diff --git a/lib/gitlab/usage_data.rb b/lib/gitlab/usage_data.rb
index 6bfcf83f388..a65f4a8639c 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/usage_data.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/usage_data.rb
@@ -90,8 +90,14 @@ module Gitlab
             todos: count(Todo),
             uploads: count(Upload),
             web_hooks: count(WebHook)
-          }.merge(services_usage).merge(approximate_counts)
-        }
+          }
+          .merge(services_usage)
+          .merge(approximate_counts)
+        }.tap do |data|
+          if Feature.enabled?(:group_overview_security_dashboard)
+            data[:counts][:user_preferences] = user_preferences_usage
+          end
+        end
       end
       # rubocop: enable CodeReuse/ActiveRecord
 
@@ -159,6 +165,10 @@ module Gitlab
         }
       end
 
+      def user_preferences_usage
+        {} # augmented in EE
+      end
+
       def count(relation, fallback: -1)
         relation.count
       rescue ActiveRecord::StatementInvalid
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/usage_data_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/usage_data_spec.rb
index 4f5993ba226..d3eae80cc56 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/usage_data_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/usage_data_spec.rb
@@ -124,9 +124,15 @@ describe Gitlab::UsageData do
         todos
         uploads
         web_hooks
+        user_preferences
       ))
     end
 
+    it 'does not gather user preferences usage data when the feature is disabled' do
+      stub_feature_flags(group_overview_security_dashboard: false)
+      expect(subject[:counts].keys).not_to include(:user_preferences)
+    end
+
     it 'gathers projects data correctly' do
       count_data = subject[:counts]