diff --git a/src/callbacks.py b/src/callbacks.py
index e9428c872..e3772c81b 100644
--- a/src/callbacks.py
+++ b/src/callbacks.py
@@ -769,6 +769,9 @@ class ReplyIrcProxy(RichReplyMethods):
         else:
             sendMsg = self.replyIrc.queueMsg
 
+        public = bool(self.msg.channel)
+        private = kwargs.get('private', False) or not public
+
         if isinstance(self.replyIrc, self.__class__):
             s = s[:conf.supybot.reply.maximumLength()]
             return self.replyIrc.reply(s,
@@ -813,8 +816,14 @@ class ReplyIrcProxy(RichReplyMethods):
             # (which is used like a stack)
             chunks.reverse()
 
-            instant = conf.get(conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant,
-                channel=target, network=self.replyIrc.network)
+            instant = 0
+            if private:
+                # if zero, falls back to supybot.reply.mores.instant
+                instant = conf.get(conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant.whenPrivate,
+                    network=self.replyIrc.network)
+            if instant <= 0:
+                instant = conf.get(conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant,
+                    channel=target, network=self.replyIrc.network)
 
             # Big complex loop ahead, with lots of cases and opportunities for
             # off-by-one errors. Here is the meaning of each of the variables
@@ -912,8 +921,6 @@ class ReplyIrcProxy(RichReplyMethods):
             if '!' in prefix and '@' in prefix:
                 mask = prefix.split('!', 1)[1]
                 self._mores[mask] = msgs
-            public = bool(self.msg.channel)
-            private = kwargs.get('private', False) or not public
             self._mores[msg.nick] = (private, msgs)
             return response
 
diff --git a/src/conf.py b/src/conf.py
index f090816b3..d0d202d14 100644
--- a/src/conf.py
+++ b/src/conf.py
@@ -547,6 +547,13 @@ registerChannelValue(supybot.reply.mores, 'instant',
     they are formed).  Defaults to 1, which means that a more command will be
     required for all but the first chunk.""")))
 
+# XXX: User value.
+registerNetworkValue(supybot.reply.mores.instant, 'whenPrivate',
+    registry.NonNegativeInteger(0, _("""Determines how many mores will be sent
+    instantly (i.e., without the use of the more command, immediately when
+    they are formed) when sending messages in private.  Defaults to 0, which means
+    that it defaults to the generic supybot.reply.mores.instant value.""")))
+
 registerChannelValue(supybot.reply, 'oneToOne',
     registry.Boolean(True, _("""Determines whether the bot will send
     multi-message replies in a single message. This defaults to True 
diff --git a/test/test_callbacks.py b/test/test_callbacks.py
index 6ce9c1569..7ac6c78bf 100644
--- a/test/test_callbacks.py
+++ b/test/test_callbacks.py
@@ -547,6 +547,13 @@ class PrivmsgTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase):
             "'" + "foo " * 110 + " \x02(2 more messages)\x02")
         self.assertNoResponse(" ", timeout=0.1)
 
+        # not in private -> no effect
+        with conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant.inPrivate.context(2):
+            self.assertResponse(
+                "eval 'foo '*300",
+                "'" + "foo " * 110 + " \x02(2 more messages)\x02")
+            self.assertNoResponse(" ", timeout=0.1)
+
         with conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant.context(2):
             self.assertResponse(
                 "eval 'foo '*300",
@@ -568,6 +575,55 @@ class PrivmsgTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase):
                 " " + "foo " * 79 + "'")
             self.assertNoResponse(" ", timeout=0.1)
 
+    def testReplyInstantInPrivate(self):
+        self.assertNoResponse(' ')
+        self.assertResponse(
+            "eval irc.reply('foo '*300, private=True)",
+            "foo " * 113 + "\x02(2 more messages)\x02")
+        self.assertResponse(" ", "None")
+
+        with conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant.whenPrivate.context(2):
+            self.assertResponse(
+                "eval irc.reply('foo '*300, private=True)",
+                "foo " * 112 + "foo")
+            self.assertResponse(
+                " ",
+                " foo" * 112 + "  \x02(1 more message)\x02")
+            self.assertResponse(" ", "None")
+
+        with conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant.whenPrivate.context(2):
+            with conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant.context(3): # ignored
+                self.assertResponse(
+                    "eval irc.reply('foo '*300, private=True)",
+                    "foo " * 112 + "foo")
+                self.assertResponse(
+                    " ",
+                    " foo" * 112 + "  \x02(1 more message)\x02")
+                self.assertResponse(" ", "None")
+
+        # fall back because supybot.reply.mores.instant.inPrivate is 0
+        with conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant.context(2):
+            self.assertResponse(
+                "eval irc.reply('foo '*300, private=True)",
+                "foo " * 112 + "foo")
+            self.assertResponse(
+                " ",
+                " foo" * 112 + "  \x02(1 more message)\x02")
+            self.assertResponse(" ", "None")
+
+        # fall back because supybot.reply.mores.instant.inPrivate is 0
+        with conf.supybot.reply.mores.instant.context(3):
+            self.assertResponse(
+                "eval irc.reply('foo '*300, private=True)",
+                "foo " * 112 + "foo")
+            self.assertResponse(
+                " ",
+                " foo" * 112 + " ")
+            self.assertResponse(
+                " ",
+                "foo " * 75)
+            self.assertResponse(" ", "None")
+
     def testReplyPrivate(self):
         # Send from a very long nick, which should be taken into account when
         # computing the reply overhead.