diff --git a/conf/bumblebee.conf.in b/conf/bumblebee.conf.in
index a4d0717..80f861d 100644
--- a/conf/bumblebee.conf.in
+++ b/conf/bumblebee.conf.in
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ AllowFallbackToIGC=@CONF_FALLBACKSTART@
 # Module name to load, defaults to Driver if empty or unset
 KernelDriver=@CONF_DRIVER_MODULE_NVIDIA@
 PMMethod=@CONF_PM_METHOD@
+# toggle kernel driver forced unloading on idle
+AlwaysUnloadKernelDriver=true
 # colon-separated path to the nvidia libraries
 LibraryPath=@CONF_LDPATH_NVIDIA@
 # comma-separated path of the directory containing nvidia_drv.so and the
@@ -65,5 +67,7 @@ XorgConfFile=@BBCONFDIR@/xorg.conf.nvidia
 [driver-nouveau]
 KernelDriver=nouveau
 PMMethod=@CONF_PM_METHOD@
+# toggle kernel driver forced unloading on idle
+AlwaysUnloadKernelDriver=true
 XorgConfFile=@BBCONFDIR@/xorg.conf.nouveau
 
diff --git a/src/bbconfig.c b/src/bbconfig.c
index 1dff5e0..00c0193 100644
--- a/src/bbconfig.c
+++ b/src/bbconfig.c
@@ -458,6 +458,10 @@ void bbconfig_parse_conf_driver(GKeyFile *bbcfg, char *driver) {
       g_free(module_name);
     }
   }
+  key = "AlwaysUnloadKernelDriver";
+  if (g_key_file_has_key(bbcfg, section, key, NULL)) {
+    bb_config.force_driver_unload = g_key_file_get_boolean(bbcfg, section, key, NULL);
+  }
   key = "LibraryPath";
   if (g_key_file_has_key(bbcfg, section, key, NULL)) {
     free_and_set_value(&bb_config.ld_path, g_key_file_get_string(bbcfg, section, key, NULL));
diff --git a/src/bbconfig.h b/src/bbconfig.h
index 5596b64..2519c19 100644
--- a/src/bbconfig.h
+++ b/src/bbconfig.h
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ struct bb_config_struct {
     char * module_name; /* Kernel module to be loaded for the driver.
                                     * If empty, driver will be used. This is
                                     * for Ubuntu which uses nvidia-current */
+    int force_driver_unload; /* Force driver unload, even without active PM method */
     int card_shutdown_state;
 #ifdef WITH_PIDFILE
     char *pid_file; /* pid file for storing the daemons PID */
diff --git a/src/bbsecondary.c b/src/bbsecondary.c
index 71a6b73..9378b07 100644
--- a/src/bbsecondary.c
+++ b/src/bbsecondary.c
@@ -217,24 +217,31 @@ bool start_secondary(bool need_secondary) {
 static void switch_and_unload(void)
 {
   char driver[BUFFER_SIZE];
+  int unload_driver = 0;
 
-  if (bb_config.pm_method == PM_DISABLED && bb_status.runmode != BB_RUN_EXIT) {
+  if (bb_config.pm_method == PM_DISABLED && !bb_config.force_driver_unload && bb_status.runmode != BB_RUN_EXIT) {
     /* do not disable the card if PM is disabled unless exiting */
     return;
   }
 
   //if card is on and can be switched, switch it off
+  if (switcher && switcher->need_driver_unloaded) {
+    /* do not unload the drivers nor disable the card if the card is not on */
+    if (switcher->status() != SWITCH_ON) {
+      return;
+    }
+    unload_driver = 1;
+  }
+
+  if (unload_driver || bb_config.force_driver_unload) {
+    /* unload the driver loaded by the graphica card */
+    if (pci_get_driver(driver, pci_bus_id_discrete, sizeof driver)) {
+      module_unload(driver);
+    }
+  }
+
   if (switcher) {
     if (switcher->need_driver_unloaded) {
-      /* do not unload the drivers nor disable the card if the card is not on */
-      if (switcher->status() != SWITCH_ON) {
-        return;
-      }
-      /* unload the driver loaded by the graphica card */
-      if (pci_get_driver(driver, pci_bus_id_discrete, sizeof driver)) {
-        module_unload(driver);
-      }
-
       //only turn card off if no drivers are loaded
       if (pci_get_driver(NULL, pci_bus_id_discrete, 0)) {
         bb_log(LOG_DEBUG, "Drivers are still loaded, unable to disable card\n");