diff --git a/install/data/defaults.json b/install/data/defaults.json
index 778dee3838..980e673325 100644
--- a/install/data/defaults.json
+++ b/install/data/defaults.json
@@ -94,5 +94,9 @@
     {
         "field": "requireEmailConfirmation",
         "value": 0
+    },
+    {
+        "field": "profile:allowProfileImageUploads",
+        "value": 1
     }
 ]
diff --git a/src/controllers/api.js b/src/controllers/api.js
index e565963816..367c6eb278 100644
--- a/src/controllers/api.js
+++ b/src/controllers/api.js
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ apiController.getConfig = function(req, res, next) {
 	config.allowGuestSearching = parseInt(meta.config.allowGuestSearching, 10) === 1;
 	config.allowGuestHandles = parseInt(meta.config.allowGuestHandles, 10) === 1;
 	config.allowFileUploads = parseInt(meta.config.allowFileUploads, 10) === 1;
+	config.allowProfileImageUploads = parseInt(meta.config.allowProfileImageUploads) === 1;
 	config.allowTopicsThumbnail = parseInt(meta.config.allowTopicsThumbnail, 10) === 1;
 	config.allowAccountDelete = parseInt(meta.config.allowAccountDelete, 10) === 1;
 	config.privateUserInfo = parseInt(meta.config.privateUserInfo, 10) === 1;
diff --git a/src/user/picture.js b/src/user/picture.js
index d726773a55..8f030091a9 100644
--- a/src/user/picture.js
+++ b/src/user/picture.js
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
 		var convertToPNG = parseInt(meta.config['profile:convertProfileImageToPNG'], 10) === 1;
 
 		async.waterfall([
+			function(next) {
+				next(parseInt(meta.config.allowProfileImageUploads) !== 1 ? new Error('[[error:profile-image-uploads-disabled]]') : null);
+			},
 			function(next) {
 				next(picture.size > uploadSize * 1024 ? new Error('[[error:file-too-big, ' + uploadSize + ']]') : null);
 			},
@@ -44,7 +47,6 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
 				}
 			}
 		], function(err, result) {
-
 			function done(err, image) {
 				if (err) {
 					return callback(err);
diff --git a/src/views/admin/settings/user.tpl b/src/views/admin/settings/user.tpl
index ab09e237c8..2db779fe27 100644
--- a/src/views/admin/settings/user.tpl
+++ b/src/views/admin/settings/user.tpl
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@
 	<div class="panel-heading">Avatars</div>
 	<div class="panel-body">
 		<form>
+			<div class="checkbox">
+				<label>
+					<input type="checkbox" data-field="allowProfileImageUploads"> <strong>Allow users to upload profile images</strong>
+				</label>
+			</div>
+
 			<div class="checkbox">
 				<label>
 					<input type="checkbox" data-field="profile:convertProfileImageToPNG"> <strong>Convert profile image uploads to PNG</strong>