diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 63279a2b..8418cd39 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -532,6 +532,16 @@ Default: `0`
 
     let g:ycm_complete_in_comments_and_strings = 0
 
+### The `g:ycm_collect_identifiers_from_comments_and_strings` option
+
+When this option is set to `1`, YCM's identifier completer will also collect
+identifiers from strings and comments. Otherwise, the text in comments and
+strings will be ignored.
+
+Default: `0`
+
+    let g:ycm_collect_identifiers_from_comments_and_strings = 0
+
 ### The `g:ycm_add_preview_to_completeopt` option
 
 When this option is set to `1`, YCM will add the `preview` string to Vim's
diff --git a/cpp/ycm/IdentifierCompleter.cpp b/cpp/ycm/IdentifierCompleter.cpp
index 8f3b2c21..05683d8c 100644
--- a/cpp/ycm/IdentifierCompleter.cpp
+++ b/cpp/ycm/IdentifierCompleter.cpp
@@ -137,20 +137,26 @@ void IdentifierCompleter::AddCandidatesToDatabase(
 void IdentifierCompleter::AddCandidatesToDatabaseFromBuffer(
   const std::string &buffer_contents,
   const std::string &filetype,
-  const std::string &filepath ) {
+  const std::string &filepath,
+  bool collect_from_comments_and_strings) {
   ClearCandidatesStoredForFile( filetype, filepath );
 
-  AddCandidatesToDatabase(
-    ExtractIdentifiersFromText( RemoveIdentifierFreeText( buffer_contents ) ),
-    filetype,
-    filepath );
+  std::string new_contents =
+    collect_from_comments_and_strings ?
+    buffer_contents :
+    RemoveIdentifierFreeText( buffer_contents );
+
+  AddCandidatesToDatabase( ExtractIdentifiersFromText( new_contents ),
+                           filetype,
+                           filepath );
 }
 
 
 void IdentifierCompleter::AddCandidatesToDatabaseFromBufferAsync(
   std::string buffer_contents,
   std::string filetype,
-  std::string filepath ) {
+  std::string filepath,
+  bool collect_from_comments_and_strings ) {
   // TODO: throw exception when threading is not enabled and this is called
   if ( !threading_enabled_ )
     return;
@@ -160,7 +166,8 @@ void IdentifierCompleter::AddCandidatesToDatabaseFromBufferAsync(
           boost::ref( *this ),
           boost::move( buffer_contents ),
           boost::move( filetype ),
-          boost::move( filepath ) );
+          boost::move( filepath ),
+          collect_from_comments_and_strings );
 
   buffer_identifiers_task_stack_.Push(
     make_shared< packaged_task< void > >( boost::move( functor ) ) );
diff --git a/cpp/ycm/IdentifierCompleter.h b/cpp/ycm/IdentifierCompleter.h
index 1f635f54..ad7787dd 100644
--- a/cpp/ycm/IdentifierCompleter.h
+++ b/cpp/ycm/IdentifierCompleter.h
@@ -56,9 +56,11 @@ public:
     const std::string &filetype,
     const std::string &filepath );
 
-  void AddCandidatesToDatabaseFromBuffer( const std::string &buffer_contents,
-                                          const std::string &filetype,
-                                          const std::string &filepath );
+  void AddCandidatesToDatabaseFromBuffer(
+      const std::string &buffer_contents,
+      const std::string &filetype,
+      const std::string &filepath,
+      bool collect_from_comments_and_strings );
 
   // NOTE: params are taken by value on purpose! With a C++11 compiler we can
   // avoid an expensive copy of buffer_contents if the param is taken by value
@@ -66,7 +68,8 @@ public:
   void AddCandidatesToDatabaseFromBufferAsync(
     std::string buffer_contents,
     std::string filetype,
-    std::string filepath );
+    std::string filepath,
+    bool collect_from_comments_and_strings );
 
   // Only provided for tests!
   std::vector< std::string > CandidatesForQuery(
diff --git a/cpp/ycm/ycm_core.cpp b/cpp/ycm/ycm_core.cpp
index 51e64825..4ee8bdd8 100644
--- a/cpp/ycm/ycm_core.cpp
+++ b/cpp/ycm/ycm_core.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ int YcmCoreVersion()
 {
   // We increment this every time when we want to force users to recompile
   // ycm_core.
-  return 1;
+  return 2;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/plugin/youcompleteme.vim b/plugin/youcompleteme.vim
index 98a40907..225f6f7f 100644
--- a/plugin/youcompleteme.vim
+++ b/plugin/youcompleteme.vim
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ let g:ycm_add_preview_to_completeopt =
 let g:ycm_complete_in_comments_and_strings =
       \ get( g:, 'ycm_complete_in_comments_and_strings', 0 )
 
+let g:ycm_collect_identifiers_from_comments_and_strings =
+      \ get( g:, 'ycm_collect_identifiers_from_comments_and_strings', 0 )
+
 let g:ycm_autoclose_preview_window_after_completion =
       \ get( g:, 'ycm_autoclose_preview_window_after_completion', 0 )
 
diff --git a/python/completers/all/identifier_completer.py b/python/completers/all/identifier_completer.py
index 2c3abeac..cd181fda 100644
--- a/python/completers/all/identifier_completer.py
+++ b/python/completers/all/identifier_completer.py
@@ -87,14 +87,18 @@ class IdentifierCompleter( Completer ):
   def AddBufferIdentifiers( self ):
     filetype = vim.eval( "&filetype" )
     filepath = vim.eval( "expand('%:p')" )
+    collect_from_comments_and_strings = bool( int( vimsupport.GetVariableValue(
+      "g:ycm_collect_identifiers_from_comments_and_strings" ) ) )
 
     if not filetype or not filepath:
       return
 
     text = "\n".join( vim.current.buffer )
-    self.completer.AddCandidatesToDatabaseFromBufferAsync( text,
-                                                           filetype,
-                                                           filepath )
+    self.completer.AddCandidatesToDatabaseFromBufferAsync(
+      text,
+      filetype,
+      filepath,
+      collect_from_comments_and_strings )
 
 
   def OnFileReadyToParse( self ):
diff --git a/python/ycm.py b/python/ycm.py
index 09219049..c47cf754 100644
--- a/python/ycm.py
+++ b/python/ycm.py
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ def CurrentIdentifierFinished():
     return line[ : current_column ].isspace()
 
 
-COMPATIBLE_WITH_CORE_VERSION = 1
+COMPATIBLE_WITH_CORE_VERSION = 2
 
 def CompatibleWithYcmCore():
   try: