diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index bd65c1935..f4947e647 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ APP_URL=null
 APP_TIMEZONE='UTC'
 APP_LOCALE=en
 MAX_RESULTS=500
+ALLOW_DATA_PURGE=false
 
 # --------------------------------------------
 # REQUIRED: UPLOADED FILE STORAGE SETTINGS
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/SettingsController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/SettingsController.php
index d6574f17c..0e8427fbd 100755
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/SettingsController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/SettingsController.php
@@ -1299,8 +1299,13 @@ class SettingsController extends Controller
     public function getPurge()
     {
         \Log::warning('User ID '.Auth::user()->id.' is attempting a PURGE');
+        if (config('app.allow_purge')=='true') {
+
+            return view('settings.purge-form');
+        }
+
+        return redirect()->back()->with('error', trans('general.purge_not_allowed'));
 
-        return view('settings.purge-form');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1314,21 +1319,25 @@ class SettingsController extends Controller
      */
     public function postPurge(Request $request)
     {
-        if (! config('app.lock_passwords')) {
-            if ('DELETE' == $request->input('confirm_purge')) {
-                \Log::warning('User ID '.Auth::user()->id.' initiated a PURGE!');
-                // Run a backup immediately before processing
-                Artisan::call('backup:run');
-                Artisan::call('snipeit:purge', ['--force' => 'true', '--no-interaction' => true]);
-                $output = Artisan::output();
+        if (config('app.allow_purge')=='true') {
+            if (!config('app.lock_passwords')) {
+                if ('DELETE' == $request->input('confirm_purge')) {
+                    \Log::warning('User ID ' . Auth::user()->id . ' initiated a PURGE!');
+                    // Run a backup immediately before processing
+                    Artisan::call('backup:run');
+                    Artisan::call('snipeit:purge', ['--force' => 'true', '--no-interaction' => true]);
+                    $output = Artisan::output();
 
-                return view('settings/purge')
-                    ->with('output', $output)->with('success', trans('admin/settings/message.purge.success'));
+                    return view('settings/purge')
+                        ->with('output', $output)->with('success', trans('admin/settings/message.purge.success'));
+                } else {
+                    return redirect()->back()->with('error', trans('admin/settings/message.purge.validation_failed'));
+                }
             } else {
-                return redirect()->back()->with('error', trans('admin/settings/message.purge.validation_failed'));
+                return redirect()->back()->with('error', trans('general.feature_disabled'));
             }
-        } else {
-            return redirect()->back()->with('error', trans('general.feature_disabled'));
+
+            return redirect()->back()->with('error', trans('general.purge_not_allowed'));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/config/app.php b/config/app.php
index ba56b42e3..3969da19d 100755
--- a/config/app.php
+++ b/config/app.php
@@ -430,4 +430,16 @@ return [
 
     'api_throttle_per_minute' => env('API_THROTTLE_PER_MINUTE', 120),
 
+
+    /*
+    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    | Allow Web-Based Purge
+    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    |
+    | This sets whether or not to allow superadmins to purge deleted data
+    |
+    */
+
+    'allow_purge' => env('ALLOW_DATA_PURGE', false),
+
 ];
diff --git a/resources/lang/en/general.php b/resources/lang/en/general.php
index 0b9c680f2..74c403baf 100644
--- a/resources/lang/en/general.php
+++ b/resources/lang/en/general.php
@@ -360,4 +360,5 @@ return [
     'maintenance_mode'      => 'The service is temporarily unavailable for system updates. Please check back later.',
     'maintenance_mode_title' => 'System Temporarily Unavailable',
     'ldap_import'           => 'User password should not be managed by LDAP. (This allows you to send forgotten password requests.)',
+    'purge_not_allowed'     => 'Purging deleted data has been disabled in the .env file. Contact support or your systems administrator.',
 ];
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/resources/views/settings/index.blade.php b/resources/views/settings/index.blade.php
index d2817ae04..ff7d0cfd3 100755
--- a/resources/views/settings/index.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/settings/index.blade.php
@@ -314,6 +314,7 @@
           </div>
         @endif
 
+      @if (config('app.allow_purge')=='true')
     <div class="col-md-4 col-lg-3 col-sm-6 col-xl-1">
       <div class="box box-danger">
         <div class="box-body text-center">
@@ -329,6 +330,7 @@
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
+        @endif
 
 
     </div>