=== modified file 'modules/comment.module'
--- modules/comment.module	
+++ modules/comment.module	
@@ -710,16 +710,27 @@
       $nid = 0;
     }
 
-    if (!isset($mode)) {
-      $mode = isset($user->mode) ? $user->mode : (isset($_SESSION['comment_mode']) ? $_SESSION['comment_mode'] : variable_get('comment_default_mode', COMMENT_MODE_THREADED_EXPANDED));
+    if (variable_get('comment_controls', COMMENT_CONTROLS_HIDDEN) == COMMENT_CONTROLS_HIDDEN) {
+      if (!isset($mode)) {
+        $mode = variable_get('comment_default_mode', COMMENT_MODE_THREADED_EXPANDED);
+      }
+      if (!isset($order)) {
+        $order = variable_get('comment_default_order', COMMENT_ORDER_NEWEST_FIRST);
+      }
+      if (empty($comments_per_page)) {
+        $comments_per_page = variable_get('comment_default_per_page', '50');
+      }
     }
-
-    if (!isset($order)) {
-      $order = isset($user->sort) ? $user->sort : (isset($_SESSION['comment_sort']) ? $_SESSION['comment_sort'] : variable_get('comment_default_order', COMMENT_ORDER_NEWEST_FIRST));
-    }
-
-    if (empty($comments_per_page)) {
-      $comments_per_page = $user->comments_per_page ? $user->comments_per_page : ($_SESSION['comment_comments_per_page'] ? $_SESSION['comment_comments_per_page'] : variable_get('comment_default_per_page', '50'));
+    else {
+      if (!isset($mode)) {
+        $mode = isset($user->mode) ? $user->mode : (isset($_SESSION['comment_mode']) ? $_SESSION['comment_mode'] : variable_get('comment_default_mode', COMMENT_MODE_THREADED_EXPANDED));
+      }
+      if (!isset($order)) {
+        $order = isset($user->sort) ? $user->sort : (isset($_SESSION['comment_sort']) ? $_SESSION['comment_sort'] : variable_get('comment_default_order', COMMENT_ORDER_NEWEST_FIRST));
+      }
+      if (empty($comments_per_page)) {
+        $comments_per_page = $user->comments_per_page ? $user->comments_per_page : ($_SESSION['comment_comments_per_page'] ? $_SESSION['comment_comments_per_page'] : variable_get('comment_default_per_page', '50'));
+      }
     }
 
     $output .= "<a id=\"comment\"></a>\n";