diff --git a/config/gitlab.yml.example b/config/gitlab.yml.example
index 2ca6abac576..bb0ffae0b70 100644
--- a/config/gitlab.yml.example
+++ b/config/gitlab.yml.example
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ production: &base
     # time_zone: 'UTC'
 
     ## Email settings
+    # Uncomment and set to false if you need to disable email sending from GitLab (default: true)
+    # email_enabled: true
     # Email address used in the "From" field in mails sent by GitLab
     email_from: example@example.com
 
diff --git a/config/initializers/1_settings.rb b/config/initializers/1_settings.rb
index 4670791ddb0..27bb83784ba 100644
--- a/config/initializers/1_settings.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/1_settings.rb
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ Settings.gitlab['https']        = false if Settings.gitlab['https'].nil?
 Settings.gitlab['port']       ||= Settings.gitlab.https ? 443 : 80
 Settings.gitlab['relative_url_root'] ||= ENV['RAILS_RELATIVE_URL_ROOT'] || ''
 Settings.gitlab['protocol']   ||= Settings.gitlab.https ? "https" : "http"
+Settings.gitlab['email_enabled'] ||= true if Settings.gitlab['email_enabled'].nil?
 Settings.gitlab['email_from'] ||= "gitlab@#{Settings.gitlab.host}"
 Settings.gitlab['url']        ||= Settings.send(:build_gitlab_url)
 Settings.gitlab['user']       ||= 'git'