diff --git a/sim_video.c b/sim_video.c
index 25762bbb..f4a54dd4 100644
--- a/sim_video.c
+++ b/sim_video.c
@@ -1964,11 +1964,24 @@ if (!initialized) {
     eventtypes[SDL_USEREVENT] = "USEREVENT";
 
     /** 
-     * For consistency with behavior since SDL 2.0.2, we disable 
-     * the screen saver when a video display is enabled.
+     * The SDL_HINT_VIDEO_ALLOW_SCREENSAVER at init time enables 
+     * the screensaver.  Once a video window is created, we default 
+     * to being consistent with behavior since SDL 2.0.2 and we disable 
+     * the screen saver.
+     * 
+     * We allow an environment variable SDL_VIDEO_ALLOW_SCREENSAVER 
+     * to specifically change this to enable the screensaver if the 
+     * value is "1".
      */
-    if (SDL_IsScreenSaverEnabled () == SDL_TRUE)
-        SDL_DisableScreenSaver ();
+    if ((getenv ("SDL_VIDEO_ALLOW_SCREENSAVER") == NULL) ||
+        (strcmp (getenv ("SDL_VIDEO_ALLOW_SCREENSAVER"), "1") != 0)) {
+        if (SDL_IsScreenSaverEnabled () == SDL_TRUE)
+            SDL_DisableScreenSaver ();
+        }
+    else {
+        if (SDL_IsScreenSaverEnabled () == SDL_FALSE)
+            SDL_EnableScreenSaver ();
+        }
     }
 
 sim_debug (SIM_VID_DBG_VIDEO|SIM_VID_DBG_KEY|SIM_VID_DBG_MOUSE, vptr0->vid_dev, "vid_thread() - Starting\n");