diff --git a/CASA/micasad/cache/SecretStore.cs b/CASA/micasad/cache/SecretStore.cs
index 65bcb96b..9176b353 100644
--- a/CASA/micasad/cache/SecretStore.cs
+++ b/CASA/micasad/cache/SecretStore.cs
@@ -181,6 +181,15 @@ namespace sscs.cache
         {
 			CSSSLogger.DbgLog("StartPersistenceByDesktopPasswd - Called");
 
+			UIPol uiPolicy = (UIPol)ICASAPol.GetPolicy(CASAPolType.UI_POL, GetUserHomeDirectory());
+			string sShouldUseDesktop = uiPolicy.GetConfigSetting(ConstStrings.CONFIG_DECRYPT_USING_DESKTOP_PASS);			
+						
+			if ((sShouldUseDesktop != null) && (sShouldUseDesktop.Equals("0")))
+			{
+				CSSSLogger.DbgLog("Policy set: Did not start persistent by Desktop Password");
+				return false;
+			}
+
 			// make sure we have a Persistence Directory			
 			if (GetPersistenceDirectory() == null || GetPersistenceDirectory().Length < 1)
 			{				
@@ -797,7 +806,7 @@ namespace sscs.cache
 				// the user might have set a different one
 				// load the policy file and check.
 				UIPol uiPolicy = (UIPol)ICASAPol.GetPolicy(CASAPolType.UI_POL, GetUserHomeDirectory());
-				string sDir = uiPolicy.GetConfigSetting("PersistentDirectory");
+				string sDir = uiPolicy.GetConfigSetting(ConstStrings.CONFIG_PERSISTENT_DIRECTORY);
 				if ((sDir != null) && (sDir.Length > 0))
 				{
 					m_persistenceDirectory = sDir;
diff --git a/CASA/micasad/common/Constants.cs b/CASA/micasad/common/Constants.cs
index b742fbf2..39ef0cc2 100644
--- a/CASA/micasad/common/Constants.cs
+++ b/CASA/micasad/common/Constants.cs
@@ -120,6 +120,11 @@ namespace sscs.constants
 
         internal static string MICASA_VALIDATION_STRING = "miCASAValidationString";
 
+		// these are used in the GUI too.
+		internal static string CONFIG_PERSISTENT_DIRECTORY			= "PersistentDirectory";
+		internal static string CONFIG_PERSIST_SECRETS				= "PersistSecrets";
+		internal static string CONFIG_DECRYPT_USING_DESKTOP_PASS	= "DecryptUsingDesktopPassword";
+
     }
 
     internal class ConstFlags