diff --git a/src/MultiPlayer/multiplaymgr.cxx b/src/MultiPlayer/multiplaymgr.cxx
index dcf8fe280..041b2133d 100644
--- a/src/MultiPlayer/multiplaymgr.cxx
+++ b/src/MultiPlayer/multiplaymgr.cxx
@@ -961,7 +961,10 @@ FGMultiplayMgr::FGMultiplayMgr()
   pMultiPlayDebugLevel = fgGetNode("/sim/multiplay/debug-level", true);
   pMultiPlayTransmitPropertyBase = fgGetNode("/sim/multiplay/transmit-filter-property-base", true);
   pMultiPlayRange = fgGetNode("/sim/multiplay/visibility-range-nm", true);
-  pMultiPlayRange->setIntValue(100);
+  if (pMultiPlayRange->getIntValue() == 0) {
+    /* Only set if currently zero - this allows override e.g. in ~/.fgfsrc. */
+    pMultiPlayRange->setIntValue(100);
+  }
 } // FGMultiplayMgr::FGMultiplayMgr()
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////