diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/APIFramework.java b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/APIFramework.java
index d5b1458..486c52b 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/APIFramework.java
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/api/common/APIFramework.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.expression.visitor.AQLPrintVisitor;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.rewrites.AqlRewriter;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixCompilerProperties;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.AsterixExternalProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.config.OptimizationConfUtil;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.ACIDException;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.common.exceptions.AsterixException;
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.expressions.INullableTypeComputer;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.expressions.LogicalExpressionJobGenToExpressionRuntimeProviderAdapter;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.prettyprint.LogicalOperatorPrettyPrintVisitor;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.prettyprint.PlanPlotter;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.algebra.prettyprint.PlanPrettyPrinter;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.rewriter.base.AbstractRuleController;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.core.rewriter.base.AlgebricksOptimizationContext;
@@ -259,6 +261,13 @@
             }
         }
 
+        //print the plot for the logical plan
+        AsterixExternalProperties xProps = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getExternalProperties();
+        Boolean plot = xProps.getIsPlottingEnabled();
+        if (plot) {
+            PlanPlotter.printLogicalPlan(plan);
+        }
+
         AsterixCompilerProperties compilerProperties = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getCompilerProperties();
         int frameSize = compilerProperties.getFrameSize();
         int sortFrameLimit = (int) (compilerProperties.getSortMemorySize() / frameSize);
@@ -285,6 +294,9 @@
         ICompiler compiler = compilerFactory.createCompiler(plan, queryMetadataProvider, t.getVarCounter());
         if (pc.isOptimize()) {
             compiler.optimize();
+            //plot optimized logical plan
+            if (plot)
+                PlanPlotter.printOptimizedLogicalPlan(plan);
             if (pc.isPrintOptimizedLogicalPlanParam()) {
                 if (pc.isPrintPhysicalOpsOnly()) {
                     // For Optimizer tests.
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/resources/asterix-build-configuration.xml b/asterix-app/src/main/resources/asterix-build-configuration.xml
index a7b4d97..03f2f0e 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/resources/asterix-build-configuration.xml
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/resources/asterix-build-configuration.xml
@@ -79,4 +79,10 @@
 			(Default = 8)
 		</description>
 	</property>
+	<property>
+		<name>plot.activate</name>
+		<value>false</value>
+		<description>Enabling plot of Algebricks plan to tmp folder. (Default = false)
+		</description>
+	</property>
 </asterixConfiguration>
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java
index f5a902a..4dfdbb4 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@
     private static final String EXTERNAL_MAX_WAIT_FOR_ACTIVE_CLUSTER = "max.wait.active.cluster";
     private static int EXTERNAL_MAX_WAIT_FOR_ACTIVE_CLUSTER_DEFAULT = 60;
 
+    private static final String EXTERNAL_PLOT_ACTIVATE = "plot.activate";
+    private static Boolean EXTERNAL_PLOT_ACTIVATE_DEFAULT = new Boolean(false);
+
     public AsterixExternalProperties(AsterixPropertiesAccessor accessor) {
         super(accessor);
     }
@@ -77,4 +80,10 @@
         return accessor.getProperty(EXTERNAL_MAX_WAIT_FOR_ACTIVE_CLUSTER, EXTERNAL_MAX_WAIT_FOR_ACTIVE_CLUSTER_DEFAULT,
                 PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
     }
+
+    public Boolean getIsPlottingEnabled() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(EXTERNAL_PLOT_ACTIVATE, EXTERNAL_PLOT_ACTIVATE_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getBooleanPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixPropertiesAccessor.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixPropertiesAccessor.java
index 7654aa3..82a961c 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixPropertiesAccessor.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixPropertiesAccessor.java
@@ -161,5 +161,4 @@
     public String getInstanceName() {
         return instanceName;
     }
-
 }
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/PropertyInterpreters.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/PropertyInterpreters.java
index effc8ff..68a36cd 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/PropertyInterpreters.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/PropertyInterpreters.java
@@ -34,6 +34,15 @@
         };
     }
 
+    public static IPropertyInterpreter<Boolean> getBooleanPropertyInterpreter() {
+        return new IPropertyInterpreter<Boolean>() {
+
+            public Boolean interpret(Property p) throws IllegalArgumentException {
+                return Boolean.parseBoolean(p.getValue());
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
     public static IPropertyInterpreter<Long> getLongPropertyInterpreter() {
         return new IPropertyInterpreter<Long>() {
 
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
index 6f96191..76c00db 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
@@ -235,4 +235,12 @@
 		<description>The minimum log level to be displayed. (Default = INFO)
 		</description>
 	</property>
+
+	<property>
+		<name>plot.activate</name>
+		<value>false</value>
+		<description>Enabling plot of Algebricks plan to tmp folder. (Default = false)
+		</description>
+	</property>
+
 </asterixConfiguration>