diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 059bc37..8704ad3 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
         exitMessage: 'The chat is closed. You may close this window.',
         chatUnavailableMessage: 'The chat service is not available right now. Please try again later.',
         anonymousDisplayName: 'Anonymous',
+        enableEncryption: 'no',
     }
 
       EmbeddableChatbox.mount(config);
diff --git a/src/components/chatbox.jsx b/src/components/chatbox.jsx
index e49168e..6f5fc5b 100644
--- a/src/components/chatbox.jsx
+++ b/src/components/chatbox.jsx
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ const DEFAULT_EXIT_MESSAGE = "The chat is closed. You may close this window."
 const DEFAULT_ANONYMOUS_DISPLAY_NAME="Anonymous"
 const DEFAULT_CHAT_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE = "The chat service is not available right now. Please try again later."
 const DEFAULT_WAIT_MESSAGE = "Please be patient, our online facilitators are currently responding to other support requests."
+const DEFAULT_ENCRYPTION = "yes"
 
 
 class ChatBox extends React.Component {
@@ -229,9 +230,13 @@ class ChatBox extends React.Component {
     client.setDisplayName(this.props.anonymousDisplayName)
     this.setMatrixListeners(client)
 
-    try {
-      await client.initCrypto()
-    } catch(err) {
+    if(this.props.enableEncryption == "yes"){
+      try {
+        await client.initCrypto()
+      } catch(err) {
+        return this.initializeUnencryptedChat()
+      }
+    }else{
       return this.initializeUnencryptedChat()
     }
 
@@ -257,7 +262,9 @@ class ChatBox extends React.Component {
       isCryptoEnabled: false,
     })
 
-    this.displayBotMessage({ body: RESTARTING_UNENCRYPTED_CHAT_MESSAGE })
+    if(this.props.enableEncryption == "yes"){
+      this.displayBotMessage({ body: RESTARTING_UNENCRYPTED_CHAT_MESSAGE })
+    }
 
     let opts = {
       baseUrl: this.props.matrixServerUrl,
@@ -277,7 +284,9 @@ class ChatBox extends React.Component {
       client.setDisplayName(this.props.anonymousDisplayName)
       await this.createRoom(client)
       await client.startClient()
-      this.displayBotMessage({ body: UNENCRYPTION_NOTICE })
+      if(this.props.enableEncryption == "yes"){
+        this.displayBotMessage({ body: UNENCRYPTION_NOTICE })
+      }
     } catch(err) {
       console.log("error", err)
       this.handleInitError(err)
@@ -715,6 +724,7 @@ ChatBox.propTypes = {
   chatUnavailableMessage: PropTypes.string,
   anonymousDisplayName: PropTypes.string,
   waitMessage: PropTypes.string,
+  enableEncryption: PropTypes.string,
 }
 
 ChatBox.defaultProps = {
@@ -729,6 +739,7 @@ ChatBox.defaultProps = {
   anonymousDisplayName: DEFAULT_ANONYMOUS_DISPLAY_NAME,
   chatUnavailableMessage: DEFAULT_CHAT_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
   waitMessage: DEFAULT_WAIT_MESSAGE,
+  enableEncryption: DEFAULT_ENCRYPTION,
 }
 
 export default ChatBox;
diff --git a/src/outputs/bookmarklet.js b/src/outputs/bookmarklet.js
index 0b8359e..25371ed 100644
--- a/src/outputs/bookmarklet.js
+++ b/src/outputs/bookmarklet.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ const config = {
         exitMessage: 'The chat is closed. You may close this window.',
         chatUnavailableMessage: 'The chat service is not available right now. Please try again later.',
         anonymousDisplayName: 'Anonymous',
+        enableEncryption: 'no',
     }
 
 export default function bookmarklet() {