diff --git a/crereader.lua b/crereader.lua
index 65c3f9f00..6978999b7 100644
--- a/crereader.lua
+++ b/crereader.lua
@@ -183,9 +183,9 @@ function CREReader:goto(pos, is_ignore_jump, pos_type)
 	self.doc:drawCurrentPage(self.nulldc, fb.bb)
 
 	Debug("## self.show_overlap "..self.show_overlap)
-	if self.show_overlap < 0 then
+	if self.show_overlap < 0 and self.dim_overlap then
 		fb.bb:dimRect(0,0, width, -self.show_overlap)
-	elseif self.show_overlap > 0 then
+	elseif self.show_overlap > 0 and self.dim_overlap then
 		fb.bb:dimRect(0,height - self.show_overlap, width, self.show_overlap)
 	end
 	self.show_overlap = 0
diff --git a/unireader.lua b/unireader.lua
index 83c959800..f6fb56f7b 100644
--- a/unireader.lua
+++ b/unireader.lua
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ UniReader = {
 	pan_margin = 5, -- horizontal margin for two-column zoom (in pixels)
 	pan_overlap_vertical = 30,
 	show_overlap = 0,
+	dim_overlap = true, -- if set to false, don't dim the overlap area
 
 	-- the document:
 	doc = nil,
@@ -985,6 +986,7 @@ function UniReader:loadSettings(filename)
 		end
 
 		self.rcountmax = self.settings:readSetting("rcountmax") or self.rcountmax
+		self.dim_overlap = self.settings:readSetting("dim_overlap")
 
 		-- other parameters are reader-specific --> @TODO: move to proper place, like loadSpecialSettings()
 		-- since DJVUReader still has no loadSpecialSettings(), just a quick solution is
@@ -1395,9 +1397,9 @@ function UniReader:show(no)
 	fb.bb:blitFrom(bb, self.dest_x, self.dest_y, offset_x, offset_y, width, height)
 
 	Debug("self.show_overlap", self.show_overlap)
-	if self.show_overlap < 0 then
+	if self.show_overlap < 0 and self.dim_overlap then
 		fb.bb:dimRect(0,0, width, self.dest_y - self.show_overlap)
-	elseif self.show_overlap > 0 then
+	elseif self.show_overlap > 0 and self.dim_overlap then
 		fb.bb:dimRect(0,self.dest_y + height - self.show_overlap, width, self.show_overlap)
 	end
 	self.show_overlap = 0
@@ -2510,6 +2512,19 @@ function UniReader:addAllCommands()
 			end
 		end)
 
+	self.commands:add(KEY_O, nil, "O",
+		"toggle showing page overlap areas",
+		function(unireader)
+			unireader.dim_overlap = not unireader.dim_overlap
+			if unireader.dim_overlap then
+				InfoMessage:inform("Turning overlap ON", nil, 1, MSG_AUX)
+			else
+				InfoMessage:inform("Turning overlap OFF", nil, 1, MSG_AUX)
+			end
+			self.settings:saveSetting("dim_overlap", unireader.dim_overlap)
+			self:redrawCurrentPage()
+		end)
+
 	self.commands:add(KEY_R, MOD_SHIFT, "R",
 		"set full screen refresh count",
 		function(unireader)