diff --git a/intern/cycles/blender/addon/properties.py b/intern/cycles/blender/addon/properties.py
index ca49ffccd2a..eba94604a88 100644
--- a/intern/cycles/blender/addon/properties.py
+++ b/intern/cycles/blender/addon/properties.py
@@ -150,6 +150,11 @@ class CyclesRenderSettings(bpy.types.PropertyGroup):
                 description="Use progressive sampling of lighting",
                 default=True,
                 )
+        cls.squared_samples = BoolProperty(
+                name="Squared Samples",
+                description="Square sampling values for easier artist control",
+                default=False,
+                )
 
         cls.samples = IntProperty(
                 name="Samples",
diff --git a/intern/cycles/blender/addon/ui.py b/intern/cycles/blender/addon/ui.py
index 8d129aa821c..d862a00f006 100644
--- a/intern/cycles/blender/addon/ui.py
+++ b/intern/cycles/blender/addon/ui.py
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ class CyclesRender_PT_sampling(CyclesButtonsPanel, Panel):
             sub.prop(cscene, "ao_samples", text="AO")
             sub.prop(cscene, "mesh_light_samples", text="Mesh Light")
             sub.prop(cscene, "subsurface_samples", text="Subsurface")
+            
+        layout.prop(cscene, "squared_samples")
 
         if cscene.feature_set == 'EXPERIMENTAL' and (device_type == 'NONE' or cscene.device == 'CPU'):
             layout.row().prop(cscene, "sampling_pattern", text="Pattern")
diff --git a/intern/cycles/blender/blender_object.cpp b/intern/cycles/blender/blender_object.cpp
index d1e3d64d572..b2235c36af0 100644
--- a/intern/cycles/blender/blender_object.cpp
+++ b/intern/cycles/blender/blender_object.cpp
@@ -154,10 +154,16 @@ void BlenderSync::sync_light(BL::Object b_parent, int persistent_id[OBJECT_PERSI
 	light->shader = used_shaders[0];
 
 	/* shadow */
+	PointerRNA cscene = RNA_pointer_get(&b_scene.ptr, "cycles");
 	PointerRNA clamp = RNA_pointer_get(&b_lamp.ptr, "cycles");
 	light->cast_shadow = get_boolean(clamp, "cast_shadow");
 	light->use_mis = get_boolean(clamp, "use_multiple_importance_sampling");
-	light->samples = get_int(clamp, "samples");
+	
+	int samples = get_int(clamp, "samples");
+	if(get_boolean(cscene, "squared_samples"))
+		light->samples = samples * samples;
+	else
+		light->samples = samples;
 
 	/* visibility */
 	uint visibility = object_ray_visibility(b_ob);
@@ -174,6 +180,7 @@ void BlenderSync::sync_background_light()
 	BL::World b_world = b_scene.world();
 
 	if(b_world) {
+		PointerRNA cscene = RNA_pointer_get(&b_scene.ptr, "cycles");
 		PointerRNA cworld = RNA_pointer_get(&b_world.ptr, "cycles");
 		bool sample_as_light = get_boolean(cworld, "sample_as_light");
 
@@ -188,8 +195,13 @@ void BlenderSync::sync_background_light()
 			{
 				light->type = LIGHT_BACKGROUND;
 				light->map_resolution  = get_int(cworld, "sample_map_resolution");
-				light->samples  = get_int(cworld, "samples");
 				light->shader = scene->default_background;
+				
+				int samples = get_int(cworld, "samples");
+				if(get_boolean(cscene, "squared_samples"))
+					light->samples = samples * samples;
+				else
+					light->samples = samples;
 
 				light->tag_update(scene);
 				light_map.set_recalc(b_world);
diff --git a/intern/cycles/blender/blender_sync.cpp b/intern/cycles/blender/blender_sync.cpp
index e9e39e485f5..10a17b7abc3 100644
--- a/intern/cycles/blender/blender_sync.cpp
+++ b/intern/cycles/blender/blender_sync.cpp
@@ -191,14 +191,33 @@ void BlenderSync::sync_integrator()
 	}
 #endif
 
