diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php b/wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php
index 2c95a2c0a2..d73ccaa2e0 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/nav-menu.php
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ function wp_initial_nav_menu_meta_boxes() {
  * @since 3.0.0
  */
 function wp_nav_menu_post_type_meta_boxes() {
-	$post_types = get_post_types( array( 'public' => true ), 'object' );
+	$post_types = get_post_types( array( 'show_in_nav_menus' => true ), 'object' );
 
 	if ( ! $post_types )
 		return;
diff --git a/wp-includes/post.php b/wp-includes/post.php
index 1be49f85c0..348ddc491f 100644
--- a/wp-includes/post.php
+++ b/wp-includes/post.php
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ function register_post_type($post_type, $args = array()) {
 		'_builtin' => false, '_edit_link' => 'post.php?post=%d', 'capability_type' => 'post', 'capabilities' => array(), 'hierarchical' => false,
 		'public' => false, 'rewrite' => true, 'query_var' => true, 'supports' => array(), 'register_meta_box_cb' => null,
 		'taxonomies' => array(), 'show_ui' => null, 'menu_position' => null, 'menu_icon' => null,
-		'permalink_epmask' => EP_PERMALINK, 'can_export' => true,
+		'permalink_epmask' => EP_PERMALINK, 'can_export' => true, 'show_in_nav_menus' => null
 	);
 	$args = wp_parse_args($args, $defaults);
 	$args = (object) $args;
@@ -816,6 +816,10 @@ function register_post_type($post_type, $args = array()) {
 	if ( null === $args->show_ui )
 		$args->show_ui = $args->public;
 
+	// Whether to show this type in nav-menus.php.  Defaults to the setting for public.
+	if ( null === $args->show_in_nav_menus )
+		$args->show_in_nav_menus = $args->public;
+
 	// If not set, default to true if not public, false if public.
 	if ( null === $args->exclude_from_search )
 		$args->exclude_from_search = !$args->public;