Index: app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
===================================================================
--- app/controllers/issues_controller.rb	(revision 4249)
+++ app/controllers/issues_controller.rb	(working copy)
@@ -311,7 +311,9 @@
       end
     end
     @issue.author = User.current
-    @issue.start_date ||= Date.today
+    if (request.get? || request.xhr?) && Setting.issue_startdate_is_adddate?
+      @issue.start_date ||= Date.today
+    end
     @priorities = IssuePriority.all
     @allowed_statuses = @issue.new_statuses_allowed_to(User.current, true)
   end
Index: app/views/settings/_issues.rhtml
===================================================================
--- app/views/settings/_issues.rhtml	(revision 4249)
+++ app/views/settings/_issues.rhtml	(working copy)
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 
 <p><%= setting_check_box :display_subprojects_issues %></p>
 
+<p><%= setting_check_box :issue_startdate_is_adddate %></p>
+
 <p><%= setting_select :issue_done_ratio, Issue::DONE_RATIO_OPTIONS.collect {|i| [l("setting_issue_done_ratio_#{i}"), i]} %></p>
 
 <p><%= setting_text_field :issues_export_limit, :size => 6 %></p>
Index: config/settings.yml
===================================================================
--- config/settings.yml	(revision 4249)
+++ config/settings.yml	(working copy)
@@ -186,3 +186,5 @@
   default: 0
 default_notification_option:
   default: 'only_my_events'
+issue_startdate_is_adddate:
+  default: 0
Index: config/locales/en.yml
===================================================================
--- config/locales/en.yml	(revision 4249)
+++ config/locales/en.yml	(working copy)
@@ -351,6 +351,7 @@
   setting_rest_api_enabled: Enable REST web service
   setting_cache_formatted_text: Cache formatted text
   setting_default_notification_option: Default notification option
+  setting_issue_startdate_is_adddate: Use todays date as start date for new issues (otherwise leave empty, default)
   
   permission_add_project: Create project
   permission_add_subprojects: Create subprojects