diff --git a/etc/dev-start.sh b/etc/dev-start.sh
index 60ddcb6..19d868e 100755
--- a/etc/dev-start.sh
+++ b/etc/dev-start.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export INBUCKET_SMTP_STOREDOMAINS="important.local"
 export INBUCKET_WEB_TEMPLATECACHE="false"
 export INBUCKET_WEB_COOKIEAUTHKEY="not-secret"
 export INBUCKET_WEB_UIDIR="ui/dist"
+#export INBUCKET_WEB_MONITORVISIBLE="false"
 export INBUCKET_STORAGE_TYPE="file"
 export INBUCKET_STORAGE_PARAMS="path:/tmp/inbucket"
 export INBUCKET_STORAGE_RETENTIONPERIOD="3h"
diff --git a/ui/src/Data/AppConfig.elm b/ui/src/Data/AppConfig.elm
index d86dbe9..b18701f 100644
--- a/ui/src/Data/AppConfig.elm
+++ b/ui/src/Data/AppConfig.elm
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-module Data.AppConfig exposing (AppConfig, decoder)
+module Data.AppConfig exposing (AppConfig, decoder, default)
 
 import Json.Decode as D
 import Json.Decode.Pipeline as P
@@ -13,3 +13,8 @@ decoder : D.Decoder AppConfig
 decoder =
     D.succeed AppConfig
         |> P.required "monitor-visible" D.bool
+
+
+default : AppConfig
+default =
+    AppConfig True
diff --git a/ui/src/Data/Session.elm b/ui/src/Data/Session.elm
index 4e2d72b..c90fe91 100644
--- a/ui/src/Data/Session.elm
+++ b/ui/src/Data/Session.elm
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ module Data.Session exposing
     )
 
 import Browser.Navigation as Nav
+import Data.AppConfig as AppConfig exposing (AppConfig)
 import Html exposing (Html)
 import Json.Decode as D
 import Json.Decode.Pipeline exposing (..)
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ type alias Session =
     , flash : Maybe Flash
     , routing : Bool
     , zone : Time.Zone
+    , config : AppConfig
     , persistent : Persistent
     }
 
@@ -43,13 +45,14 @@ type alias Persistent =
     }
 
 
-init : Nav.Key -> Url -> Persistent -> Session
-init key location persistent =
+init : Nav.Key -> Url -> AppConfig -> Persistent -> Session
+init key location config persistent =
     { key = key
     , host = location.host
     , flash = Nothing
     , routing = True
     , zone = Time.utc
+    , config = config
     , persistent = persistent
     }
 
@@ -61,6 +64,7 @@ initError key location error =
     , flash = Just (Flash "Initialization failed" [ ( "Error", error ) ])
     , routing = True
     , zone = Time.utc
+    , config = AppConfig.default
     , persistent = Persistent []
     }
 
diff --git a/ui/src/Main.elm b/ui/src/Main.elm
index 7bf5b04..87d36cc 100644
--- a/ui/src/Main.elm
+++ b/ui/src/Main.elm
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ init configValue location key =
         session =
             case D.decodeValue configDecoder configValue of
                 Ok config ->
-                    Session.init key location config.session
+                    Session.init key location config.appConfig config.session
 
                 Err error ->
                     Session.initError key location (D.errorToString error)
@@ -255,8 +255,20 @@ changeRouteTo route model =
                         |> updateWith Mailbox MailboxMsg model
 
                 Route.Monitor ->
-                    Monitor.init session
-                        |> updateWith Monitor MonitorMsg model
+                    if session.config.monitorVisible then
+                        Monitor.init session
+                            |> updateWith Monitor MonitorMsg model
+
+                    else
+                        let
+                            flash =
+                                { title = "Unknown route requested"
+                                , table = [ ( "Error", "Monitor disabled by configuration." ) ]
+                                }
+                        in
+                        ( applyToModelSession (Session.showFlash flash) model
+                        , Cmd.none
+                        )
 
                 Route.Status ->
                     Status.init session
diff --git a/ui/src/Views/Page.elm b/ui/src/Views/Page.elm
index 4a58cbe..4044e2f 100644
--- a/ui/src/Views/Page.elm
+++ b/ui/src/Views/Page.elm
@@ -44,7 +44,11 @@ frame controls session page modal content =
             [ ul [ class "navbar", attribute "role" "navigation" ]
                 [ li [ class "navbar-brand" ]
                     [ a [ Route.href Route.Home ] [ text "@ inbucket" ] ]
-                , navbarLink page Route.Monitor [ text "Monitor" ]
+                , if session.config.monitorVisible then
+                    navbarLink page Route.Monitor [ text "Monitor" ]
+
+                  else
+                    text ""
                 , navbarLink page Route.Status [ text "Status" ]
                 , navbarRecent page controls
                 , li [ class "navbar-mailbox" ]