diff --git a/README b/README
index 192415199cd5..50ec125961e8 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ Reader options
     `...` to ellipses. Nonbreaking spaces are inserted after certain
     abbreviations, such as "Mr." (Note: This option is selected automatically
     when the output format is `latex` or `context`, unless `--no-tex-ligatures`
-    is used.)
+    is used.  It has no effect for `latex` input.)
 
 `--old-dashes`
 
@@ -651,15 +651,19 @@ Options affecting specific writers
 
 `--no-tex-ligatures`
 
-:   Do not convert quotation marks, apostrophes, and dashes to
-    the TeX ligatures when writing LaTeX or ConTeXt. Instead, just
-    use literal unicode characters. This is needed for using advanced
-    OpenType features with `xelatex` and `lualatex`. Note: normally
-    `--smart` is selected automatically for LaTeX and ConTeXt
-    output, but it must be specified explicitly if `--no-tex-ligatures`
-    is selected. If you use literal curly quotes, dashes, and ellipses
-    in your source, then you may want to use `--no-tex-ligatures`
-    without `--smart`.
+:   Do not use the TeX ligatures for quotation marks, apostrophes,
+    and dashes (`` `...' ``, ` ``..'' `, `--`, `---`) when
+    writing or reading LaTeX or ConTeXt.  In reading LaTeX,
+    parse the characters `` ` ``, `'`, and `-` literally, rather
+    than parsing ligatures for quotation marks and dashes.  In
+    writing LaTeX or ConTeXt, print unicode quotation mark and
+    dash characters literally, rather than converting them to
+    the standard ASCII TeX ligatures.  Note: normally `--smart`
+    is selected automatically for LaTeX and ConTeXt output, but
+    it must be specified explicitly if `--no-tex-ligatures` is
+    selected. If you use literal curly quotes, dashes, and
+    ellipses in your source, then you may want to use
+    `--no-tex-ligatures` without `--smart`.
 
 `--listings`
 
diff --git a/pandoc.hs b/pandoc.hs
index edcaa4bb9adc..2353ebb119ed 100644
--- a/pandoc.hs
+++ b/pandoc.hs
@@ -1176,6 +1176,9 @@ main = do
                     "beamer" `isPrefixOf` writerName'
   let conTeXtOutput = "context" `isPrefixOf` writerName'
 
+  let laTeXInput = "latex" `isPrefixOf` readerName' ||
+                    "beamer" `isPrefixOf` readerName'
+
   writer <- if ".lua" `isSuffixOf` writerName'
                -- note:  use non-lowercased version writerName
                then return $ IOStringWriter $ writeCustom writerName
@@ -1257,8 +1260,10 @@ main = do
                                                      uriFragment = "" }
                                 _ -> Nothing
 
-  let readerOpts = def{ readerSmart = smart || (texLigatures &&
-                          (laTeXOutput || conTeXtOutput))
+  let readerOpts = def{ readerSmart = if laTeXInput
+                                         then texLigatures
+                                         else smart || (texLigatures &&
+                                               (laTeXOutput || conTeXtOutput))
                       , readerStandalone = standalone'
                       , readerParseRaw = parseRaw
                       , readerColumns = columns
diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/LaTeX.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/LaTeX.hs
index a6db6ffad44f..b9645d034e9d 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/LaTeX.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Readers/LaTeX.hs
@@ -169,17 +169,23 @@ quoted' f starter ender = do
   try ((f . mconcat) <$> manyTill inline ender) <|> lit startchs
 
 doubleQuote :: LP Inlines
-doubleQuote =
-      quoted' doubleQuoted (try $ string "``") (void $ try $ string "''")
-  <|> quoted' doubleQuoted (string "“")        (void $ char '”')
-  -- the following is used by babel for localized quotes:
-  <|> quoted' doubleQuoted (try $ string "\"`") (void $ try $ string "\"'")
-  <|> quoted' doubleQuoted (string "\"")       (void $ char '"')
+doubleQuote = do
+  smart <- getOption readerSmart
+  if smart
+     then quoted' doubleQuoted (try $ string "``") (void $ try $ string "''")
+        <|> quoted' doubleQuoted (string "“")        (void $ char '”')
+        -- the following is used by babel for localized quotes:
+        <|> quoted' doubleQuoted (try $ string "\"`") (void $ try $ string "\"'")
+        <|> quoted' doubleQuoted (string "\"")       (void $ char '"')
+     else str <$> many1 (oneOf "`'“”\"")
 
 singleQuote :: LP Inlines
-singleQuote =
-      quoted' singleQuoted (string "`") (try $ char '\'' >> notFollowedBy letter)
-  <|> quoted' singleQuoted (string "‘") (try $ char '’' >> notFollowedBy letter)
+singleQuote = do
+  smart <- getOption readerSmart
+  if smart
+     then quoted' singleQuoted (string "`") (try $ char '\'' >> notFollowedBy letter)
+      <|> quoted' singleQuoted (string "‘") (try $ char '’' >> notFollowedBy letter)
+     else str <$> many1 (oneOf "`\'‘’")
 
 inline :: LP Inlines
 inline = (mempty <$ comment)