diff --git a/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.tsx b/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.tsx
index 85a048e9b8..bd90b637d6 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/TimelinePanel.tsx
@@ -758,16 +758,20 @@ class TimelinePanel extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
             }
             this.lastRMSentEventId = this.state.readMarkerEventId;
 
+            const roomId = this.props.timelineSet.room.roomId;
+            const hiddenRR = !SettingsStore.getValue("sendReadReceipts", roomId);
+
             debuglog('TimelinePanel: Sending Read Markers for ',
                 this.props.timelineSet.room.roomId,
                 'rm', this.state.readMarkerEventId,
                 lastReadEvent ? 'rr ' + lastReadEvent.getId() : '',
+                ' hidden:' + hiddenRR,
             );
             MatrixClientPeg.get().setRoomReadMarkers(
-                this.props.timelineSet.room.roomId,
+                roomId,
                 this.state.readMarkerEventId,
                 lastReadEvent, // Could be null, in which case no RR is sent
-                {},
+                { hidden: hiddenRR },
             ).catch((e) => {
                 // /read_markers API is not implemented on this HS, fallback to just RR
                 if (e.errcode === 'M_UNRECOGNIZED' && lastReadEvent) {
diff --git a/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/LabsUserSettingsTab.js b/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/LabsUserSettingsTab.js
index abf9709f50..e57ad80bbc 100644
--- a/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/LabsUserSettingsTab.js
+++ b/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/LabsUserSettingsTab.js
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ export default class LabsUserSettingsTab extends React.Component {
                 <SettingsFlag name="showHiddenEventsInTimeline" level={SettingLevel.DEVICE} />
                 <SettingsFlag name="lowBandwidth" level={SettingLevel.DEVICE} />
                 <SettingsFlag name="advancedRoomListLogging" level={SettingLevel.DEVICE} />
+                <SettingsFlag name={"sendReadReceipts"} level={SettingLevel.ACCOUNT} />
             </div>;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/settings/Settings.tsx b/src/settings/Settings.tsx
index 1751eddb2c..163bfad2b3 100644
--- a/src/settings/Settings.tsx
+++ b/src/settings/Settings.tsx
@@ -325,6 +325,13 @@ export const SETTINGS: {[setting: string]: ISetting} = {
         supportedLevels: LEVELS_ACCOUNT_SETTINGS,
         default: null,
     },
+    "sendReadReceipts": {
+        supportedLevels: LEVELS_ROOM_SETTINGS,
+        displayName: _td(
+            "Send read receipts for messages (requires compatible homeserver to disable)",
+        ),
+        default: true,
+    },
     "baseFontSize": {
         displayName: _td("Font size"),
         supportedLevels: LEVELS_ACCOUNT_SETTINGS,