diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index cffc729c6..a96c7d3f2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -65,3 +65,7 @@ target/
 
 # SublimeLinter config file
 .sublimelinterrc
+
+# PyCharm Project 
+
+.idea/
diff --git a/client/conversation.py b/client/conversation.py
index 6b2fab1a0..0b40b87ba 100644
--- a/client/conversation.py
+++ b/client/conversation.py
@@ -6,13 +6,14 @@
 
 class Conversation(object):
 
-    def __init__(self, persona, mic, profile):
+    def __init__(self, persona, mic, profile, isPassiveEnabled):
         self._logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
         self.persona = persona
         self.mic = mic
         self.profile = profile
         self.brain = Brain(mic, profile)
         self.notifier = Notifier(profile)
+        self.isPassiveEnabled = isPassiveEnabled
 
     def handleForever(self):
         """
@@ -28,20 +29,30 @@ def handleForever(self):
 
             self._logger.debug("Started listening for keyword '%s'",
                                self.persona)
-            threshold, transcribed = self.mic.passiveListen(self.persona)
+            threshold, transcribed, passivePhrases = \
+                self.mic.passiveListen(self.persona)
             self._logger.debug("Stopped listening for keyword '%s'",
                                self.persona)
 
             if not transcribed or not threshold:
                 self._logger.info("Nothing has been said or transcribed.")
                 continue
+
             self._logger.info("Keyword '%s' has been said!", self.persona)
 
-            self._logger.debug("Started to listen actively with threshold: %r",
-                               threshold)
-            input = self.mic.activeListenToAllOptions(threshold)
-            self._logger.debug("Stopped to listen actively with threshold: %r",
-                               threshold)
+            if self.isPassiveEnabled is True and len(passivePhrases) != 0:
+
+                input = passivePhrases
+                self._logger.debug("Checking for passive phrase '%s' with " +
+                                   "threshold: %r", input, threshold)
+
+            else:
+
+                self._logger.debug("Started to listen actively with " +
+                                   "threshold: %r", threshold)
+                input = self.mic.activeListenToAllOptions(threshold)
+                self._logger.debug("Stopped to listen actively with " +
+                                   "threshold: %r", threshold)
 
             if input:
                 self.brain.query(input)
diff --git a/client/mic.py b/client/mic.py
index 401cddbd6..b068c7b3f 100644
--- a/client/mic.py
+++ b/client/mic.py
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def passiveListen(self, PERSONA):
             print "No disturbance detected"
             stream.stop_stream()
             stream.close()
-            return (None, None)
+            return (None, None, None)
 
         # cutoff any recording before this disturbance was detected
         frames = frames[-20:]
@@ -178,10 +178,24 @@ def passiveListen(self, PERSONA):
             # check if PERSONA was said
             transcribed = self.passive_stt_engine.transcribe(f)
 
-        if any(PERSONA in phrase for phrase in transcribed):
-            return (THRESHOLD, PERSONA)
+        # this is an array of all the passive phrases the user has said to us
+        passivePhrases = []
 
-        return (False, transcribed)
+        for loopedPhrase in transcribed:
+
+            if loopedPhrase.startswith(PERSONA):
+
+                # get the command without the personal prefix
+                potentialCommand = loopedPhrase[len(PERSONA):]
+                # if the user wasn't merely calling out to the machine, add it
+                if len(potentialCommand) != 0:
+                    passivePhrases.append(potentialCommand)
+
+        if len(passivePhrases) != 0 or \
+                any(PERSONA in phrase for phrase in transcribed):
+            return (THRESHOLD, PERSONA, passivePhrases)
+        else:
+            return (False, transcribed, [])
 
     def activeListen(self, THRESHOLD=None, LISTEN=True, MUSIC=False):
         """
diff --git a/client/populate.py b/client/populate.py
index 756297b1a..9e1d1a8e0 100644
--- a/client/populate.py
+++ b/client/populate.py
@@ -134,6 +134,23 @@ def verifyLocation(place):
         if response == 'Y':
             profile['stt_passive_engine'] = "sphinx"
 
+    print("\nActivation Settings")
+    print("By default, Jasper listens out for it's name 'Jasper' " +
+          "then it prompts you for a command by playing a sound. " +
+          "Optionally, you can combine the two steps " +
+          "into one with the passive setting enabled. " +
+          "'Jasper tell me a joke' can be used in 1 sentence " +
+          "without needing the prompt. The default way of " +
+          "communicating can still be used with passive enabled. " +
+          "Type 'yes' if you would like enable this feature, or " +
+          "'no' otherwise")
+    activationResponse = raw_input('Enable Passive mode? (yes)/(no): ')
+
+    if activationResponse == 'yes' or activationResponse == 'y':
+        profile['passive_enabled'] = 'true'
+    else:
+        profile['passive_enabled'] = 'false'
+
     # write to profile
     print("Writing to profile...")
     if not os.path.exists(jasperpath.CONFIG_PATH):
diff --git a/jasper.py b/jasper.py
index 4e7f28edf..8a09ce6cb 100755
--- a/jasper.py
+++ b/jasper.py
@@ -114,7 +114,17 @@ def run(self):
             salutation = "How can I be of service?"
         self.mic.say(salutation)
 
-        conversation = Conversation("JASPER", self.mic, self.config)
+        try:
+            passiveEnabled = self.config['passive_enabled']
+        except KeyError:
+            passiveEnabled = "false"
+            logger.warning("passive_enabled not specified in profile, " +
+                           "defaulting to '%s'", passiveEnabled)
+
+        passiveEnabled = passiveEnabled == "true"
+
+        conversation = Conversation("JASPER", self.mic, self.config,
+                                    passiveEnabled)
         conversation.handleForever()
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":