diff --git a/calibre-plugin/config.py b/calibre-plugin/config.py
index 4b981a46..d524afc1 100644
--- a/calibre-plugin/config.py
+++ b/calibre-plugin/config.py
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ class ConfigWidget(QWidget):
             countpagesstats.append('GunningFog')
             
         prefs['countpagesstats'] = countpagesstats
+        prefs['wordcountmissing'] = self.countpages_tab.wordcount.isChecked() and self.countpages_tab.wordcountmissing.isChecked()
         
         # Standard Columns tab
         colsnewonly = {}
@@ -826,11 +827,23 @@ class CountPagesTab(QWidget):
         self.pagecount.setToolTip(tooltip)
         self.pagecount.setChecked('PageCount' in prefs['countpagesstats'])
         self.l.addWidget(self.pagecount)
-            
+
+        horz = QHBoxLayout()
+        
         self.wordcount = QCheckBox('Word Count',self)
         self.wordcount.setToolTip(tooltip+"\n"+_('Will overwrite word count from FFDL metadata if set to update the same custom column.'))
         self.wordcount.setChecked('WordCount' in prefs['countpagesstats'])
-        self.l.addWidget(self.wordcount)
+        horz.addWidget(self.wordcount)
+
+        self.wordcountmissing = QCheckBox('Only if Word Count is Missing in FFDL Metadata',self)
+        self.wordcountmissing.setToolTip(_("Only run Count Page's Word Count if checked <i>and</i> FFDL metadata doesn't already have a word count.  If this is used with one of the other Page Counts, the Page Count plugin will be called twice."))
+        self.wordcountmissing.setChecked(prefs['wordcountmissing'])
+        self.wordcountmissing.setEnabled(self.wordcount.isChecked())
+        horz.addWidget(self.wordcountmissing)
+
+        self.wordcount.stateChanged.connect(lambda x : self.wordcountmissing.setEnabled(self.wordcount.isChecked()))
+        
+        self.l.addLayout(horz)
 
         self.fleschreading = QCheckBox('Flesch Reading Ease',self)
         self.fleschreading.setToolTip(tooltip)
diff --git a/calibre-plugin/ffdl_plugin.py b/calibre-plugin/ffdl_plugin.py
index 4575a7f3..aa4539a8 100644
--- a/calibre-plugin/ffdl_plugin.py
+++ b/calibre-plugin/ffdl_plugin.py
@@ -1281,7 +1281,22 @@ class FanFictionDownLoaderPlugin(InterfaceAction):
         
         if 'Count Pages' in self.gui.iactions and len(prefs['countpagesstats']) and len(all_ids):
             cp_plugin = self.gui.iactions['Count Pages']
-            cp_plugin.count_statistics(all_ids,prefs['countpagesstats'])
+            countpagesstats = list(prefs['countpagesstats']) # copy because we're changing it.
+            
+            ## If only some of the books need word counting, they'll
+            ## have to be launched separately.
+            if prefs['wordcountmissing']:
+                wc_ids = [ y['calibre_id'] for y in filter(
+                        lambda x : '' == x['all_metadata'].get('numWords',''), add_list + update_list ) ]                
+                ## not all need word count
+                if wc_ids and len(all_ids) != len(wc_ids):
+                    cp_plugin.count_statistics(wc_ids,['WordCount'])
+                    ## don't do WordCount below.
+                    while 'WordCount' in countpagesstats: countpagesstats.remove('WordCount')
+                    
+            ## check that there's stuff to do in case wordcount was it.
+            if countpagesstats:
+                cp_plugin.count_statistics(all_ids,countpagesstats)
 
         if prefs['autoconvert'] and options['collision'] != CALIBREONLY:
             self.gui.status_bar.show_message(_('Starting auto conversion of %d books.')%(len(all_ids)), 3000)
diff --git a/calibre-plugin/prefs.py b/calibre-plugin/prefs.py
index 083768da..f7df5e63 100644
--- a/calibre-plugin/prefs.py
+++ b/calibre-plugin/prefs.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ default_prefs['allow_gc_from_ini'] = True
 default_prefs['gc_polish_cover'] = False
 
 default_prefs['countpagesstats'] = []
+default_prefs['wordcountmissing'] = False
 
 default_prefs['errorcol'] = ''
 default_prefs['custom_cols'] = {}
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_test1.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_test1.py
index 4bf8525a..615eaedf 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_test1.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_test1.py
@@ -116,7 +116,9 @@ Some more longer description.  "I suck at summaries!"  "Better than it sounds!"
             self.story.setMetadata('dateUpdated',datetime.datetime.now())
         else:
             self.story.setMetadata('dateUpdated',makeDate("1975-04-15","%Y-%m-%d"))
-        self.story.setMetadata('numWords','123456')
+
+        if idstr != '674':
+            self.story.setMetadata('numWords','123456')
 
         if idnum % 2 == 1:
             self.story.setMetadata('status','In-Progress')
@@ -322,6 +324,7 @@ Some more longer description.  "I suck at summaries!"  "Better than it sounds!"
 <p>http://test1.com?sid=671 - Succeeds, but sleeps 2sec metadata only</p>
 <p>http://test1.com?sid=672 - Succeeds, quick meta, sleeps 2sec chapters only</p>
 <p>http://test1.com?sid=673 - Succeeds, multiple authors, extra categories, genres</p>
+<p>http://test1.com?sid=673 - Succeeds, no numWords set</p>
 <p>http://test1.com?sid=0 - Succeeds, generates some text specifically for testing hyphenation problems with Nook STR/STRwG</p>
 <p>Odd sid's will be In-Progress, evens complete.  sid&lt;10 will be assigned one of four languages and included in a series.</p>
 </div>