           message ?= i18n.t('messageBought', {itemText: item.text(req.language)}, req.language)
diff --git a/test/common/algos.mocha.coffee b/test/common/algos.mocha.coffee
index 5f98890666..642156b752 100644
--- a/test/common/algos.mocha.coffee
+++ b/test/common/algos.mocha.coffee
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ newUser = (addTasks=true)->
       quest:
         progress:
           down: 0
-    preferences: {}
+    preferences: {
+      autoEquip: true
+    }
     dailys: []
     todos: []
     rewards: []
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ describe 'User', ->
     buffs = {per:0, int:0, con:0, str:0, stealth: 0, streaks: false}
     expect(user.stats).to.eql { str: 1, con: 1, per: 1, int: 1, hp: 50, mp: 32, lvl: 1, exp: 0, gp: 0, class: 'warrior', buffs: buffs }
     expect(user.items.gear).to.eql { equipped: base_gear, costume: base_gear, owned: {weapon_warrior_0: true} }
-    expect(user.preferences).to.eql { costume: false }
+    expect(user.preferences).to.eql { autoEquip: true, costume: false }
 
   it 'calculates max MP', ->
     user = newUser()
@@ -392,33 +394,6 @@ describe 'User', ->
         }
 
   describe 'store', ->
-    it 'recovers hp buying potions', ->
-      user = newUser()
-      user.stats.hp = 30
-      user.stats.gp = 50
-      user.ops.buy {params: {key: 'potion'}}
-      expect(user).toHaveHP 45
-      expect(user).toHaveGP 25
-
-      user.ops.buy {params: {key: 'potion'}}
-      expect(user).toHaveHP 50 # don't exceed max hp
-      expect(user).toHaveGP 0
-
-    it 'buys equipment', ->
-      user = newUser()
-      user.stats.gp = 31
-      user.ops.buy {params: {key: 'armor_warrior_1'}}
-      expect(user.items.gear.owned).to.eql { weapon_warrior_0: true, armor_warrior_1: true }
-      expect(user.items.gear.equipped).to.eql { armor: 'armor_warrior_1', weapon: 'weapon_base_0', head: 'head_base_0', shield: 'shield_base_0' }
-      expect(user).toHaveGP 1
-
-    it 'does not buy equipment without enough Gold', ->
-      user = newUser()
-      user.stats.gp = 1
-      user.ops.buy {params: {key: 'armor_warrior_1'}}
-      expect(user.items.gear.equipped).to.eql { armor: 'armor_base_0', weapon: 'weapon_base_0', head: 'head_base_0', shield: 'shield_base_0' }
-      expect(user).toHaveGP 1
-
     it 'buys a Quest scroll', ->
       user = newUser()
       user.stats.gp = 205
diff --git a/test/common/user.fns.buy.test.js b/test/common/user.fns.buy.test.js
index bcfe333d27..05f7abb78d 100644
--- a/test/common/user.fns.buy.test.js
+++ b/test/common/user.fns.buy.test.js
@@ -16,9 +16,13 @@ describe('user.fns.buy', function() {
         gear: {
           owned: {
             weapon_warrior_0: true
+          },
+          equipped: {
+            weapon_warrior_0: true
           }
         }
       },
+      preferences: {},
       stats: { gp: 200 },
       achievements: { },
       flags: { }
@@ -36,13 +40,77 @@ describe('user.fns.buy', function() {
   });
 
   context('Potion', function() {
-    it('recovers hp');
+    it('recovers 15 hp', function() {
+      user.stats.hp = 30;
+      user.ops.buy({params: {key: 'potion'}});
+      expect(user.stats.hp).to.eql(45);
+    });
+
+    it('does not increase hp above 50', function() {
+      user.stats.hp = 45;
+      user.ops.buy({params: {key: 'potion'}});
+      expect(user.stats.hp).to.eql(50);
+    });
+
+    it('deducts 25 gp', function() {
+      user.stats.hp = 45;
+      user.ops.buy({params: {key: 'potion'}});
+
+      expect(user.stats.gp).to.eql(175);
+    });
+
+    it('does not purchase if not enough gp', function() {
+      user.stats.hp = 45;
+      user.stats.gp = 5;
+      user.ops.buy({params: {key: 'potion'}});
+
+      expect(user.stats.hp).to.eql(45);
+      expect(user.stats.gp).to.eql(5);
+    });
   });
 
   context('Gear', function() {
-    it('buys equipment');
+    it('adds equipment to inventory', function() {
+      user.stats.gp = 31;
 
-    it('does not buy equipment without enough Gold');
+      user.ops.buy({params: {key: 'armor_warrior_1'}});
+
+      expect(user.items.gear.owned).to.eql({ weapon_warrior_0: true, armor_warrior_1: true });
+    });
+
+    it('deducts gold from user', function() {
+      user.stats.gp = 31;
+
+      user.ops.buy({params: {key: 'armor_warrior_1'}});
+
+      expect(user.stats.gp).to.eql(1);
+    });
+
+    it('auto equips equipment if user has auto-equip preference turned on', function() {
+      user.stats.gp = 31;
+      user.preferences.autoEquip = true;
+
+      user.ops.buy({params: {key: 'armor_warrior_1'}});
+
+      expect(user.items.gear.equipped).to.have.property('armor', 'armor_warrior_1');
+    });
+
+    it('buys equipment but does not auto-equip', function() {
+      user.stats.gp = 31;
+      user.preferences.autoEquip = false;
+
+      user.ops.buy({params: {key: 'armor_warrior_1'}});
+
+      expect(user.items.gear.equipped).to.not.have.property('armor');
+    });
+
+    it('does not buy equipment without enough Gold', function() {
+      user.stats.gp = 20;
+
+      user.ops.buy({params: {key: 'armor_warrior_1'}});
+
+      expect(user.items.gear.owned).to.not.have.property('armor_warrior_1');
+    });
   });
 
   context('Quests', function() {
diff --git a/website/src/models/user.js b/website/src/models/user.js
index fbcf62ec8c..d55a06c2d1 100644
--- a/website/src/models/user.js
+++ b/website/src/models/user.js
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ var UserSchema = new Schema({
     language: String,
     automaticAllocation: Boolean,
     allocationMode: {type:String, enum: ['flat','classbased','taskbased'], 'default': 'flat'},
+    autoEquip: {type: Boolean, 'default': true},
     costume: Boolean,
     dateFormat: {type: String, enum:['MM/dd/yyyy', 'dd/MM/yyyy', 'yyyy/MM/dd'], 'default': 'MM/dd/yyyy'},
     sleep: {type: Boolean, 'default': false},
diff --git a/website/views/options/inventory/equipment.jade b/website/views/options/inventory/equipment.jade
index ba45f9a693..8d77a25a8b 100644
--- a/website/views/options/inventory/equipment.jade
+++ b/website/views/options/inventory/equipment.jade
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@
       h3.equipment-title.hint(popover-trigger='mouseenter',
         popover-placement='right', popover-append-to-body='true',
         popover=env.t('battleGearText'))=env.t('battleGear')
+      
+      .checkbox.equipment-title
+        label
+          input(type="checkbox", ng-model="user.preferences.autoEquip",
+            ng-change='set({"preferences.autoEquip":user.preferences.autoEquip ? true : false})')
+          |  
+          =env.t('autoEquipBattleGear')
 
       div
         button.btn.btn-default(type="button", ng-click='dequip("battleGear");') {{env.t("unequipBattleGear")}}