diff --git a/backend.php b/backend.php
index ed8ab6c18..edef18a03 100644
--- a/backend.php
+++ b/backend.php
@@ -1621,28 +1621,32 @@
 
 		} else {
 
-			print "<form action=\"backend.php\" method=\"POST\">";
+			if (!SINGLE_USER_MODE) {
 
-			print "<table width=\"100%\" class=\"prefPrefsList\">";
- 			print "<tr><td colspan='3'><h3>Authentication</h3></tr></td>";
+				print "<form action=\"backend.php\" method=\"POST\">";
+	
+				print "<table width=\"100%\" class=\"prefPrefsList\">";
+	 			print "<tr><td colspan='3'><h3>Authentication</h3></tr></td>";
+	
+				print "<tr><td width=\"40%\">Old password</td>";
+				print "<td><input class=\"editbox\" type=\"password\"
+					name=\"OLD_PASSWORD\"></td></tr>";
+	
+				print "<tr><td width=\"40%\">New password</td>";
+				
+				print "<td><input class=\"editbox\" type=\"password\"
+					name=\"NEW_PASSWORD\"></td></tr>";
+	
+				print "</table>";
+	
+				print "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"op\" value=\"pref-prefs\">";
+	
+				print "<p><input class=\"button\" type=\"submit\" 
+					value=\"Change password\" name=\"subop\">";
+	
+				print "</form>";
 
-			print "<tr><td width=\"40%\">Old password</td>";
-			print "<td><input class=\"editbox\" type=\"password\"
-				name=\"OLD_PASSWORD\"></td></tr>";
-
-			print "<tr><td width=\"40%\">New password</td>";
-			
-			print "<td><input class=\"editbox\" type=\"password\"
-				name=\"NEW_PASSWORD\"></td></tr>";
-
-			print "</table>";
-
-			print "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"op\" value=\"pref-prefs\">";
-
-			print "<p><input class=\"button\" type=\"submit\" 
-				value=\"Change password\" name=\"subop\">";
-
-			print "</form>";
+			}
 
 			$result = db_query($link, "SELECT 
 				ttrss_user_prefs.pref_name,short_desc,help_text,value,type_name,
diff --git a/config.php-dist b/config.php-dist
index 8e34e7b2c..9cea364dd 100644
--- a/config.php-dist
+++ b/config.php-dist
@@ -16,5 +16,9 @@
 
 	define(USE_HTTP_AUTH, false);
 	// use HTTP Basic authentication
-?>
 
+	define(SINGLE_USER_MODE, true);
+	// disable all multi-user stuff altogether and just assume admin user
+	// is always logged in
+
+?>
diff --git a/prefs.php b/prefs.php
index 837cf584f..f6b862f07 100644
--- a/prefs.php
+++ b/prefs.php
@@ -8,15 +8,22 @@
 
 	$link = db_connect(DB_HOST, DB_USER, DB_PASS, DB_NAME);	
 
-	if (!USE_HTTP_AUTH) {
-		if (!$_SESSION["uid"]) {
-			header("Location: login.php");
-			exit;
+	if (!SINGLE_USER_MODE) {
+
+		if (!USE_HTTP_AUTH) {
+			if (!$_SESSION["uid"]) {
+				header("Location: login.php");
+				exit;
+			}
+		} else {
+			authenticate_user($link);
 		}
 	} else {
-		authenticate_user($link);
+		$_SESSION["uid"] = 1;
+		$_SESSION["name"] = "admin";
 	}
 
+
 	initialize_user_prefs($link, $_SESSION["uid"]); 
 	// FIXME this needs to be moved somewhere after user creation
 
@@ -61,7 +68,9 @@
 				<div id="notify"><span id="notify_body"></div>
 			</td>
 		</tr><tr><td class="welcomePrompt">
+			<? if (!SINGLE_USER_MODE) { ?>
 			Hello, <b><?= $_SESSION["name"] ?></b> (<a href="logout.php">Logout</a>)</td>
+			<? } ?>
 		</tr></table>
 	</td>
 </tr>
diff --git a/tt-rss.php b/tt-rss.php
index 9348944f6..6dd4195fa 100644
--- a/tt-rss.php
+++ b/tt-rss.php
@@ -8,13 +8,19 @@
 
 	$link = db_connect(DB_HOST, DB_USER, DB_PASS, DB_NAME);	
 
-	if (!USE_HTTP_AUTH) {
-		if (!$_SESSION["uid"]) {
-			header("Location: login.php");
-			exit;
+	if (!SINGLE_USER_MODE) {
+
+		if (!USE_HTTP_AUTH) {
+			if (!$_SESSION["uid"]) {
+				header("Location: login.php");
+				exit;
+			}
+		} else {
+			authenticate_user($link);
 		}
 	} else {
-		authenticate_user($link);
+		$_SESSION["uid"] = 1;
+		$_SESSION["name"] = "admin";
 	}
 
 	initialize_user_prefs($link, $_SESSION["uid"]); 
@@ -70,7 +76,9 @@
 				<div id="notify"><span id="notify_body"></div>
 			</td>
 		</tr><tr><td class="welcomePrompt">
+			<? if (!SINGLE_USER_MODE) { ?>
 			Hello, <b><?= $_SESSION["name"] ?></b> (<a href="logout.php">Logout</a>)</td>
+			<? } ?>
 		</tr></table>
 	</td>
 </tr>