Index: app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
===================================================================
--- app/controllers/issues_controller.rb	(revision 2761)
+++ app/controllers/issues_controller.rb	(working copy)
@@ -148,9 +148,9 @@
     @issue.status = default_status
     @allowed_statuses = ([default_status] + default_status.find_new_statuses_allowed_to(User.current.roles_for_project(@project), @issue.tracker)).uniq
     
-    if request.get? || request.xhr?
+    if (request.get? || request.xhr?) && Setting.issue_startdate_is_adddate?
       @issue.start_date ||= Date.today
-    else
+    elsif !request.get? && !request.xhr?
       requested_status = IssueStatus.find_by_id(params[:issue][:status_id])
       # Check that the user is allowed to apply the requested status
       @issue.status = (@allowed_statuses.include? requested_status) ? requested_status : default_status
Index: app/views/settings/_issues.rhtml
===================================================================
--- app/views/settings/_issues.rhtml	(revision 2761)
+++ app/views/settings/_issues.rhtml	(working copy)
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 <p><label><%= l(:setting_display_subprojects_issues) %></label>
 <%= check_box_tag 'settings[display_subprojects_issues]', 1, Setting.display_subprojects_issues? %><%= hidden_field_tag 'settings[display_subprojects_issues]', 0 %></p>
 
+<p><label><%= l(:setting_issue_startdate_is_adddate) %></label>
+<%= check_box_tag 'settings[issue_startdate_is_adddate]', 1, Setting.issue_startdate_is_adddate? %><%= hidden_field_tag 'settings[issue_startdate_is_adddate]', 0 %></p>
+
 <p><label><%= l(:setting_issues_export_limit) %></label>
 <%= text_field_tag 'settings[issues_export_limit]', Setting.issues_export_limit, :size => 6 %></p>
 </div>
Index: config/settings.yml
===================================================================
--- config/settings.yml	(revision 2761)
+++ config/settings.yml	(working copy)
@@ -157,3 +157,5 @@
   default: 0
 openid:
   default: 0
+issue_startdate_is_adddate:
+  default: 0
Index: config/locales/en.yml
===================================================================
--- config/locales/en.yml	(revision 2761)
+++ config/locales/en.yml	(working copy)
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@
   setting_openid: Allow OpenID login and registration
   setting_password_min_length: Minimum password length
   setting_new_project_user_role_id: Role given to a non-admin user who creates a project
+  setting_issue_startdate_is_adddate: Use todays date as start date for new issues (otherwise leave empty, default)
   
   permission_add_project: Create project
   permission_edit_project: Edit project