diff --git a/applet.cpp b/applet.cpp
index dffbfb1f2..178483e20 100644
--- a/applet.cpp
+++ b/applet.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ class Applet::Private
             : appletId( uniqueID ),
               globalConfig( 0 ),
               appletConfig( 0 ),
-              appletDescription(new KPluginInfo(appletDescription))
+              appletDescription(new KPluginInfo(appletDescription)),
+              immutable(false)
         {
             if (appletId > s_maxAppletId) {
                 s_maxAppletId = appletId;
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ class Applet::Private
         QList<QObject*> watchedForFocus;
         QStringList loadedEngines;
         static uint s_maxAppletId;
+        bool immutable;
 };
 
 uint Applet::Private::s_maxAppletId = 0;
@@ -81,6 +83,7 @@ Applet::Applet(QGraphicsItem *parent,
           QGraphicsItem(parent),
           d(new Private(KService::serviceByStorageId(serviceID), appletId))
 {
+    init();
 }
 
 Applet::Applet(QObject* parent, const QStringList& args)
@@ -88,6 +91,7 @@ Applet::Applet(QObject* parent, const QStringList& args)
       QGraphicsItem(0),
       d(new Private(KService::serviceByStorageId(args[0]), args[1].toInt()))
 {
+    init();
     // the brain damage seen in the initialization list is due to the 
     // inflexibility of KService::createInstance
 }
@@ -98,6 +102,12 @@ Applet::~Applet()
     delete d;
 }
 
+void Applet::init()
+{
+    setImmutable(globalAppletConfig().isImmutable() ||
+                 appletConfig().isImmutable());
+}
+
 KConfigGroup Applet::appletConfig() const
 {
     if ( !d->appletConfig ) {
@@ -141,11 +151,21 @@ void Applet::constraintsUpdated()
     kDebug() << "Applet::constraintsUpdate(): constraints are FormFactor: " << formFactor() << ", Location: " << location() << endl;
 }
 
-QString Applet::name()
+QString Applet::name() const
 {
     return d->appletDescription->name();
 }
 
+bool Applet::immutable() const
+{
+    return d->immutable;
+}
+
+void Applet::setImmutable(bool immutable)
+{
+    d->immutable = immutable;
+}
+
 void Applet::paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *option, QWidget *widget)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(painter)
@@ -199,7 +219,7 @@ void Applet::watchForFocus(QObject *widget, bool watch)
     }
 }
 
-void Applet::needsFocus( bool focus )
+void Applet::needsFocus(bool focus)
 {
     if (focus == QGraphicsItem::hasFocus()) {
         return;
diff --git a/applet.h b/applet.h
index bd5bd0eee..3097e3d64 100644
--- a/applet.h
+++ b/applet.h
@@ -174,7 +174,19 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public QObject, public QGraphicsItem
          * .desktop file.
          * @return the user-visible name for the applet.
          **/
-        QString name();
+        QString name() const;
+
+        /**
+         * @return true if this applet is immutable
+         **/
+        bool immutable() const;
+
+        /** 
+         * Sets whether or not this applet is immutable or not
+         *
+         * @arg immutable true if this applet should not be changable
+         **/
+        void setImmutable(bool immutable);
 
         /**
          * Reimplemented from QGraphicsItem
@@ -230,7 +242,7 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public QObject, public QGraphicsItem
         * @see watchForFocus
         * @param focus whether to or not to request focus
         */
-        void needsFocus( bool focus );
+        void needsFocus(bool focus);
 
         /**
          * @internal event filter; used for focus watching
@@ -238,6 +250,8 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Applet : public QObject, public QGraphicsItem
         bool eventFilter( QObject *o, QEvent *e );
 
     private:
+        void init();
+
         class Private;
         Private* const d;
 };