diff --git a/config/config.exs b/config/config.exs
index 4dc7a62d7..98c94c149 100644
--- a/config/config.exs
+++ b/config/config.exs
@@ -235,6 +235,8 @@ config :pleroma, :mrf_simple,
   reject: [],
   accept: []
 
+config :pleroma, :rich_media, enabled: true
+
 config :pleroma, :media_proxy,
   enabled: false,
   proxy_opts: [
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index 4f4a4378c..902c1e188 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -235,6 +235,9 @@ curl "http://localhost:4000/api/pleroma/admin/invite_token?admin_token=somerando
   * Pleroma.Web.Metadata.Providers.TwitterCard
 * `unfurl_nsfw`: If set to `true` nsfw attachments will be shown in previews
 
+## :rich_media
+* `enabled`: if enabled the instance will parse metadata from attached links to generate link previews
+
 ## :hackney_pools
 
 Advanced. Tweaks Hackney (http client) connections pools.
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/rich_media/helpers.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/rich_media/helpers.ex
index 71fdddef9..44e876777 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/rich_media/helpers.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/rich_media/helpers.ex
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.RichMedia.Helpers do
   alias Pleroma.Web.RichMedia.Parser
 
   def fetch_data_for_activity(%Activity{} = activity) do
-    with %Object{} = object <- Object.normalize(activity.data["object"]),
+    with true <- Pleroma.Config.get([:rich_media, :enabled], true),
+         %Object{} = object <- Object.normalize(activity.data["object"]),
          {:ok, page_url} <- HTML.extract_first_external_url(object, object.data["content"]),
          {:ok, rich_media} <- Parser.parse(page_url) do
       %{page_url: page_url, rich_media: rich_media}