diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/KeyguardUserSwitcher.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/KeyguardUserSwitcher.java
index 679584224da7f..a0312bcdee4ad 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/KeyguardUserSwitcher.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/KeyguardUserSwitcher.java
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ public class KeyguardUserSwitcher {
 
     private static final String TAG = "KeyguardUserSwitcher";
     private static final boolean ALWAYS_ON = false;
-    private static final String SIMPLE_USER_SWITCHER_GLOBAL_SETTING =
-            "lockscreenSimpleUserSwitcher";
 
     private final ViewGroup mUserSwitcher;
     private final KeyguardStatusBarView mStatusBarView;
@@ -52,8 +50,7 @@ public class KeyguardUserSwitcher {
             mStatusBarView.setKeyguardUserSwitcher(this);
             mAdapter = new Adapter(context, userSwitcherController);
             mAdapter.registerDataSetObserver(mDataSetObserver);
-            mSimpleUserSwitcher = Settings.Global.getInt(context.getContentResolver(),
-                    SIMPLE_USER_SWITCHER_GLOBAL_SETTING, 0) != 0;
+            mSimpleUserSwitcher = userSwitcherController.isSimpleUserSwitcher();
         } else {
             mUserSwitcher = null;
             mStatusBarView = null;
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/UserSwitcherController.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/UserSwitcherController.java
index 7c00c7fe074a7..6e3656d9e5d76 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/UserSwitcherController.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/policy/UserSwitcherController.java
@@ -32,11 +32,14 @@ import android.content.DialogInterface;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.content.IntentFilter;
 import android.content.pm.UserInfo;
+import android.database.ContentObserver;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.os.AsyncTask;
+import android.os.Handler;
 import android.os.RemoteException;
 import android.os.UserHandle;
 import android.os.UserManager;
+import android.provider.Settings;
 import android.util.Log;
 import android.util.SparseArray;
 import android.view.View;
@@ -57,12 +60,15 @@ public class UserSwitcherController {
 
     private static final String TAG = "UserSwitcherController";
     private static final boolean DEBUG = false;
+    private static final String SIMPLE_USER_SWITCHER_GLOBAL_SETTING =
+            "lockscreenSimpleUserSwitcher";
 
     private final Context mContext;
     private final UserManager mUserManager;
     private final ArrayList<WeakReference<BaseUserAdapter>> mAdapters = new ArrayList<>();
     private final GuestResumeSessionReceiver mGuestResumeSessionReceiver
             = new GuestResumeSessionReceiver();
+    private boolean mSimpleUserSwitcher;
 
     private ArrayList<UserRecord> mUsers = new ArrayList<>();
     private Dialog mExitGuestDialog;
@@ -80,6 +86,13 @@ public class UserSwitcherController {
         filter.addAction(Intent.ACTION_USER_STOPPING);
         mContext.registerReceiverAsUser(mReceiver, UserHandle.OWNER, filter,
                 null /* permission */, null /* scheduler */);
+
+        mSimpleUserSwitcher = Settings.Global.getInt(context.getContentResolver(),
+                SIMPLE_USER_SWITCHER_GLOBAL_SETTING, 0) != 0;
+        mContext.getContentResolver().registerContentObserver(
+                Settings.Global.getUriFor(SIMPLE_USER_SWITCHER_GLOBAL_SETTING), true,
+                mSimpleUserSwitcherObserver);
+
         refreshUsers(UserHandle.USER_NULL);
     }
 
@@ -136,11 +149,13 @@ public class UserSwitcherController {
                     }
                 }
 
-                if (guestRecord == null) {
-                    records.add(new UserRecord(null /* info */, null /* picture */,
-                            true /* isGuest */, false /* isCurrent */));
-                } else {
-                    records.add(guestRecord);
+                if (!mSimpleUserSwitcher) {
+                    if (guestRecord == null) {
+                        records.add(new UserRecord(null /* info */, null /* picture */,
+                                true /* isGuest */, false /* isCurrent */));
+                    } else {
+                        records.add(guestRecord);
+                    }
                 }
 
                 return records;
@@ -167,6 +182,10 @@ public class UserSwitcherController {
         }
     }
 
+    public boolean isSimpleUserSwitcher() {
+        return mSimpleUserSwitcher;
+    }
+
     public void switchTo(UserRecord record) {
         int id;
         if (record.isGuest && record.info == null) {
@@ -253,6 +272,14 @@ public class UserSwitcherController {
         }
     };
 
+    private final ContentObserver mSimpleUserSwitcherObserver = new ContentObserver(new Handler()) {
+        public void onChange(boolean selfChange) {
+            mSimpleUserSwitcher = Settings.Global.getInt(mContext.getContentResolver(),
+                    SIMPLE_USER_SWITCHER_GLOBAL_SETTING, 0) != 0;
+            refreshUsers(UserHandle.USER_NULL);
+        };
+    };
+
     public void dump(FileDescriptor fd, PrintWriter pw, String[] args) {
         pw.println("UserSwitcherController state:");
         pw.println("  mLastNonGuestUser=" + mLastNonGuestUser);