diff --git a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/GameFormat.java b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/GameFormat.java
index d58b1833a60..48be6ad57fb 100644
--- a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/GameFormat.java
+++ b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/GameFormat.java
@@ -286,13 +286,27 @@ public class GameFormat implements Comparable<GameFormat> {
 
     public static class Reader extends StorageReaderRecursiveFolderWithUserFolder<GameFormat> {
         List<GameFormat> naturallyOrdered = new ArrayList<GameFormat>();
+        boolean includeHistoric;
+        private List<String> coreFormats = new ArrayList<>();
+        {
+            coreFormats.add("Standard.txt");
+            coreFormats.add("Modern.txt");
+            coreFormats.add("Legacy.txt");
+            coreFormats.add("Vintage.txt");
+            coreFormats.add("Commander.txt");
+
+        }
         
-        public Reader(File forgeFormats, File customFormats) {
+        public Reader(File forgeFormats, File customFormats, boolean includeHistoric) {
             super(forgeFormats, customFormats, GameFormat.FN_GET_NAME);
+            this.includeHistoric=includeHistoric;
         }
 
         @Override
         protected GameFormat read(File file) {
+            if(!includeHistoric && !coreFormats.contains(file.getName())){
+                return null;
+            }
             final Map<String, List<String>> contents = FileSection.parseSections(FileUtil.readFile(file));
             List<String> sets = null; // default: all sets allowed
             List<String> bannedCards = null; // default: nothing banned
diff --git a/forge-gui-desktop/src/main/java/forge/screens/home/settings/CSubmenuPreferences.java b/forge-gui-desktop/src/main/java/forge/screens/home/settings/CSubmenuPreferences.java
index 21c5ba5e069..ce2281920f5 100644
--- a/forge-gui-desktop/src/main/java/forge/screens/home/settings/CSubmenuPreferences.java
+++ b/forge-gui-desktop/src/main/java/forge/screens/home/settings/CSubmenuPreferences.java
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ public enum CSubmenuPreferences implements ICDoc {
 
         lstControls.add(Pair.of(view.getCbLoadCardsLazily(), FPref.LOAD_CARD_SCRIPTS_LAZILY));
 
+        lstControls.add(Pair.of(view.getCbLoadHistoricFormats(), FPref.LOAD_HISTORIC_FORMATS));
+
+
         for(final Pair<JCheckBox, FPref> kv : lstControls) {
             kv.getKey().addItemListener(new ItemListener() {
                 @Override
diff --git a/forge-gui-desktop/src/main/java/forge/screens/home/settings/VSubmenuPreferences.java b/forge-gui-desktop/src/main/java/forge/screens/home/settings/VSubmenuPreferences.java
index 5c5052c4d7b..7fe08183eb2 100644
--- a/forge-gui-desktop/src/main/java/forge/screens/home/settings/VSubmenuPreferences.java
+++ b/forge-gui-desktop/src/main/java/forge/screens/home/settings/VSubmenuPreferences.java
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ public enum VSubmenuPreferences implements IVSubmenu<CSubmenuPreferences> {
     private final JCheckBox cbManaLostPrompt = new OptionsCheckBox("Prompt Mana Pool Emptying");
     private final JCheckBox cbDevMode = new OptionsCheckBox("Developer Mode");
     private final JCheckBox cbLoadCardsLazily = new OptionsCheckBox("Load Card Scripts Lazily");
+    private final JCheckBox cbLoadHistoricFormats = new OptionsCheckBox("Load Historic Formats");
     private final JCheckBox cbWorkshopSyntax = new OptionsCheckBox("Workshop Syntax Checker");
     private final JCheckBox cbEnforceDeckLegality = new OptionsCheckBox("Deck Conformance");
     private final JCheckBox cbImageFetcher = new OptionsCheckBox("Automatically Download Missing Card Art");
@@ -239,6 +240,9 @@ public enum VSubmenuPreferences implements IVSubmenu<CSubmenuPreferences> {
         pnlPrefs.add(cbLoadCardsLazily, titleConstraints);
         pnlPrefs.add(new NoteLabel("If turned on, Forge will load card scripts as they're needed instead of at start up. (Warning: Experimental)"), descriptionConstraints);
 
+        pnlPrefs.add(cbLoadHistoricFormats, titleConstraints);
+        pnlPrefs.add(new NoteLabel("If turned on, Forge will load all historic format definitions, this may take slightly longer to load at startup."), descriptionConstraints);
+
         // Graphic Options
         pnlPrefs.add(new SectionLabel("Graphic Options"), sectionConstraints + ", gaptop 2%");
 
@@ -586,6 +590,11 @@ public enum VSubmenuPreferences implements IVSubmenu<CSubmenuPreferences> {
         return cbLoadCardsLazily;
     }
 
+    /** @return {@link javax.swing.JCheckBox} */
+    public JCheckBox getCbLoadHistoricFormats() {
+        return cbLoadHistoricFormats;
+    }
+
     public JCheckBox getCbWorkshopSyntax() {
         return cbWorkshopSyntax;
     }
diff --git a/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/screens/settings/SettingsPage.java b/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/screens/settings/SettingsPage.java
index de4d2714c4f..2523ad9a144 100644
--- a/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/screens/settings/SettingsPage.java
+++ b/forge-gui-mobile/src/forge/screens/settings/SettingsPage.java
@@ -187,6 +187,9 @@ public class SettingsPage extends TabPage<SettingsScreen> {
         lstSettings.addItem(new BooleanSetting(FPref.LOAD_CARD_SCRIPTS_LAZILY,
                 "Load Card Scripts Lazily",
                 "If turned on, Forge will load card scripts as they're needed instead of at start up. (Warning: Experimental)"), 3);
+        lstSettings.addItem(new BooleanSetting(FPref.LOAD_HISTORIC_FORMATS,
+                "Load Historic Formats",
+                "If turned on, Forge will load all historic format definitions, this may take slightly longer to load at startup."), 3);
 
         //Graphic Options
         lstSettings.addItem(new BooleanSetting(FPref.UI_OVERLAY_FOIL_EFFECT,
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/model/FModel.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/model/FModel.java
index 27356dc2a82..93ebe0e59a1 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/model/FModel.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/model/FModel.java
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ public final class FModel {
         ForgePreferences.UPLOAD_DRAFT = ForgePreferences.NET_CONN;
 
         formats = new GameFormat.Collection(new GameFormat.Reader( new File(ForgeConstants.FORMATS_DATA_DIR),
-                new File(ForgeConstants.USER_FORMATS_DIR)));
+                new File(ForgeConstants.USER_FORMATS_DIR), preferences.getPrefBoolean(FPref.LOAD_HISTORIC_FORMATS)));
 
         magicDb.setStandardPredicate(formats.getStandard().getFilterRules());
         magicDb.setModernPredicate(formats.getModern().getFilterRules());
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/properties/ForgePreferences.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/properties/ForgePreferences.java
index f4d5e2ee15d..a2d95ee682e 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/properties/ForgePreferences.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/properties/ForgePreferences.java
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ public class ForgePreferences extends PreferencesStore<ForgePreferences.FPref> {
         DEV_LOG_ENTRY_TYPE (GameLogEntryType.DAMAGE.toString()),
 
         LOAD_CARD_SCRIPTS_LAZILY ("false"),
+        LOAD_HISTORIC_FORMATS ("false"),
 
         DECK_DEFAULT_CARD_LIMIT ("4"),
         DECKGEN_SINGLETONS ("false"),