diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 54144ab..30d5c99 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ progress bar underneath *each* frame title
 
   ![Progressbar](http://i.imgur.com/4BXHU4K.png)
 
+In order to use `\cite`, `\ref` and similar commands in a frame title you have
+to protect the title. This can be done automatically with the
+`protectframetitle` option.
+
 
 #### Commands
 
diff --git a/beamerthemem.sty b/beamerthemem.sty
index af134a7..f3a8aa6 100644
--- a/beamerthemem.sty
+++ b/beamerthemem.sty
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@
 \@useTitleProgressBarfalse
 \DeclareOption{titleprogressbar}{\@useTitleProgressBartrue}
 
+\newif\if@protectFrameTitle
+\@protectFrameTitlefalse
+\DeclareOption{protectframetitle}{\@protectFrameTitletrue}
+
 \ProcessOptions\relax
 
 %}}}
@@ -206,7 +210,11 @@
 \setbeamertemplate{frametitle}{%
 \nointerlineskip
 \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=\paperwidth,leftskip=0.3cm,rightskip=0.3cm,ht=2.5ex,dp=1.5ex]{frametitle}
+\if@protectFrameTitle
   \usebeamerfont{frametitle}\MakeLowercase{\protect\insertframetitle}%
+\else
+  \usebeamerfont{frametitle}\MakeLowercase{\insertframetitle}%
+\fi
 \end{beamercolorbox}%
 \if@useTitleProgressBar
   \vspace{-.6em}