diff --git a/docs/programmers/api-variables.md b/docs/programmers/api-variables.md
index ee9c07611..3ae24c3c3 100644
--- a/docs/programmers/api-variables.md
+++ b/docs/programmers/api-variables.md
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ them directly, or use the corresponding setter/getter methods.
 - [$template_dir](./api-variables/variable-template-dir.md)
 - [$trusted_dir](./api-variables/variable-trusted-dir.md)
 - [$use_include_path](./api-variables/variable-use-include-path.md)
+- [$use_only_compiled](./api-variables/variable-use-only-compiled.md)
 - [$use_sub_dirs](./api-variables/variable-use-sub-dirs.md)
 
 > **Note**
diff --git a/docs/programmers/api-variables/variable-use-only-compiled.md b/docs/programmers/api-variables/variable-use-only-compiled.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c376e7e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/programmers/api-variables/variable-use-only-compiled.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+\$use\_only\_compiled {#variable.use.only.compiled}
+================
+
+If set to TRUE, Smarty will use only compiled templates, alsoù
+ignoring the (in)existence of base templates. Compiled filenames
+will be constant and relative to the template basename.
+Useful to use pre-compiled templates and distribute them already
+compiled on production websites. Overrides and disables
+[`$merge_compiled_includes`](#variable.merge.compiled.includes)
diff --git a/libs/Smarty.class.php b/libs/Smarty.class.php
index 5351b5791..e6fb0b03b 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty.class.php
@@ -578,6 +578,13 @@ class Smarty extends Smarty_Internal_TemplateBase
      */
     public $_debug = null;
 
+    /**
+     * force using of only compiled templates, ignoring source
+     *
+     * @var boolean
+     */
+    public $use_only_compiled = false;
+
     /**
      * template directory
      *
@@ -1279,6 +1286,14 @@ public function setCachingType($caching_type)
         $this->caching_type = $caching_type;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @param boolean $use_only_compiled
+     */
+    public function setUseOnlyCompiled($use_only_compiled)
+    {
+        $this->use_only_compiled = $use_only_compiled;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test install
      *
diff --git a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_include.php b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_include.php
index bf62461bc..77f1ba629 100644
--- a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_include.php
+++ b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_include.php
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@ public function compile($args, Smarty_Internal_SmartyTemplateCompiler $compiler)
             if (isset($_attr[ 'compile_id' ]) && $compiler->isVariable($_attr[ 'compile_id' ])) {
                 $merge_compiled_includes = false;
             }
+            // compile names without uid
+            if ($compiler->smarty->use_only_compiled) {
+                $merge_compiled_includes = false;
+            }
         }
         /*
         * if the {include} tag provides individual parameter for caching or compile_id
diff --git a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_template.php b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_template.php
index 72d1d52e0..5607577ac 100644
--- a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_template.php
+++ b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_internal_template.php
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ public function render($no_output_filter = true, $display = null)
             $this->smarty->_debug->start_template($this, $display);
         }
         // checks if template exists
-        if (!$this->source->exists) {
+        if (!$this->source->exists && !$this->smarty->use_only_compiled) {
             throw new SmartyException(
                 "Unable to load template '{$this->source->type}:{$this->source->name}'" .
                 ($this->_isSubTpl() ? " in '{$this->parent->template_resource}'" : '')
diff --git a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_template_compiled.php b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_template_compiled.php
index 37d8f0a9e..fb5e5e5a8 100644
--- a/libs/sysplugins/smarty_template_compiled.php
+++ b/libs/sysplugins/smarty_template_compiled.php
@@ -50,23 +50,37 @@ public function populateCompiledFilepath(Smarty_Internal_Template $_template)
             $this->filepath .= preg_replace('![^\w]+!', '_', $_template->compile_id) .
                                ($smarty->use_sub_dirs ? DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR : '^');
         }
-        // if use_sub_dirs, break file into directories
-        if ($smarty->use_sub_dirs) {
-            $this->filepath .= $source->uid[ 0 ] . $source->uid[ 1 ] . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $source->uid[ 2 ] .
-                               $source->uid[ 3 ] . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $source->uid[ 4 ] . $source->uid[ 5 ] .
-                               DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;
-        }
-        $this->filepath .= $source->uid . '_';
-        if ($source->isConfig) {
-            $this->filepath .= (int)$smarty->config_read_hidden + (int)$smarty->config_booleanize * 2 +
-                               (int)$smarty->config_overwrite * 4;
+        $basename = $smarty->use_only_compiled ? basename($source->name) : $source->handler->getBasename($source);
+        if ($smarty->use_only_compiled) {
+            if (empty($basename)) {
+                throw new SmartyException("Unable to get basename");
+            }
+            // if use_sub_dirs, break file into directories
+            if ($smarty->use_sub_dirs) {
+                $padded_basename = str_pad(str_replace('.','',$basename), 6, '_');
+                $this->filepath .= $padded_basename[ 0 ] . $padded_basename[ 1 ] . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR .
+                                $padded_basename[ 2 ] . $padded_basename[ 3 ] . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR .
+                                $padded_basename[ 4 ] . $padded_basename[ 5 ] . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;
+            }
         } else {
-            $this->filepath .= (int)$smarty->merge_compiled_includes + (int)$smarty->escape_html * 2 +
-                               (($smarty->merge_compiled_includes && $source->type === 'extends') ?
-                                   (int)$smarty->extends_recursion * 4 : 0);
+            // if use_sub_dirs, break file into directories
+            if ($smarty->use_sub_dirs) {
+                $this->filepath .= $source->uid[ 0 ] . $source->uid[ 1 ] . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $source->uid[ 2 ] .
+                                $source->uid[ 3 ] . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $source->uid[ 4 ] . $source->uid[ 5 ] .
+                                DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;
+            }
+            $this->filepath .= $source->uid . '_';
+            if ($source->isConfig) {
+                $this->filepath .= (int)$smarty->config_read_hidden + (int)$smarty->config_booleanize * 2 +
+                                (int)$smarty->config_overwrite * 4;
+            } else {
+                $this->filepath .= (int)$smarty->merge_compiled_includes + (int)$smarty->escape_html * 2 +
+                                (($smarty->merge_compiled_includes && $source->type === 'extends') ?
+                                    (int)$smarty->extends_recursion * 4 : 0);
+            }
+            $this->filepath .= '.';
         }
-        $this->filepath .= '.' . $source->type;
-        $basename = $source->handler->getBasename($source);
+        $this->filepath .= $source->type;
         if (!empty($basename)) {
             $this->filepath .= '.' . $basename;
         }
@@ -91,7 +105,7 @@ public function populateCompiledFilepath(Smarty_Internal_Template $_template)
     public function render(Smarty_Internal_Template $_template)
     {
         // checks if template exists
-        if (!$_template->source->exists) {
+        if (!$_template->source->exists && !is_file($_template->source->filepath) && !$_template->smarty->use_only_compiled) {
             $type = $_template->source->isConfig ? 'config' : 'template';
             throw new SmartyException("Unable to load {$type} '{$_template->source->type}:{$_template->source->name}'");
         }
@@ -135,8 +149,9 @@ public function process(Smarty_Internal_Template $_smarty_tpl)
         if ($source->handler->recompiled) {
             $source->handler->process($_smarty_tpl);
         } elseif (!$source->handler->uncompiled) {
-            if (!$this->exists || $smarty->force_compile
-                || ($_smarty_tpl->compile_check && $source->getTimeStamp() > $this->getTimeStamp())
+            if ( !$smarty->use_only_compiled &&
+                    (!$this->exists || $smarty->force_compile
+                    || ($_smarty_tpl->compile_check && $source->getTimeStamp() > $this->getTimeStamp()))
             ) {
                 $this->compileTemplateSource($_smarty_tpl);
                 $compileCheck = $_smarty_tpl->compile_check;
@@ -147,7 +162,9 @@ public function process(Smarty_Internal_Template $_smarty_tpl)
                 $_smarty_tpl->mustCompile = true;
                 @include $this->filepath;
                 if ($_smarty_tpl->mustCompile) {
-                    $this->compileTemplateSource($_smarty_tpl);
+                    if (!$smarty->use_only_compiled) {
+                        $this->compileTemplateSource($_smarty_tpl);
+                    }
                     $compileCheck = $_smarty_tpl->compile_check;
                     $_smarty_tpl->compile_check = Smarty::COMPILECHECK_OFF;
                     $this->loadCompiledTemplate($_smarty_tpl);