diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.tsx b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.tsx
index 587f13e8c2..a91e92123b 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.tsx
@@ -418,6 +418,7 @@ export default class BasicMessageEditor extends React.Component<IProps, IState>
     };
 
     private onKeyDown = (event: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
+        const surroundWith = SettingsStore.getValue("MessageComposerInput.surroundWith");
         const selectionRange = getRangeForSelection(this.editorRef.current, this.props.model, document.getSelection());
         // trim the range as we want it to exclude leading/trailing spaces
         selectionRange.trim();
@@ -475,7 +476,7 @@ export default class BasicMessageEditor extends React.Component<IProps, IState>
             });
             handled = true;
         // autocomplete or enter to send below shouldn't have any modifier keys pressed.
-        } else if (document.getSelection().type != "Caret") {
+        } else if (surroundWith && document.getSelection().type != "Caret") {
             if (event.key === '(') {
                 this.historyManager.ensureLastChangesPushed(this.props.model);
                 this.modifiedFlag = true;
diff --git a/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/PreferencesUserSettingsTab.js b/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/PreferencesUserSettingsTab.js
index 4d8493401e..2544c03a22 100644
--- a/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/PreferencesUserSettingsTab.js
+++ b/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/PreferencesUserSettingsTab.js
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ export default class PreferencesUserSettingsTab extends React.Component {
         'MessageComposerInput.suggestEmoji',
         'sendTypingNotifications',
         'MessageComposerInput.ctrlEnterToSend',
+        'MessageComposerInput.surroundWith',
     ];
 
     static TIMELINE_SETTINGS = [
diff --git a/src/settings/Settings.ts b/src/settings/Settings.ts
index b239b809fe..ed9b37d632 100644
--- a/src/settings/Settings.ts
+++ b/src/settings/Settings.ts
@@ -336,6 +336,11 @@ export const SETTINGS: {[setting: string]: ISetting} = {
         displayName: isMac ? _td("Use Command + Enter to send a message") : _td("Use Ctrl + Enter to send a message"),
         default: false,
     },
+    "MessageComposerInput.surroundWith": {
+        supportedLevels: LEVELS_ACCOUNT_SETTINGS,
+        displayName: _td("Use surround with"),
+        default: false,
+    },
     "MessageComposerInput.autoReplaceEmoji": {
         supportedLevels: LEVELS_ACCOUNT_SETTINGS,
         displayName: _td('Automatically replace plain text Emoji'),