diff --git a/lib/Lutim/Controller/Image.pm b/lib/Lutim/Controller/Image.pm
index 6441f9a..8593e75 100644
--- a/lib/Lutim/Controller/Image.pm
+++ b/lib/Lutim/Controller/Image.pm
@@ -287,6 +287,20 @@ sub add {
     my $keep_exif = $c->param('keep-exif');
     my $wm        = $c->param('watermark');
 
+    if ($c->config('disable_api')) {
+        my $msg = $c->l('Sorry, the API is disabled');
+        $c->app->log->info('Blocked API call for '.$ip);
+        return $c->respond_to(
+            json => { json => { success => Mojo::JSON->false, msg => $msg } },
+            any  => sub {
+                shift->render(
+                    template => 'index',
+                    msg      => $msg,
+                );
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
     if(!defined($c->stash('stop_upload'))) {
         if (defined($file_url) && $file_url) {
             if (is_http_uri($file_url) || is_https_uri($file_url)) {
diff --git a/lib/Lutim/DefaultConfig.pm b/lib/Lutim/DefaultConfig.pm
index e93a981..4765b59 100644
--- a/lib/Lutim/DefaultConfig.pm
+++ b/lib/Lutim/DefaultConfig.pm
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ our $default_config = {
     watermark_default   => 'none',
     watermark_enforce   => 'none',
     theme               => 'default',
+    disable_api            => 0,
     dbtype              => 'sqlite',
     db_path             => 'lutim.db',
     max_files_in_zip    => 15,
diff --git a/lutim.conf.template b/lutim.conf.template
index 4cde96e..e3b389b 100644
--- a/lutim.conf.template
+++ b/lutim.conf.template
@@ -135,6 +135,10 @@
     # optional, defaut is /
     #prefix            => '/',
 
+    # if set to 1, Lutim will try to prevent its use without using the web interface
+    # optional, default is 0
+    #disable_api => 0,
+
     # choose what database you want to use
     # valid choices are sqlite and postgresql (all lowercase)
     # optional, default is sqlite