diff --git a/mediagoblin/config_spec.ini b/mediagoblin/config_spec.ini
index b7c6f29a..6c00aa58 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/config_spec.ini
+++ b/mediagoblin/config_spec.ini
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ allow_registration = boolean(default=True)
 # tag parsing
 tags_max_length = integer(default=255)
 
+# Enable/disable comments
+allow_comments = boolean(default=True)
+
 # Whether comments are ascending or descending
 comments_ascending = boolean(default=True)
 
diff --git a/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/user_pages/media.html b/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/user_pages/media.html
index 7dea3f09..6d32d009 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/user_pages/media.html
+++ b/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/user_pages/media.html
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
     {%- endtrans -%}
   </p>
   {% include "mediagoblin/utils/prev_next.html" %}
-  <div class="media_pane">     
+  <div class="media_pane">
     <div class="media_image_container">
       {% block mediagoblin_media %}
         {% set display_media = request.app.public_store.file_url(
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
       {{ media.title }}
     </h2>
     {% if request.user and
-          (media.uploader == request.user.id or 
+          (media.uploader == request.user.id or
            request.user.is_admin) %}
       {% set edit_url = request.urlgen('mediagoblin.edit.edit_media',
                                  user= media.get_uploader.username,
@@ -90,11 +90,13 @@
             {% if not request.user %}
               href="{{ request.urlgen('mediagoblin.auth.login') }}"
             {% endif %}
-            class="button_action" id="button_addcomment" title="Add a comment">
-            {% trans %}Add a comment{% endtrans %}
+            {% if app_config['allow_comments'] %}
+              class="button_action" id="button_addcomment" title="Add a comment">
+              {% trans %}Add a comment{% endtrans %}
+            {% endif %}
           </a>
       {% if request.user %}
-        <form action="{{ request.urlgen('mediagoblin.user_pages.media_post_comment', 
+        <form action="{{ request.urlgen('mediagoblin.user_pages.media_post_comment',
                                          user= media.get_uploader.username,
                                          media_id=media.id) }}" method="POST" id="form_comment">
           {{ wtforms_util.render_divs(comment_form) }}
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@
     {% include "mediagoblin/utils/license.html" %}
 
     {% include "mediagoblin/utils/exif.html" %}
-    
+
     {%- if media.attachment_files|count %}
       <h3>{% trans %}Attachments{% endtrans %}</h3>
       <ul>
diff --git a/mediagoblin/user_pages/views.py b/mediagoblin/user_pages/views.py
index 52745be2..738cc054 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/user_pages/views.py
+++ b/mediagoblin/user_pages/views.py
@@ -161,7 +161,13 @@ def media_post_comment(request, media):
     comment.author = request.user.id
     comment.content = unicode(request.form['comment_content'])
 
-    if not comment.content.strip():
+    # Show error message if commenting is disabled.
+    if not mg_globals.app_config['allow_comments']:
+        messages.add_message(
+            request,
+            messages.ERROR,
+            _("Sorry, comments are disabled."))
+    elif not comment.content.strip():
         messages.add_message(
             request,
             messages.ERROR,