diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 1061bc16c1..eb03e1f592 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -1228,6 +1228,9 @@ void Application::initMenu() {
     (_renderAtmosphereOn = renderMenu->addAction("Atmosphere"))->setCheckable(true);
     _renderAtmosphereOn->setChecked(true);
     _renderAtmosphereOn->setShortcut(Qt::SHIFT | Qt::Key_A);
+    (_renderGroundPlaneOn = renderMenu->addAction("Ground Plane"))->setCheckable(true);
+    _renderGroundPlaneOn->setChecked(true);
+    _renderGroundPlaneOn->setShortcut(Qt::SHIFT | Qt::Key_G);
     (_renderAvatarsOn = renderMenu->addAction("Avatars"))->setCheckable(true);
     _renderAvatarsOn->setChecked(true);
     (_renderAvatarBalls = renderMenu->addAction("Avatar as Balls"))->setCheckable(true);
@@ -1950,8 +1953,9 @@ void Application::displaySide(Camera& whichCamera) {
     glPopMatrix();
 
     //draw a grid ground plane....
-    drawGroundPlaneGrid(EDGE_SIZE_GROUND_PLANE);
-    
+    if (_renderGroundPlaneOn->isChecked()) {
+        drawGroundPlaneGrid(EDGE_SIZE_GROUND_PLANE);
+    } 
     //  Draw voxels
     if (_renderVoxels->isChecked()) {
         _voxels.render(_renderVoxelTextures->isChecked());
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index dd6a058823..4f33f8fb1e 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ private:
     QAction* _renderVoxelTextures;   // Whether to render noise textures on voxels
     QAction* _renderStarsOn;         // Whether to display the stars 
     QAction* _renderAtmosphereOn;    // Whether to display the atmosphere
+    QAction* _renderGroundPlaneOn;   // Whether to display the ground plane
     QAction* _renderAvatarsOn;       // Whether to render avatars
     QAction* _renderStatsOn;         // Whether to show onscreen text overlay with stats
     QAction* _renderFrameTimerOn;    // Whether to show onscreen text overlay with stats