-	integrator->diffuse_samples = get_int(cscene, "diffuse_samples");
-	integrator->glossy_samples = get_int(cscene, "glossy_samples");
-	integrator->transmission_samples = get_int(cscene, "transmission_samples");
-	integrator->ao_samples = get_int(cscene, "ao_samples");
-	integrator->mesh_light_samples = get_int(cscene, "mesh_light_samples");
-	integrator->subsurface_samples = get_int(cscene, "subsurface_samples");
 	integrator->progressive = get_boolean(cscene, "progressive");
 
+	int diffuse_samples = get_int(cscene, "diffuse_samples");
+	int glossy_samples = get_int(cscene, "glossy_samples");
+	int transmission_samples = get_int(cscene, "transmission_samples");
+	int ao_samples = get_int(cscene, "ao_samples");
+	int mesh_light_samples = get_int(cscene, "mesh_light_samples");
+	int subsurface_samples = get_int(cscene, "subsurface_samples");
+
+	if(get_boolean(cscene, "squared_samples")) {
+		integrator->diffuse_samples = diffuse_samples * diffuse_samples;
+		integrator->glossy_samples = glossy_samples * glossy_samples;
+		integrator->transmission_samples = transmission_samples * transmission_samples;
+		integrator->ao_samples = ao_samples * ao_samples;
+		integrator->mesh_light_samples = mesh_light_samples * mesh_light_samples;
+		integrator->subsurface_samples = subsurface_samples * subsurface_samples;
+	} 
+	else {
+		integrator->diffuse_samples = diffuse_samples;
+		integrator->glossy_samples = glossy_samples;
+		integrator->transmission_samples = transmission_samples;
+		integrator->ao_samples = ao_samples;
+		integrator->mesh_light_samples = mesh_light_samples;
+		integrator->subsurface_samples = subsurface_samples;
+	}
+	
+
 	if(experimental)
 		integrator->sampling_pattern = (SamplingPattern)RNA_enum_get(&cscene, "sampling_pattern");
 
@@ -300,8 +319,13 @@ void BlenderSync::sync_render_layers(BL::SpaceView3D b_v3d, const char *layer)
 			render_layer.use_localview = false;
 
 			render_layer.bound_samples = (use_layer_samples == 1);
-			if(use_layer_samples != 2)
-				render_layer.samples = b_rlay->samples();
+			if(use_layer_samples != 2) {
+				int samples = b_rlay->samples();
+				if(get_boolean(cscene, "squared_samples"))
+					render_layer.samples = samples * samples;
+				else
+					render_layer.samples = samples;
+			}
 		}
 
 		first_layer = false;
@@ -385,22 +409,34 @@ SessionParams BlenderSync::get_session_params(BL::RenderEngine b_engine, BL::Use
 	params.background = background;
 
 	/* samples */
+	int samples = get_int(cscene, "samples");
+	int aa_samples = get_int(cscene, "aa_samples");
+	int preview_samples = get_int(cscene, "preview_samples");
+	int preview_aa_samples = get_int(cscene, "preview_aa_samples");
+	
+	if(get_boolean(cscene, "squared_samples")) {
+		samples = samples * samples;
+		aa_samples = aa_samples * aa_samples;
+		preview_samples = preview_samples * preview_samples;
+		preview_aa_samples = preview_aa_samples * preview_aa_samples;
+	}
+
 	if(get_boolean(cscene, "progressive") == 0 && params.device.type == DEVICE_CPU) {
 		if(background) {
-			params.samples = get_int(cscene, "aa_samples");
+			params.samples = aa_samples;
 		}
 		else {
-			params.samples = get_int(cscene, "preview_aa_samples");
+			params.samples = preview_aa_samples;
 			if(params.samples == 0)
 				params.samples = 65536;
 		}
 	}
 	else {
 		if(background) {
-			params.samples = get_int(cscene, "samples");
+			params.samples = samples;
 		}
 		else {
-			params.samples = get_int(cscene, "preview_samples");
+			params.samples = preview_samples;
 			if(params.samples == 0)
 				params.samples = 65536;
 		}