diff --git a/Examples/UIExplorer/MapViewExample.js b/Examples/UIExplorer/MapViewExample.js
index 498a5f83df0d91..bd1173a83fea79 100644
--- a/Examples/UIExplorer/MapViewExample.js
+++ b/Examples/UIExplorer/MapViewExample.js
@@ -290,9 +290,15 @@ exports.examples = [
     }
   },
   {
-    title: 'Map shows user location',
+    title: 'showsUserLocation + followUserLocation',
     render() {
-      return <MapView style={styles.map} showsUserLocation={true} />;
+      return (
+        <MapView
+          style={styles.map}
+          showsUserLocation={true}
+          followUserLocation={true}
+        />
+      );
     }
   },
   {
diff --git a/Libraries/Components/MapView/MapView.js b/Libraries/Components/MapView/MapView.js
index 2ccb4b8cb4d541..ec25733039bef1 100644
--- a/Libraries/Components/MapView/MapView.js
+++ b/Libraries/Components/MapView/MapView.js
@@ -49,15 +49,22 @@ const MapView = React.createClass({
     style: View.propTypes.style,
 
     /**
-     * If `true` the app will ask for the user's location and focus on it.
-     * Default value is `false`.
+     * If `true` the app will ask for the user's location and display it on
+     * the map. Default value is `false`.
      *
-     * **NOTE**: You need to add NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription key in
-     * Info.plist to enable geolocation, otherwise it is going
-     * to *fail silently*!
+     * **NOTE**: on iOS, you need to add the `NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription`
+     * key in Info.plist to enable geolocation, otherwise it will fail silently.
      */
     showsUserLocation: React.PropTypes.bool,
 
+    /**
+     * If `true` the map will follow the user's location whenever it changes.
+     * Note that this has no effect unless `showsUserLocation` is enabled.
+     * Default value is `true`.
+     * @platform ios
+     */
+    followUserLocation: React.PropTypes.bool,
+    
     /**
      * If `false` points of interest won't be displayed on the map.
      * Default value is `true`.
@@ -156,13 +163,11 @@ const MapView = React.createClass({
       
       /**
        * Whether the pin should be draggable or not
-       * @platform ios
        */
       draggable: React.PropTypes.bool,
 
       /**
        * Event that fires when the annotation drag state changes.
-       * @platform ios
        */  
       onDragStateChange: React.PropTypes.func,
 
@@ -282,7 +287,7 @@ const MapView = React.createClass({
   },
 
   render: function() {
-    let children = [], {annotations, overlays} = this.props;
+    let children = [], {annotations, overlays, followUserLocation} = this.props;
     annotations = annotations && annotations.map((annotation: Object) => {
       let {
         id,
@@ -430,11 +435,17 @@ const MapView = React.createClass({
       };
     }
 
+    // followUserLocation defaults to true if showUserLocation is set
+    if (followUserLocation === undefined) {
+      followUserLocation = this.props.showUserLocation;
+    }
+
     return (
       <RCTMap
         {...this.props}
         annotations={annotations}
         children={children}
+        followUserLocation={followUserLocation}
         overlays={overlays}
         onPress={onPress}
         onChange={onChange}
diff --git a/React/Views/RCTMap.m b/React/Views/RCTMap.m
index 6996eb2b3a7f40..0d8e56c806fa78 100644
--- a/React/Views/RCTMap.m
+++ b/React/Views/RCTMap.m
@@ -100,10 +100,6 @@ - (void)setShowsUserLocation:(BOOL)showsUserLocation
       }
     }
     super.showsUserLocation = showsUserLocation;
-
-    // If it needs to show user location, force map view centered
-    // on user's current location on user location updates
-    _followUserLocation = showsUserLocation;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/React/Views/RCTMapManager.m b/React/Views/RCTMapManager.m
index f12705b283e288..74517b4c40dbf8 100644
--- a/React/Views/RCTMapManager.m
+++ b/React/Views/RCTMapManager.m
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ - (UIView *)view
 RCT_EXPORT_VIEW_PROPERTY(showsUserLocation, BOOL)
 RCT_EXPORT_VIEW_PROPERTY(showsPointsOfInterest, BOOL)
 RCT_EXPORT_VIEW_PROPERTY(showsCompass, BOOL)
+RCT_EXPORT_VIEW_PROPERTY(followUserLocation, BOOL)
 RCT_EXPORT_VIEW_PROPERTY(zoomEnabled, BOOL)
 RCT_EXPORT_VIEW_PROPERTY(rotateEnabled, BOOL)
 RCT_EXPORT_VIEW_PROPERTY(pitchEnabled, BOOL)
@@ -320,9 +321,6 @@ - (void)mapView:(RCTMap *)mapView didUpdateUserLocation:(MKUserLocation *)locati
     region.span.longitudeDelta = RCTMapDefaultSpan;
     region.center = location.coordinate;
     [mapView setRegion:region animated:YES];
-
-    // Move to user location only for the first time it loads up.
-    mapView.followUserLocation = NO;
   }
 }