Index: modules/search/search.admin.inc
===================================================================
--- modules/search/search.admin.inc	(revision 1452)
+++ modules/search/search.admin.inc	(working copy)
@@ -130,6 +130,18 @@
     '#options' => _search_get_module_names(),
     '#description' => t('Choose which search module is the default.')
   );
+
+  $form['logging'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'fieldset',
+    '#title' => t('Logging')
+  );
+  $form['logging']['search_log_searches_to_watchdog'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#title' => t('Log searches to watchdog'),
+    '#default_value' => variable_get('search_log_searches_to_watchdog', 1),
+    '#description' => t('If checked all searches will be logged to watchdog.')
+  );
+
   $form['#validate'][] = 'search_admin_settings_validate';
   $form['#submit'][] = 'search_admin_settings_submit';
 
Index: modules/search/search.pages.inc
===================================================================
--- modules/search/search.pages.inc	(revision 1452)
+++ modules/search/search.pages.inc	(working copy)
@@ -59,8 +59,10 @@
     }
     // Only search if there are keywords or non-empty conditions.
     if ($keys || !empty($conditions)) {
-      // Log the search keys.
-      watchdog('search', 'Searched %type for %keys.', array('%keys' => $keys, '%type' => $info['title']), WATCHDOG_NOTICE, l(t('results'), 'search/' . $info['path'] . '/' . $keys));
+      if (variable_get('search_log_searches_to_watchdog', 1)) {
+        // Log the search keys.
+        watchdog('search', 'Searched %type for %keys.', array('%keys' => $keys, '%type' => $info['title']), WATCHDOG_NOTICE, l(t('results'), 'search/' . $info['path'] . '/' . $keys));
+      }
 
       // Collect the search results.
       $results = search_data($keys, $info['module'], $conditions);