diff --git a/src/lib/Hydra/Controller/Root.pm b/src/lib/Hydra/Controller/Root.pm
index 264b4bbb8..3c002cdec 100644
--- a/src/lib/Hydra/Controller/Root.pm
+++ b/src/lib/Hydra/Controller/Root.pm
@@ -495,6 +495,9 @@ sub steps :Local Args(0) {
 
 sub search :Local Args(0) {
     my ($self, $c) = @_;
+
+    badRequest($c, "Search is disabled in this Hydra instance") if $c->config->{disable_search};
+
     $c->stash->{template} = 'search.tt';
 
     my $query = trim $c->request->params->{"query"};
diff --git a/src/root/topbar.tt b/src/root/topbar.tt
index dc35dd1fe..5447d3f88 100644
--- a/src/root/topbar.tt
+++ b/src/root/topbar.tt
@@ -121,9 +121,11 @@
 [% END %]
 
 [% IF showPrivate %]
-  <form class="form-inline" action="[% c.uri_for('/search') %]">
-    <input name="query" type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="Search" [% HTML.attributes(value => c.req.params.query) %]/>
-  </form>
+  [% UNLESS c.config.disable_search %]
+    <form class="form-inline" action="[% c.uri_for('/search') %]">
+      <input name="query" type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="Search" [% HTML.attributes(value => c.req.params.query) %]/>
+    </form>
+  [% END %]
 [% END %]
 
 <ul class="navbar-nav">