diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences.js.es6
index 3f75db244dc..c90305c7de3 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences.js.es6
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ export default ObjectController.extend(CanCheckEmails, {
     return !Discourse.SiteSettings.enable_sso && Discourse.SiteSettings.enable_local_logins;
   }.property(),
 
+  canReceiveDigest: function() {
+    return !this.siteSettings.disable_digest_emails
+  }.property(),
+
   availableLocales: function() {
     return Discourse.SiteSettings.available_locales.split('|').map( function(s) {
       return {name: s, value: s};
@@ -166,5 +170,3 @@ export default ObjectController.extend(CanCheckEmails, {
   }
 
 });
-
-
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences.hbs
index a1d50a4b569..884de102172 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences.hbs
@@ -171,11 +171,13 @@
 
     <div class="control-group pref-email-settings">
       <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.email_settings'}}</label>
-      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_digests.title" checked=email_digests}}
-      {{#if email_digests}}
-        <div class='controls controls-dropdown'>
-          {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=digestFrequencies value=digest_after_days}}
-        </div>
+      {{#if canReceiveDigest}}
+        {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_digests.title" checked=email_digests}}
+        {{#if email_digests}}
+          <div class='controls controls-dropdown'>
+            {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=digestFrequencies value=digest_after_days}}
+          </div>
+        {{/if}}
       {{/if}}
       {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_private_messages" checked=email_private_messages}}
       {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_direct" checked=email_direct}}
diff --git a/app/jobs/scheduled/enqueue_digest_emails.rb b/app/jobs/scheduled/enqueue_digest_emails.rb
index e763d89fe7a..0e373a1496f 100644
--- a/app/jobs/scheduled/enqueue_digest_emails.rb
+++ b/app/jobs/scheduled/enqueue_digest_emails.rb
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ module Jobs
     every 6.hours
 
     def execute(args)
-      target_user_ids.each do |user_id|
-        Jobs.enqueue(:user_email, type: :digest, user_id: user_id)
+      unless SiteSetting.disable_digest_emails?
+        target_user_ids.each do |user_id|
+          Jobs.enqueue(:user_email, type: :digest, user_id: user_id)
+        end
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 985cbc59c1f..045aeca7eee 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -991,6 +991,7 @@ en:
     digest_min_excerpt_length: "Minimum post excerpt in the email digest, in characters."
     default_digest_email_frequency: "How often users receive digest emails by default. They can change this setting in their preferences."
     suppress_digest_email_after_days: "Suppress digest emails for users not seen on the site for more than (n) days."
+    disable_digest_emails: "Disable digest emails for all users."
     default_external_links_in_new_tab: "Open external links in a new tab. Users can change this in their preferences."
 
     detect_custom_avatars: "Whether or not to check that users have uploaded custom avatars."
diff --git a/config/site_settings.yml b/config/site_settings.yml
index 9d1dba6c55f..2bc8133562a 100644
--- a/config/site_settings.yml
+++ b/config/site_settings.yml
@@ -409,6 +409,9 @@ email:
     default: 7
     enum: 'DigestEmailSiteSetting'
   suppress_digest_email_after_days: 365
+  disable_digest_emails:
+    default: false
+    client: true
   email_custom_headers: 'Auto-Submitted: auto-generated'
   email_subject: '[%{site_name}] %{optional_pm}%{optional_cat}%{topic_title}'
   reply_by_email_enabled: false
diff --git a/spec/jobs/enqueue_digest_emails_spec.rb b/spec/jobs/enqueue_digest_emails_spec.rb
index baaf300809f..2c32d343187 100644
--- a/spec/jobs/enqueue_digest_emails_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jobs/enqueue_digest_emails_spec.rb
@@ -89,13 +89,28 @@ describe Jobs::EnqueueDigestEmails do
 
     let(:user) { Fabricate(:user) }
 
-    before do
-      Jobs::EnqueueDigestEmails.any_instance.expects(:target_user_ids).returns([user.id])
+    context "digest emails are enabled" do
+      before do
+        Jobs::EnqueueDigestEmails.any_instance.expects(:target_user_ids).returns([user.id])
+      end
+
+      it "enqueues the digest email job" do
+        SiteSetting.stubs(:disable_digest_emails?).returns(false)
+        Jobs.expects(:enqueue).with(:user_email, type: :digest, user_id: user.id)
+        Jobs::EnqueueDigestEmails.new.execute({})
+      end
     end
 
-    it "enqueues the digest email job" do
-      Jobs.expects(:enqueue).with(:user_email, type: :digest, user_id: user.id)
-      Jobs::EnqueueDigestEmails.new.execute({})
+    context "digest emails are disabled" do
+      before do
+        Jobs::EnqueueDigestEmails.any_instance.expects(:target_user_ids).never
+      end
+
+      it "does not enqueue the digest email job" do
+        SiteSetting.stubs(:disable_digest_emails?).returns(true)
+        Jobs.expects(:enqueue).with(:user_email, type: :digest, user_id: user.id).never
+        Jobs::EnqueueDigestEmails.new.execute({})
+      end
     end
 
   end