diff --git a/include/ircd/m/app.h b/include/ircd/m/app.h
index 0ce046437..b300b47b1 100644
--- a/include/ircd/m/app.h
+++ b/include/ircd/m/app.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ struct ircd::m::app
 :instance_list<ircd::m::app>
 {
 	static log::log log;
+	static conf::item<bool> enable;
 	static conf::item<std::string> path;
 	static std::set<std::string> bin;
 
diff --git a/matrix/app.cc b/matrix/app.cc
index fce10457d..f7850ba7c 100644
--- a/matrix/app.cc
+++ b/matrix/app.cc
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ ircd::m::app::path
 	{ "persist",   false              },
 };
 
+
+decltype(ircd::m::app::enable)
+ircd::m::app::enable
+{
+	{ "name",      "ircd.m.app.enable" },
+	{ "default",   true                },
+};
+
 decltype(ircd::m::app::bin)
 ircd::m::app::bin;
 
@@ -106,6 +114,12 @@ ircd::m::app::app(const m::event::idx &event_idx)
 			"Configure the 'ircd.m.app.path' to permit."
 		};
 
+	if(!enable)
+		throw m::FORBIDDEN
+		{
+			"Configure 'ircd.m.app.enable' to permit."
+		};
+
 	const json::string file
 	{
 		arg.at(0)