diff --git a/_locales/en/messages.json b/_locales/en/messages.json
index d244cdd..f893399 100644
--- a/_locales/en/messages.json
+++ b/_locales/en/messages.json
@@ -78,6 +78,14 @@
     "message": "By the strictness philosophy, the only way to <em>cancel</em> a running timer is to disable the extension.",
     "description": "On the options page, note below the label for the click-restarts checkbox explaining that this will not allow users to *cancel* a running timer"
   },
+  "options_autostart_work": {
+    "message": "Automatically start a work timer once the break is over",
+    "description": "On the options page, label for the checkbox that enables/disables starting a work timer automatically once the break is over"
+  },
+  "options_autostart_break": {
+    "message": "Automatically start a break timer once the pomodoro is over",
+    "description": "On the options page, label for the checkbox that enables/disables starting a break timer automatically once the pomodoro is over"
+  },
   "options_save_changes": {
     "message": "Save changes",
     "description": "On the options page, text for the submit button"
diff --git a/background.js b/background.js
index d09ff79..605ff87 100644
--- a/background.js
+++ b/background.js
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ function defaultPrefs() {
     },
     shouldRing: true,
     clickRestarts: false,
+    autostartWork: false,
+    autostartBreak: true,
     whitelist: false
   }
 }
@@ -297,8 +299,8 @@ var notification, mainPomodoro = new Pomodoro({
       });
       chrome.browserAction.setBadgeText({text: ''});
       
+      var nextModeName = chrome.i18n.getMessage(timer.pomodoro.nextMode);
       if(PREFS.showNotifications) {
-        var nextModeName = chrome.i18n.getMessage(timer.pomodoro.nextMode);
         notification = webkitNotifications.createNotification(
           ICONS.FULL[timer.type],
           chrome.i18n.getMessage("timer_end_notification_header"),
@@ -318,6 +320,14 @@ var notification, mainPomodoro = new Pomodoro({
         console.log("playing ring", RING);
         RING.play();
       }
+      
+      if(nextModeName == 'break' && PREFS.autostartBreak) {
+        mainPomodoro.start();
+      }
+      
+      if(nextModeName == 'work' && PREFS.autostartWork) {
+        mainPomodoro.start();
+      }
     },
     onStart: function (timer) {
       chrome.browserAction.setIcon({
@@ -331,7 +341,7 @@ var notification, mainPomodoro = new Pomodoro({
       } else {
         executeInAllBlockedTabs('unblock');
       }
-      if(notification) notification.cancel();
+      if(notification) setTimeout(function(){notification.cancel();}, '10000');
       var tabViews = chrome.extension.getViews({type: 'tab'}), tab;
       for(var i in tabViews) {
         tab = tabViews[i];
diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
index ed779f5..9c82fc8 100644
--- a/manifest.json
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
    "name": "__MSG_ext_name__",
    "options_page": "options.html",
    "permissions": [ "notifications", "tabs", "<all_urls>" ],
-   "version": "1.6.1",
+   "version": "1.6.2",
    "web_accessible_resources": [
       "icons/work_full.png",
       "icons/break_full.png"
diff --git a/options.html b/options.html
index d97ca87..3dbda09 100644
--- a/options.html
+++ b/options.html
@@ -135,6 +135,14 @@ <h1 data-i18n="options_title"></h1>
         <input id="should-ring" type="checkbox" />
         <label for="should-ring" data-i18n="options_should_ring"></label>
       </div>
+      <div>
+        <input id="autostart-work" type="checkbox" />
+        <label for="autostart-work" data-i18n="options_autostart_work"></label>
+      </div>
+      <div>
+        <input id="autostart-break" type="checkbox" />
+        <label for="autostart-break" data-i18n="options_autostart_break"></label>
+      </div>
       <div>
         <input id="click-restarts" type="checkbox" />
         <label for="click-restarts">
diff --git a/options.js b/options.js
index 32dada8..382369b 100644
--- a/options.js
+++ b/options.js
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ var form = document.getElementById('options-form'),
   showNotificationsEl = document.getElementById('show-notifications'),
   shouldRingEl = document.getElementById('should-ring'),
   clickRestartsEl = document.getElementById('click-restarts'),
+  autostartWorkEl = document.getElementById('autostart-work'),
+  autostartBreakEl = document.getElementById('autostart-break'),
   saveSuccessfulEl = document.getElementById('save-successful'),
   timeFormatErrorEl = document.getElementById('time-format-error'),
   background = chrome.extension.getBackgroundPage(),
@@ -63,6 +65,8 @@ form.onsubmit = function () {
     showNotifications:  showNotificationsEl.checked,
     shouldRing:         shouldRingEl.checked,
     clickRestarts:      clickRestartsEl.checked,
+    autostartWork:      autostartWorkEl.checked,
+    autostartBreak:     autostartBreakEl.checked,
     whitelist:          whitelistEl.selectedIndex == 1
   })
   saveSuccessfulEl.className = 'show';
@@ -74,6 +78,8 @@ showNotificationsEl.onchange = formAltered;
 shouldRingEl.onchange = formAltered;
 clickRestartsEl.onchange = formAltered;
 whitelistEl.onchange = formAltered;
+autostartWorkEl.onchange = formAltered;
+autostartBreakEl.onchange = formAltered;
 
 function formAltered() {
   saveSuccessfulEl.removeAttribute('class');
@@ -84,6 +90,8 @@ siteListEl.value = background.PREFS.siteList.join("\n");
 showNotificationsEl.checked = background.PREFS.showNotifications;
 shouldRingEl.checked = background.PREFS.shouldRing;
 clickRestartsEl.checked = background.PREFS.clickRestarts;
+autostartWorkEl.checked = background.PREFS.autostartWork;
+autostartBreakEl.checked = background.PREFS.autostartBreak;
 whitelistEl.selectedIndex = background.PREFS.whitelist ? 1 : 0;
 
 var duration, minutes, seconds;