diff --git a/app/controllers/communities_controller.rb b/app/controllers/communities_controller.rb
index 72c368eb1..68948cc65 100644
--- a/app/controllers/communities_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/communities_controller.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ class CommunitiesController < ApplicationController
   skip_authorization_check
 
   def show
+    redirect_to root_path unless Setting['community'].present?
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/app/views/communities/_access_button.html.erb b/app/views/communities/_access_button.html.erb
index 9c4d90a5e..a5a55786e 100644
--- a/app/views/communities/_access_button.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/communities/_access_button.html.erb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-<div class="sidebar-divider"></div>
-<h2><%= t("community.sidebar.title") %></h2>
-<p>
-  <%= t("community.sidebar.description") %>
-</p>
-<%= link_to t("community.sidebar.button_to_access"), community_path(community_id), class: 'button hollow expanded' %>
+<% if feature?("community") %>
+  <div class="sidebar-divider"></div>
+  <h2><%= t("community.sidebar.title") %></h2>
+  <p>
+    <%= t("community.sidebar.description") %>
+  </p>
+  <%= link_to t("community.sidebar.button_to_access"), community_path(community_id), class: 'button hollow expanded' %>
+<% end %>
diff --git a/db/dev_seeds.rb b/db/dev_seeds.rb
index 678744bb2..ca4fac4fb 100644
--- a/db/dev_seeds.rb
+++ b/db/dev_seeds.rb
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Setting.create(key: 'feature.facebook_login', value: "true")
 Setting.create(key: 'feature.google_login', value: "true")
 Setting.create(key: 'feature.signature_sheets', value: "true")
 Setting.create(key: 'feature.legislation', value: "true")
+Setting.create(key: 'feature.community', value: "true")
 Setting.create(key: 'per_page_code_head', value: "")
 Setting.create(key: 'per_page_code_body', value: "")
 Setting.create(key: 'comments_body_max_length', value: '1000')
diff --git a/db/seeds.rb b/db/seeds.rb
index 718583b22..90665fdb8 100644
--- a/db/seeds.rb
+++ b/db/seeds.rb
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ Setting['feature.public_stats'] = true
 Setting['feature.budgets'] = true
 Setting['feature.signature_sheets'] = true
 Setting['feature.legislation'] = true
+Setting['feature.community'] = nil
 
 # Spending proposals feature flags
 Setting['feature.spending_proposal_features.voting_allowed'] = nil
diff --git a/spec/features/budgets/investments_spec.rb b/spec/features/budgets/investments_spec.rb
index 0a2aa15ca..86e5d4dc8 100644
--- a/spec/features/budgets/investments_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/budgets/investments_spec.rb
@@ -330,6 +330,22 @@ feature 'Budget Investments' do
     expect(page).to have_content "Access the community"
   end
 
+  scenario 'Can access the community' do
+    Setting['feature.community'] = true
+
+    investment = create(:budget_investment, heading: heading)
+    visit budget_investment_path(budget_id: budget.id, id: investment.id)
+    expect(page).to have_content "Access the community"
+
+    Setting['feature.community'] = false
+  end
+
+  scenario 'Can not access the community' do
+    investment = create(:budget_investment, heading: heading)
+    visit budget_investment_path(budget_id: budget.id, id: investment.id)
+    expect(page).not_to have_content "Access the community"
+  end
+
   scenario "Don't display flaggable buttons" do
     investment = create(:budget_investment, heading: heading)
 
diff --git a/spec/features/communities_spec.rb b/spec/features/communities_spec.rb
index 7ea966e75..7678c5678 100644
--- a/spec/features/communities_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/communities_spec.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@ require 'rails_helper'
 
 feature 'Communities' do
 
+  background do
+    Setting['feature.community'] = true
+  end
+
+  after do
+    Setting['feature.community'] = nil
+  end
+
   context 'Show' do
 
     scenario 'Should display default content' do
@@ -102,6 +110,15 @@ feature 'Communities' do
       end
     end
 
+    scenario 'Should redirect root path when communities are disabled' do
+      proposal = create(:proposal)
+      community = proposal.community
+
+      visit community_path(community)
+
+      expect(current_path).to eq(root_path)
+    end
+
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/spec/features/proposals_spec.rb b/spec/features/proposals_spec.rb
index 291de5022..63050c43f 100644
--- a/spec/features/proposals_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/proposals_spec.rb
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ feature 'Proposals' do
     expect(page.html).to include "<title>#{proposal.title}</title>"
     expect(page).not_to have_selector ".js-flag-actions"
     expect(page).not_to have_selector ".js-follow"
-    expect(page).to have_content "Access the community"
 
     within('.social-share-button') do
       expect(page.all('a').count).to be(4) # Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Telegram
@@ -90,6 +89,22 @@ feature 'Proposals' do
       expect(current_path).to_not eq(old_path)
       expect(current_path).to eq(right_path)
     end
+
+    scenario 'Can access the community' do
+      Setting['feature.community'] = true
+
+      proposal = create(:proposal)
+      visit proposal_path(proposal)
+      expect(page).to have_content "Access the community"
+
+      Setting['feature.community'] = false
+    end
+
+    scenario 'Can not access the community' do
+      proposal = create(:proposal)
+      visit proposal_path(proposal)
+      expect(page).not_to have_content "Access the community"
+    end
   end
 
   context "Embedded video" do