diff --git a/admin_menu_toolbar/admin_menu_toolbar.module b/admin_menu_toolbar/admin_menu_toolbar.module
index c6111bd..3b8a786 100644
--- a/admin_menu_toolbar/admin_menu_toolbar.module
+++ b/admin_menu_toolbar/admin_menu_toolbar.module
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ function admin_menu_toolbar_form_admin_menu_theme_settings_alter(&$form) {
   // The shortcut bar consists of two elements, so we target their class names
   // instead of cluttering the markup with additional IDs.
   $form['plugins']['admin_menu_components']['shortcut.links']['#attributes']['rel'] = '.shortcut-toggle, .shortcut-toolbar';
+
+  $form['plugins']['admin_menu_shortcuts_active'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#title' => t('Expand shortcuts by default'),
+    '#default_value' => variable_get('admin_menu_shortcuts_active', TRUE),
+  );
 }
 
 /**
@@ -62,6 +68,17 @@ function admin_menu_toolbar_admin_menu_output_build(&$content) {
   if (empty($content['#components']['shortcut.links']) && !$content['#complete']) {
     return;
   }
+
+  // Should the shortcuts toolbar be enabled by default?
+  $toggle_attributes = array('class' => array('shortcut-toggle'));
+  $toolbar_classes = 'shortcut-toolbar';
+
+  $shortcuts_active = variable_get('admin_menu_shortcuts_active', TRUE);
+  if ($shortcuts_active) {
+    $toolbar_classes .= ' active';
+    $toggle_attributes['class'][] = 'active';
+  };
+
   // Add shortcuts toggle.
   $content['shortcut-toggle'] = array(
     '#access' => module_exists('shortcut'),
@@ -70,7 +87,7 @@ function admin_menu_toolbar_admin_menu_output_build(&$content) {
     '#title' => t('Show shortcuts'),
     '#href' => '',
     '#options' => array(
-      'attributes' => array('class' => array('shortcut-toggle')),
+      'attributes' => $toggle_attributes,
     ),
   );
 
@@ -78,7 +95,7 @@ function admin_menu_toolbar_admin_menu_output_build(&$content) {
   $content['shortcut'] = array(
     '#access' => module_exists('shortcut'),
     '#weight' => 200,
-    '#prefix' => '<div class="shortcut-toolbar">',
+    '#prefix' => '<div class="' . $toolbar_classes . '">',
     '#suffix' => '</div>',
   );
   $content['shortcut']['shortcuts'] = array(