diff --git a/api/current.xml b/api/current.xml
index a88da5164ecda..69125d593786d 100644
--- a/api/current.xml
+++ b/api/current.xml
@@ -200039,6 +200039,20 @@
 <parameter name="autoRequery" type="boolean">
 </parameter>
 </constructor>
+<constructor name="CursorAdapter"
+ type="android.widget.CursorAdapter"
+ static="false"
+ final="false"
+ deprecated="not deprecated"
+ visibility="public"
+>
+<parameter name="context" type="android.content.Context">
+</parameter>
+<parameter name="c" type="android.database.Cursor">
+</parameter>
+<parameter name="flags" type="int">
+</parameter>
+</constructor>
 <method name="bindView"
  return="void"
  abstract="true"
@@ -200186,6 +200200,23 @@
 <parameter name="autoRequery" type="boolean">
 </parameter>
 </method>
+<method name="init"
+ return="void"
+ abstract="false"
+ native="false"
+ synchronized="false"
+ static="false"
+ final="false"
+ deprecated="not deprecated"
+ visibility="protected"
+>
+<parameter name="context" type="android.content.Context">
+</parameter>
+<parameter name="c" type="android.database.Cursor">
+</parameter>
+<parameter name="flags" type="int">
+</parameter>
+</method>
 <method name="newDropDownView"
  return="android.view.View"
  abstract="false"
@@ -200257,6 +200288,28 @@
 <parameter name="filterQueryProvider" type="android.widget.FilterQueryProvider">
 </parameter>
 </method>
+<field name="FLAG_AUTO_REQUERY"
+ type="int"
+ transient="false"
+ volatile="false"
+ value="1"
+ static="true"
+ final="true"
+ deprecated="not deprecated"
+ visibility="public"
+>
+</field>
+<field name="FLAG_REGISTER_CONTENT_OBSERVER"
+ type="int"
+ transient="false"
+ volatile="false"
+ value="2"
+ static="true"
+ final="true"
+ deprecated="not deprecated"
+ visibility="public"
+>
+</field>
 </class>
 <class name="CursorTreeAdapter"
  extends="android.widget.BaseExpandableListAdapter"
diff --git a/core/java/android/widget/CursorAdapter.java b/core/java/android/widget/CursorAdapter.java
index baa6833fb1a8c..6a891fcf507fa 100644
--- a/core/java/android/widget/CursorAdapter.java
+++ b/core/java/android/widget/CursorAdapter.java
@@ -79,6 +79,18 @@ public abstract class CursorAdapter extends BaseAdapter implements Filterable,
      */
     protected FilterQueryProvider mFilterQueryProvider;
 
+    /**
+     * If set the adapter will call requery() on the cursor whenever a content change
+     * notification is delivered. Implies {@link #FLAG_REGISTER_CONTENT_OBSERVER}
+     */
+    public static final int FLAG_AUTO_REQUERY = 0x01;
+
+    /**
+     * If set the adapter will register a content observer on the cursor and will call
+     * {@link #onContentChanged()} when a notification comes in.
+     */
+    public static final int FLAG_REGISTER_CONTENT_OBSERVER = 0x02;
+
     /**
      * Constructor. The adapter will call requery() on the cursor whenever
      * it changes so that the most recent data is always displayed.
@@ -87,7 +99,7 @@ public abstract class CursorAdapter extends BaseAdapter implements Filterable,
      * @param context The context
      */
     public CursorAdapter(Context context, Cursor c) {
-        init(context, c, true);
+        init(context, c, FLAG_AUTO_REQUERY);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -99,19 +111,43 @@ public abstract class CursorAdapter extends BaseAdapter implements Filterable,
      *                    data is always displayed.
      */
     public CursorAdapter(Context context, Cursor c, boolean autoRequery) {
-        init(context, c, autoRequery);
+        init(context, c, autoRequery ? FLAG_AUTO_REQUERY : 0);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor
+     * @param c The cursor from which to get the data.
+     * @param context The context
+     * @param flags flags used to determine the behavior of the adapter
+     */
+    public CursorAdapter(Context context, Cursor c, int flags) {
+        init(context, c, flags);
     }
 
     protected void init(Context context, Cursor c, boolean autoRequery) {
+        init(context, c, autoRequery ? FLAG_AUTO_REQUERY : 0);
+    }
+
+    protected void init(Context context, Cursor c, int flags) {
+        if ((flags & FLAG_AUTO_REQUERY) == FLAG_AUTO_REQUERY) {
+            flags |= FLAG_REGISTER_CONTENT_OBSERVER;
+            mAutoRequery = true;
+        } else {
+            mAutoRequery = false;
+        }
         boolean cursorPresent = c != null;
-        mAutoRequery = autoRequery;
         mCursor = c;
         mDataValid = cursorPresent;
         mContext = context;
         mRowIDColumn = cursorPresent ? c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("_id") : -1;
-        mChangeObserver = new ChangeObserver();
+        if ((flags & FLAG_REGISTER_CONTENT_OBSERVER) == FLAG_REGISTER_CONTENT_OBSERVER) {
+            mChangeObserver = new ChangeObserver();
+        } else {
+            mChangeObserver = null;
+        }
+
         if (cursorPresent) {
-            c.registerContentObserver(mChangeObserver);
+            if (mChangeObserver != null) c.registerContentObserver(mChangeObserver);
             c.registerDataSetObserver(mDataSetObserver);
         }
     }
@@ -246,13 +282,13 @@ public abstract class CursorAdapter extends BaseAdapter implements Filterable,
             return;
         }
         if (mCursor != null) {
-            mCursor.unregisterContentObserver(mChangeObserver);
+            if (mChangeObserver != null) mCursor.unregisterContentObserver(mChangeObserver);
             mCursor.unregisterDataSetObserver(mDataSetObserver);
             mCursor.close();
         }
         mCursor = cursor;
         if (cursor != null) {
-            cursor.registerContentObserver(mChangeObserver);
+            if (mChangeObserver != null) cursor.registerContentObserver(mChangeObserver);
             cursor.registerDataSetObserver(mDataSetObserver);
             mRowIDColumn = cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow("_id");
             mDataValid = true;