diff --git a/src/ship/CameraController.cpp b/src/ship/CameraController.cpp
index 2959e8879f9..1d8a3df781b 100644
--- a/src/ship/CameraController.cpp
+++ b/src/ship/CameraController.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ InternalCameraController::InternalCameraController(RefCountedPtr<CameraContext>
 	m_origFov(camera->GetFovAng()),
 	m_zoomPct(1),
 	m_zoomPctTo(1),
-	m_viewOrient(matrix3x3d::Identity())
+	m_viewOrient(matrix3x3d::Identity()),
+	m_smoothing(false)
 {
 	Reset();
 }
@@ -106,8 +107,13 @@ void InternalCameraController::Reset()
 
 void InternalCameraController::Update()
 {
-	AnimationCurves::Approach(m_rotX, m_rotToX, Pi::GetFrameTime(), 15.f);
-	AnimationCurves::Approach(m_rotY, m_rotToY, Pi::GetFrameTime(), 15.f);
+	if (m_smoothing) {
+		AnimationCurves::Approach(m_rotX, m_rotToX, Pi::GetFrameTime(), 13.f);
+		AnimationCurves::Approach(m_rotY, m_rotToY, Pi::GetFrameTime(), 13.f);
+	} else {
+		m_rotX = m_rotToX;
+		m_rotY = m_rotToY;
+	}
 
 	m_viewOrient =
 		matrix3x3d::RotateY(-m_rotY) *
@@ -126,6 +132,11 @@ void InternalCameraController::getRots(double &rX, double &rY)
 	rY = m_rotY;
 }
 
+void InternalCameraController::SetSmoothingEnabled(bool enabled)
+{
+	m_smoothing = enabled;
+}
+
 void InternalCameraController::SetMode(Mode m)
 {
 	if (m >= MODE_MAX) return;
diff --git a/src/ship/CameraController.h b/src/ship/CameraController.h
index 1278bac2358..e9248c9e2d9 100644
--- a/src/ship/CameraController.h
+++ b/src/ship/CameraController.h
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ class InternalCameraController : public MoveableCameraController {
 	Type GetType() const override { return INTERNAL; }
 	const char *GetName() const override { return m_name; }
 
+	void SetSmoothingEnabled(bool enabled);
+	bool GetSmoothingEnabled() const { return m_smoothing; }
+
 	void SetMode(Mode m);
 	Mode GetMode() const { return m_mode; }
 
@@ -134,6 +137,8 @@ class InternalCameraController : public MoveableCameraController {
 	float m_zoomPct;
 	float m_zoomPctTo;
 	matrix3x3d m_viewOrient;
+
+	bool m_smoothing;
 };
 
 // Zoomable, rotatable orbit camera, always looks at the ship
diff --git a/src/ship/ShipViewController.cpp b/src/ship/ShipViewController.cpp
index 11a71814ac0..aca3884b455 100644
--- a/src/ship/ShipViewController.cpp
+++ b/src/ship/ShipViewController.cpp
@@ -109,6 +109,10 @@ void ShipViewController::Init()
 	m_flybyCameraController.reset(new FlyByCameraController(m_cameraContext, Pi::player));
 	SetCamType(m_camType); //set the active camera
 
+	// setup camera smoothing
+	// TODO: expose this via UI once setting/updating config values from Lua is nicer
+	m_internalCameraController->SetSmoothingEnabled(Pi::config->Int("CameraSmoothing", 0));
+
 	std::string headtrackingIP = Pi::config->String("HeadtrackingIP", "");
 	int port = Pi::config->Int("HeadtrackingPort", 4242);