diff --git a/modules/statistics/statistics.admin.inc b/modules/statistics/statistics.admin.inc
index 415fd00..e651e54 100644
--- a/modules/statistics/statistics.admin.inc
+++ b/modules/statistics/statistics.admin.inc
@@ -305,6 +305,17 @@ function statistics_settings_form() {
     '#default_value' => variable_get('statistics_count_content_views', 0),
     '#description' => t('Increment a counter each time content is viewed.'),
   );
+  $form['content']['statistics_count_content_views_ajax'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#title' => t('Use AJAX to increment the counter'),
+    '#default_value' => variable_get('statistics_count_content_views_ajax', 0),
+    '#description' => t('Perform the count asynchronously after page load rather than during page generation.'),
+    '#states' => array(
+      'disabled' => array(
+        ':input[name="statistics_count_content_views"]' => array('checked' => FALSE),
+      ),
+    ),
+  );
 
   return system_settings_form($form);
 }
diff --git a/modules/statistics/statistics.install b/modules/statistics/statistics.install
index b857435..231c90e 100644
--- a/modules/statistics/statistics.install
+++ b/modules/statistics/statistics.install
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 function statistics_uninstall() {
   // Remove variables.
   variable_del('statistics_count_content_views');
+  variable_del('statistics_count_content_views_ajax');
   variable_del('statistics_enable_access_log');
   variable_del('statistics_flush_accesslog_timer');
   variable_del('statistics_day_timestamp');
diff --git a/modules/statistics/statistics.js b/modules/statistics/statistics.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b7c5615
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/statistics/statistics.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+(function ($) {
+  $(document).ready(function() {
+    $.ajax({
+      type: "POST",
+      cache: false,
+      url: Drupal.settings.statistics.url,
+      data: Drupal.settings.statistics.data
+    });
+  });
+})(jQuery);
diff --git a/modules/statistics/statistics.module b/modules/statistics/statistics.module
index 81d24b7..d62e8d3 100644
--- a/modules/statistics/statistics.module
+++ b/modules/statistics/statistics.module
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function statistics_exit() {
   // in which case we need to bootstrap to the session phase anyway.
   drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES);
 
-  if (variable_get('statistics_count_content_views', 0)) {
+  if (variable_get('statistics_count_content_views', 0) && !variable_get('statistics_count_content_views_ajax', 0)) {
     // We are counting content views.
     if (arg(0) == 'node' && is_numeric(arg(1)) && arg(2) == NULL) {
       // A node has been viewed, so update the node's counters.
@@ -115,6 +115,22 @@ function statistics_permission() {
  * Implements hook_node_view().
  */
 function statistics_node_view($node, $view_mode) {
+  // Attach AJAX node count statistics if configured.
+  if (variable_get('statistics_count_content_views', 0) && variable_get('statistics_count_content_views_ajax', 0)) {
+    if (!empty($node->nid) && $view_mode == 'full' && node_is_page($node) && empty($node->in_preview)) {
+      $node->content['#attached']['js'] = array(
+        drupal_get_path('module', 'statistics') . '/statistics.js' => array(
+          'scope' => 'footer'
+        ),
+      );
+      $settings = array('data' => array('nid' => $node->nid), 'url' => url(drupal_get_path('module', 'statistics') . '/statistics.php'));
+      $node->content['#attached']['js'][] = array(
+        'data' => array('statistics' => $settings),
+        'type' => 'setting',
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
   if ($view_mode != 'rss') {
     if (user_access('view post access counter')) {
       $statistics = statistics_get($node->nid);
diff --git a/modules/statistics/statistics.php b/modules/statistics/statistics.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e01763f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/statistics/statistics.php
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Handles counts of node views via AJAX with minimal bootstrap.
+ */
+
+// Change the directory to the Drupal root.
+chdir('../..');
+
+/**
+* Root directory of Drupal installation.
+*/
+define('DRUPAL_ROOT', getcwd());
+
+include_once DRUPAL_ROOT . '/includes/bootstrap.inc';
+drupal_bootstrap(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_VARIABLES);
+if (variable_get('statistics_count_content_views', 0) && variable_get('statistics_count_content_views_ajax', 0)) {
+  $nid = $_POST['nid'];
+  if (is_numeric($nid)) {
+    db_merge('node_counter')
+      ->key(array('nid' => $nid))
+      ->fields(array(
+        'daycount' => 1,
+        'totalcount' => 1,
+        'timestamp' => REQUEST_TIME,
+      ))
+      ->expression('daycount', 'daycount + 1')
+      ->expression('totalcount', 'totalcount + 1')
+      ->execute();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/modules/statistics/statistics.test b/modules/statistics/statistics.test
index d2155da..f04c2ee 100644
--- a/modules/statistics/statistics.test
+++ b/modules/statistics/statistics.test
@@ -143,6 +143,24 @@ class StatisticsLoggingTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $this->assertTrue(is_array($log) && count($log) == 8, 'Page request was logged for a path over 255 characters.');
     $this->assertEqual($log[7]['path'], truncate_utf8($long_path, 255));
 
+    // Test that AJAX logging doesn't occur when disabled.
+    $post = http_build_query(array('nid' => $this->node->nid));
+    $headers = array('Content-Type' => 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded');
+    global $base_url;
+    $stats_path = $base_url . '/' . drupal_get_path('module', 'statistics'). '/statistics.php';
+    drupal_http_request($stats_path, array('method' => 'POST', 'data' => $post, 'headers' => $headers, 'timeout' => 10000));
+    $log = db_query('SELECT * FROM {accesslog}')->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
+    $this->assertTrue(is_array($log) && count($log) == 8, 'Page request was not logged via AJAX.');
+
+    // Test that AJAX logging occurs when enabled.
+    variable_set('statistics_count_content_views_ajax', 1);
+    drupal_http_request($stats_path, array('method' => 'POST', 'data' => $post, 'headers' => $headers, 'timeout' => 10000));
+    $log = db_query('SELECT * FROM {accesslog}')->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
+    $this->assertTrue(is_array($log) && count($log) == 9, 'Page request was logged via AJAX.');
+    $this->assertEqual(array_intersect_key($log[8], $expected), $expected);
+    $node_counter = statistics_get($this->node->nid);
+    $this->assertIdentical($node_counter['totalcount'], '4');
+    variable_set('statistics_count_content_views_ajax', 0);
   }
 }