diff --git a/constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh b/constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh
index 55307cd3..c75788eb 100644
--- a/constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh
+++ b/constructor/nsis/OptionsDialog.nsh
@@ -10,12 +10,14 @@ Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.AddToPath
 Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.RegisterSystemPython
 Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.PostInstall
 Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.ClearPkgCache
+Var mui_AnaCustomOptions.CreateShortcuts
 
 # These are the checkbox states, to be used by the installer
 Var Ana_AddToPath_State
 Var Ana_RegisterSystemPython_State
 Var Ana_PostInstall_State
 Var Ana_ClearPkgCache_State
+Var Ana_CreateShortcuts_State
 
 Var Ana_AddToPath_Label
 Var Ana_RegisterSystemPython_Label
@@ -37,6 +39,9 @@ Function mui_AnaCustomOptions_InitDefaults
         ${Else}
             StrCpy $Ana_RegisterSystemPython_State ${BST_CHECKED}
         ${EndIf}
+	${If} $Ana_CreateShortcuts_State == ""
+        StrCpy $Ana_CreateShortcuts_State ${BST_CHECKED}
+    ${EndIf}
     ${EndIf}
 FunctionEnd
 
@@ -60,6 +65,12 @@ Function mui_AnaCustomOptions_Show
         "Advanced Installation Options" \
         "Customize how ${NAME} integrates with Windows"
 
+
+    ${NSD_CreateCheckbox} 0 0u 100% 11u "Create start menu shortcuts (supported packages only)."
+    Pop $mui_AnaCustomOptions.CreateShortcuts
+    ${NSD_SetState} $mui_AnaCustomOptions.CreateShortcuts $Ana_CreateShortcuts_State
+    ${NSD_OnClick} $mui_AnaCustomOptions.CreateShortcuts CreateShortcuts_OnClick
+	
     ${If} $InstMode = ${JUST_ME}
         StrCpy $1 "my"
     ${Else}
@@ -188,3 +199,9 @@ Function ClearPkgCache_OnClick
     ${EndIf}
     ShowWindow $Ana_ClearPkgCache_Label ${SW_SHOW}
 FunctionEnd
+
+Function CreateShortcuts_OnClick
+    Pop $0
+    ${NSD_GetState} $0 $Ana_CreateShortcuts_State
+
+FunctionEnd
diff --git a/constructor/nsis/_nsis.py b/constructor/nsis/_nsis.py
index 9624d8d5..5c9708bd 100644
--- a/constructor/nsis/_nsis.py
+++ b/constructor/nsis/_nsis.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ def mk_menus(remove=False, prefix=None, pkg_names=None, root_prefix=None):
     for fn in os.listdir(menu_dir):
         if not fn.endswith('.json'):
             continue
-        if pkg_names is not None and fn[:-5] not in pkg_names:
+        if pkg_names is not None and len(pkg_names) > 0 and fn[:-5] not in pkg_names:
             # skip when not in the list of menus to create
             # when installing, the pkg_names list is specified, otherwise not
             # and we don't skip to try to remove shortcuts
diff --git a/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl b/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl
index 9717a59d..24262486 100644
--- a/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl
+++ b/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ Unicode "true"
 !define DEFAULT_PREFIX_DOMAIN_USER __DEFAULT_PREFIX_DOMAIN_USER__
 !define DEFAULT_PREFIX_ALL_USERS __DEFAULT_PREFIX_ALL_USERS__
 !define POST_INSTALL_DESC __POST_INSTALL_DESC__
+!define MENU_PKGS "@MENU_PKGS@"
 !define PRODUCT_NAME "${NAME} ${VERSION} (${ARCH})"
 !define UNINSTALL_NAME "@UNINSTALL_NAME@"
 !define UNINSTREG "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ var /global ARGV_KeepPkgCache
 var /global ARGV_RegisterPython
 var /global ARGV_NoRegistry
 var /global ARGV_NoScripts
+var /global ARGV_NoShortcuts
 var /global ARGV_CheckPathLength
 
 var /global IsDomainUser
@@ -187,6 +189,7 @@ FunctionEnd
                 /RegisterPython=[0|1] [default: AllUsers: 1, JustMe: 0]$\n$\n\
                 /NoRegistry=[0|1] [default: AllUsers: 0, JustMe: 0]$\n$\n\
                 /NoScripts=[0|1] [default: 0]$\n$\n\
+                /NoShortcuts=[0|1] [default: 0]$\n$\n\
                 /CheckPathLength=[0|1] [default: 1]$\n$\n\
             Examples:$\n\
                 Install for all users, but don't add to PATH env var:$\n\
@@ -250,6 +253,16 @@ FunctionEnd
         ${EndIf}
     ${EndIf}
 
+    ClearErrors
+    ${GetOptions} $ARGV "/NoShortcuts=" $ARGV_NoShortcuts
+    ${IfNot} ${Errors}
+        ${If} $ARGV_NoShortcuts = "1"
+            StrCpy $Ana_CreateShortcuts_State ${BST_UNCHECKED}
+        ${ElseIf} $ARGV_NoShortcuts = "0"
+            StrCpy $Ana_CreateShortcuts_State ${BST_CHECKED}
+        ${EndIf}
+    ${EndIf}
+
     ClearErrors
     ${GetOptions} $ARGV "/CheckPathLength=" $ARGV_CheckPathLength
     ${IfNot} ${Errors}
@@ -900,10 +913,12 @@ Section "Install"
     SetOutPath "$INSTDIR\conda-meta"
     File __CONDA_HISTORY__
 
-    DetailPrint "Creating @NAME@ menus..."
-    push '"$INSTDIR\_conda.exe" constructor --prefix "$INSTDIR" --make-menus @MENU_PKGS@'
-    push 'Failed to create menus'
-    call AbortRetryNSExecWait
+    ${If} $Ana_CreateShortcuts_State = ${BST_CHECKED}
+        DetailPrint "Creating @NAME@ menus..."
+        push '"$INSTDIR\_conda.exe" constructor --prefix "$INSTDIR" --make-menus @MENU_PKGS@'
+        push 'Failed to create menus'
+        call AbortRetryNSExecWait
+    ${EndIf}
 
     push '"$INSTDIR\pythonw.exe" -E -s "$INSTDIR\Lib\_nsis.py" mkdirs'
     push 'Failed to initialize Anaconda directories'