diff --git a/install/data/defaults.json b/install/data/defaults.json
index 3f32fce583..e9dca26896 100644
--- a/install/data/defaults.json
+++ b/install/data/defaults.json
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
     "registrationApprovalType": "normal",
     "allowAccountDelete": 1,
     "allowFileUploads": 0,
+    "privateUploads": 0,
     "allowedFileExtensions": "png,jpg,bmp",
     "allowUserHomePage": 1,
     "allowMultipleBadges": 0,
diff --git a/public/src/client/topic/posts.js b/public/src/client/topic/posts.js
index 13e5d77820..c850aae65f 100644
--- a/public/src/client/topic/posts.js
+++ b/public/src/client/topic/posts.js
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ define('forum/topic/posts', [
 	}
 
 	function handlePrivateUploads(posts) {
-		if (app.user.uid) {
+		if (app.user.uid || !ajaxify.data.privateUploads) {
 			return;
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/controllers/topics.js b/src/controllers/topics.js
index 155c4d14f4..4867556b9d 100644
--- a/src/controllers/topics.js
+++ b/src/controllers/topics.js
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ topicsController.get = async function getTopic(req, res, callback) {
 	topicData.postDeleteDuration = meta.config.postDeleteDuration;
 	topicData.scrollToMyPost = settings.scrollToMyPost;
 	topicData.allowMultipleBadges = meta.config.allowMultipleBadges === 1;
+	topicData.privateUploads = meta.config.privateUploads === 1;
 	topicData.rssFeedUrl = nconf.get('relative_path') + '/topic/' + topicData.tid + '.rss';
 	if (req.loggedIn) {
 		topicData.rssFeedUrl += '?uid=' + req.uid + '&token=' + rssToken;