diff --git a/IPython/qt/console/frontend_widget.py b/IPython/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
index 064d037..0c0ea0a 100644
--- a/IPython/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
+++ b/IPython/qt/console/frontend_widget.py
@@ -615,10 +615,11 @@ class FrontendWidget(HistoryConsoleWidget, BaseFrontendMixin):
 
         if clear:
             self._control.clear()
-            self._append_plain_text(self.banner)
-            if self.kernel_banner:
-                self._append_plain_text(self.kernel_banner)
-                
+            if self._display_banner:
+                self._append_plain_text(self.banner)
+                if self.kernel_banner:
+                    self._append_plain_text(self.kernel_banner)
+
         # update output marker for stdout/stderr, so that startup
         # messages appear after banner:
         self._append_before_prompt_pos = self._get_cursor().position()
diff --git a/IPython/qt/console/qtconsoleapp.py b/IPython/qt/console/qtconsoleapp.py
index 5df4e2e..9172557 100644
--- a/IPython/qt/console/qtconsoleapp.py
+++ b/IPython/qt/console/qtconsoleapp.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ if os.name == 'nt':
 from IPython.external.qt import QtCore, QtGui
 
 # Local imports
+from IPython.config.application import boolean_flag
 from IPython.config.application import catch_config_error
 from IPython.core.application import BaseIPythonApplication
 from IPython.qt.console.ipython_widget import IPythonWidget
@@ -91,6 +92,11 @@ qt_flags = {
     'plain' : ({'IPythonQtConsoleApp' : {'plain' : True}},
             "Disable rich text support."),
 }
+qt_flags.update(boolean_flag(
+    'banner', 'IPythonQtConsoleApp.display_banner',
+    "Display a banner upon starting IPython.",
+    "Don't display a banner upon starting IPython."
+))
 
 # and app_flags from the Console Mixin
 qt_flags.update(app_flags)
@@ -168,6 +174,10 @@ class IPythonQtConsoleApp(BaseIPythonApplication, IPythonConsoleApp):
     plain = CBool(False, config=True,
         help="Use a plaintext widget instead of rich text (plain can't print/save).")
 
+    display_banner = CBool(True, config=True,
+        help="Whether to display a banner upon starting IPython."
+    )
+
     def _plain_changed(self, name, old, new):
         kind = 'plain' if new else 'rich'
         self.config.ConsoleWidget.kind = kind
@@ -255,6 +265,7 @@ class IPythonQtConsoleApp(BaseIPythonApplication, IPythonConsoleApp):
         self.widget._existing = self.existing
         self.widget._may_close = not self.existing
         self.widget._confirm_exit = self.confirm_exit
+        self.widget._display_banner = self.display_banner
 
         self.widget.kernel_manager = self.kernel_manager
         self.widget.kernel_client = self.kernel_client