diff --git a/synapse/config/emailconfig.py b/synapse/config/emailconfig.py
index d6f4f83a1..b239619c9 100644
--- a/synapse/config/emailconfig.py
+++ b/synapse/config/emailconfig.py
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ class EmailConfig(Config):
             self.email_template_dir = email_config["template_dir"]
             self.email_notif_template_html = email_config["notif_template_html"]
             self.email_notif_template_text = email_config["notif_template_text"]
+            self.email_notifs_for_new_users = email_config.get(
+                "notif_for_new_users", True
+            )
             if "app_name" in email_config:
                 self.email_app_name = email_config["app_name"]
             else:
@@ -91,4 +94,5 @@ class EmailConfig(Config):
         #   template_dir: res/templates
         #   notif_template_html: notif_mail.html
         #   notif_template_text: notif_mail.txt
+        #   notif_for_new_users: True
         """
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
index 883b1c129..ad0438355 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/register.py
@@ -219,7 +219,10 @@ class RegisterRestServlet(RestServlet):
                     # if email notifications are enabled (so people don't start
                     # getting mail spam where they weren't before if email
                     # notifs are set up on a home server)
-                    if self.hs.config.email_enable_notifs:
+                    if (
+                        self.hs.config.email_enable_notifs and
+                        self.hs.config.email_notifs_for_new_users
+                    ):
                         # Pull the ID of the access token back out of the db
                         # It would really make more sense for this to be passed
                         # up when the access token is saved, but that's quite an