--- user_badges.module
+++ user_badges.original
@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@
 
     case 'load':
       if ($user->uid > 0) {
+        if (variable_get('user_badges_profileonly', 0) && !(arg(0) == 'user' && is_numeric(arg(1)))) {
+          break;
+        }
         $user->badges = user_badges_get_badges($user->uid);
       }
       break;
@@ -969,6 +972,13 @@
       t('Note that if there is no badge associated to blocked users, no badges will appear.') .'</br>'.
       t('This option only acts on blocked users and has no repercussions on active user badges.'),
   );
+  $form['profileonly'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#title' => t('Only load badges on user profile'),
+    '#default_value' => variable_get('user_badges_profileonly', 0),
+    '#description' => t('If checked, user badges will only be loaded when on the users profile page.') .'<br/>'.
+      t('Note that any other location that needs the user badges loaded must call for it using the user_badges_get_badges() function.'),
+  );
   $form[] = array(
     '#type' => 'submit',
     '#value' => t('Save Settings'),
@@ -980,6 +990,7 @@
 function user_badges_settings_form_submit($form_id, $form_values) {
   variable_set('user_badges_showone', $form_values['showone']);
   variable_set('user_badges_showblocked', $form_values['showblocked']);
+  variable_set('user_badges_profileonly', $form_values['profileonly']);
   
   $message = ($form_values['showone'] ? t('Only the most highest-level user badge will be shown.') : 
     t('All user badges will be shown.')) .' '. ($form_values['showblocked'] ? t('Blocked users only will have blocked