diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,11 +12,16 @@
 
 set(CMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE OFF)
 
+# Synchronizer is enabled by default, unless disabled from the command line (-DENABLE_SYNCHRONIZER=OFF)
+option(ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZER "Enable Synchronizer" ON)
+
 # if an old setting is being used, use the setting that complies with the structure of other Krusader settings
-if (ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZER)
+if(ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZER)
     set(SYNCHRONIZER_ENABLED TRUE)
     add_definitions( "-DSYNCHRONIZER_ENABLED" )    
-endif(ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZER)
+else()
+    set(SYNCHRONIZER_ENABLED FALSE)
+endif()
 
 add_definitions(${QT_DEFINITIONS} ${KDE4_DEFINITIONS})
 add_definitions( "-DKRARC_ENABLED" )
diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -117,7 +117,10 @@
  An other example is: -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PRFIX=/opt/krusader
  to install the compiled Krusader in an other directory to not overwrite
  the Krusader version installed by your package manager. 
-
+ 
+-DENABLE_SYNCHRONIZER=OFF
+ disables building the Synchronizer module. This module caused data loss, now
+ it is fixed, but we treat it as the thin ice. 
 
 $ tar -xzvf krusader_kde4.tar.gz
 $ cd krusader_kde4