diff --git a/Sources/Logging.php b/Sources/Logging.php
index c5c20a0c79..713613cfb5 100644
--- a/Sources/Logging.php
+++ b/Sources/Logging.php
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ function writeLog($force = false)
 		logSpider();
 	}
 
+	// Don't log guests anymore - helps during bot attacks.
+	if (!empty($modSettings['no_guest_logging']) && !empty($user_info['is_guest']))
+		return;
+
 	// Don't mark them as online more than every so often.
 	if (!empty($_SESSION['log_time']) && $_SESSION['log_time'] >= (time() - 8) && !$force)
 		return;
diff --git a/Sources/ManageSettings.php b/Sources/ManageSettings.php
index 0016ab1850..4fd953ff43 100644
--- a/Sources/ManageSettings.php
+++ b/Sources/ManageSettings.php
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@ function ModifyBasicSettings($return_config = false)
 		array('check', 'hitStats'),
 		'',
 
-		// Guest stats.
+		// Guest stats
+		array('check', 'no_guest_logging'),
 		array('check', 'no_guest_views'),
 		'',
 
diff --git a/Themes/default/BoardIndex.template.php b/Themes/default/BoardIndex.template.php
index 9cc7b30257..74fe030c66 100644
--- a/Themes/default/BoardIndex.template.php
+++ b/Themes/default/BoardIndex.template.php
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ function template_ic_block_online()
 				</h4>
 			</div>
 			<p class="inline">
-				', $context['show_who'] ? '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?action=who">' : '', '<strong>', $txt['online'], ': </strong>', comma_format($context['num_guests']), ' ', $context['num_guests'] == 1 ? $txt['guest'] : $txt['guests'], ', ', comma_format($context['num_users_online']), ' ', $context['num_users_online'] == 1 ? $txt['user'] : $txt['users'];
+				', $context['show_who'] ? '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?action=who">' : '', '<strong>', $txt['online'], ': </strong>', empty($modSettings['no_guest_logging']) ? comma_format($context['num_guests']) . ' ' . ($context['num_guests'] == 1 ? $txt['guest'] : $txt['guests']) . ', ' : '', comma_format($context['num_users_online']), ' ', $context['num_users_online'] == 1 ? $txt['user'] : $txt['users'];
 
 	// Handle hidden users and buddies.
 	$bracketList = array();
diff --git a/Themes/default/languages/Help.english.php b/Themes/default/languages/Help.english.php
index 386dfefcec..fdc37f3fb2 100644
--- a/Themes/default/languages/Help.english.php
+++ b/Themes/default/languages/Help.english.php
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@
 // argument(s): scripturl
 $helptxt['who_enabled'] = 'This setting allows you to turn on or off the <a href="%1$s?action=who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Who\'s Online</a> page, which shows who is browsing the forum and what they are doing.';
 
+$helptxt['no_guest_logging'] = 'This setting prevents guests from being included in the Users Online counts. Guest and bot activity can cause excessive IO, so this may help during a bot attack.';
 $helptxt['no_guest_views'] = 'This setting disables incrementing views for guests as well as bots.  Bot activity can cause excessive IO, and is often disguised as guest activity, so this may help during a bot attack.';
 
 $helptxt['recycle_enable'] = '&quot;Recycles&quot; deleted topics and posts to the specified board.';
diff --git a/Themes/default/languages/ManageSettings.english.php b/Themes/default/languages/ManageSettings.english.php
index 7d44d145d7..e2cb867dcd 100755
--- a/Themes/default/languages/ManageSettings.english.php
+++ b/Themes/default/languages/ManageSettings.english.php
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@
 $txt['timeLoadPageEnable'] = 'Display time taken to create every page';
 $txt['disableHostnameLookup'] = 'Disable hostname lookups';
 $txt['who_enabled'] = 'Enable who\'s online list';
+$txt['no_guest_logging'] = 'Do not include guests or bots in Users Online stats';
 $txt['no_guest_views'] = 'Disable counting views for guests and bots';
 $txt['meta_keywords'] = 'Meta keywords associated with forum';
 $txt['meta_keywords_note'] = 'For search engines. Leave blank for default.';