diff --git a/collects/drracket/private/module-language.rkt b/collects/drracket/private/module-language.rkt
index 41867efe46..eaa28c32d7 100644
--- a/collects/drracket/private/module-language.rkt
+++ b/collects/drracket/private/module-language.rkt
@@ -2294,4 +2294,7 @@
        (connect-to-prefs read-choice 'drracket:online-expansion:read-in-defs-errors)
        (connect-to-prefs var-choice 'drracket:online-expansion:variable-errors)
        (connect-to-prefs other-choice 'drracket:online-expansion:other-errors)
+       (preferences:add-check parent-vp
+                              'drracket:syncheck:show-arrows?
+                              (string-constant show-arrows-on-mouseover))
        parent-vp))))
diff --git a/collects/drracket/private/syncheck/gui.rkt b/collects/drracket/private/syncheck/gui.rkt
index 92ef1c77cc..93c2615354 100644
--- a/collects/drracket/private/syncheck/gui.rkt
+++ b/collects/drracket/private/syncheck/gui.rkt
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ If the namespace does not, they are colored the unbound color.
    'drracket:check-syntax-error-report-window-percentage 
    1/10
    number-between-zero-and-one?))
+(preferences:set-default 'drracket:syncheck:show-arrows? #t boolean?)
 
 (define (syncheck-add-to-preferences-panel parent)
   (color-prefs:build-color-selection-panel parent
@@ -726,7 +727,8 @@ If the namespace does not, they are colored the unbound color.
             (define/public (syncheck:add-arrow start-text start-pos-left start-pos-right
                                                end-text end-pos-left end-pos-right
                                                actual? level)
-              (when arrow-records
+              (when (and arrow-records
+                         (preferences:get 'drracket:syncheck:show-arrows?))
                 (when (add-to-bindings-table
                        start-text start-pos-left start-pos-right
                        end-text end-pos-left end-pos-right)
@@ -738,7 +740,8 @@ If the namespace does not, they are colored the unbound color.
             
             ;; syncheck:add-tail-arrow : text number text number -> void
             (define/public (syncheck:add-tail-arrow from-text from-pos to-text to-pos)
-              (when arrow-records
+              (when (and arrow-records
+                         (preferences:get 'drracket:syncheck:show-arrows?))
                 (let ([tail-arrow (make-tail-arrow to-text to-pos from-text from-pos)])
                   (add-to-range/key from-text from-pos (+ from-pos 1) tail-arrow #f #f)
                   (add-to-range/key to-text to-pos (+ to-pos 1) tail-arrow #f #f))))
diff --git a/collects/string-constants/private/english-string-constants.rkt b/collects/string-constants/private/english-string-constants.rkt
index 88a27e61f2..6ff3feba9d 100644
--- a/collects/string-constants/private/english-string-constants.rkt
+++ b/collects/string-constants/private/english-string-constants.rkt
@@ -241,10 +241,10 @@ please adhere to these guidelines:
   
  (jump-to-error "Jump to Error")
  (online-expansion-is-disabled "Background expansion is disabled")
- ;; these next two show up in the bar along the bottom of the drracket window
+ ; these next two show up in the bar along the bottom of the drracket window
  (online-expansion-pending "Background expansion pending ...")
  (online-expansion-finished "Background expansion finished") ;; note: there may still be errors in this case
- ;; the next two show up in a menu when you click on the circle in the bottom right corner
+ ; the next two show up in a menu when you click on the circle in the bottom right corner
  (disable-online-expansion "Disable background expansion")
  (enable-online-expansion "Enable background expansion")
  ;; the online expansion preferences pane
@@ -256,6 +256,8 @@ please adhere to these guidelines:
  ; locations the errors can be shown
  (online-expansion-error-gold-highlight "with gold highlighting")
  (online-expansion-error-margin "in the margin")
+ ; the label of a preference in the (string-constant online-expansion) section
+ (show-arrows-on-mouseover "Show binding and tail-position arrows on mouseover")
  ;;; info bar at botttom of drscheme frame
  (collect-button-label "GC")
   (read-only "Read only")