diff --git a/src/UserSettingsStore.js b/src/UserSettingsStore.js
index 68a1ba229f..1d1924cd23 100644
--- a/src/UserSettingsStore.js
+++ b/src/UserSettingsStore.js
@@ -33,11 +33,17 @@ export default {
             // XXX: Always use default, ignore localStorage and remove from labs
             override: true,
         },
+        {
+            name: "-",
+            id: 'feature_flair',
+            default: false,
+        },
     ],
 
     // horrible but it works. The locality makes this somewhat more palatable.
     doTranslations: function() {
         this.LABS_FEATURES[0].name = _t("Matrix Apps");
+        this.LABS_FEATURES[1].name = _t("Flair");
     },
 
     loadProfileInfo: function() {
diff --git a/src/components/views/elements/Flair.js b/src/components/views/elements/Flair.js
index 9abea0d202..52eff46f58 100644
--- a/src/components/views/elements/Flair.js
+++ b/src/components/views/elements/Flair.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import {MatrixClient} from 'matrix-js-sdk';
+import UserSettingsStore from '../../../UserSettingsStore';
 
 const BULK_REQUEST_DEBOUNCE_MS = 200;
 
@@ -132,7 +133,9 @@ export default class Flair extends React.Component {
 
     componentWillMount() {
         this._unmounted = false;
-        this._generateAvatars();
+        if (UserSettingsStore.isFeatureEnabled('feature_flair')) {
+            this._generateAvatars();
+        }
     }
 
     async _getAvatarUrls(groups) {
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 63e86aff16..fc346fcdea 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -872,5 +872,6 @@
     "Leave Group": "Leave Group",
     "Leave %(groupName)s?": "Leave %(groupName)s?",
     "%(widgetName)s widget modified by %(senderName)s": "%(widgetName)s widget modified by %(senderName)s",
-    "Robot check is currently unavailable on desktop - please use a <a>web browser</a>": "Robot check is currently unavailable on desktop - please use a <a>web browser</a>"
+    "Robot check is currently unavailable on desktop - please use a <a>web browser</a>": "Robot check is currently unavailable on desktop - please use a <a>web browser</a>",
+    "Flair"
 }