diff --git a/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/dashboard/StudyBrowser.js b/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/dashboard/StudyBrowser.js
index ce42e27e10d..a5904fda2a6 100644
--- a/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/dashboard/StudyBrowser.js
+++ b/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/dashboard/StudyBrowser.js
@@ -100,9 +100,11 @@ qx.Class.define("osparc.dashboard.StudyBrowser", {
     initResources: function() {
       this._resourcesList = [];
       const promises = [
-        this.__getActiveStudy(),
-        osparc.store.Folders.getInstance().fetchFolders(null)
+        this.__getActiveStudy()
       ];
+      if (osparc.utils.DisabledPlugins.isFoldersEnabled()) {
+        promises.push(osparc.store.Folders.getInstance().fetchFolders());
+      }
       Promise.all(promises)
         .then(() => {
           this.getChildControl("resources-layout");
@@ -182,11 +184,14 @@ qx.Class.define("osparc.dashboard.StudyBrowser", {
           // Most probably is a product-stranger user (it can also be that the catalog is down)
           const nStudies = "_meta" in resp ? resp["_meta"]["total"] : 0;
           if (nStudies === 0) {
-            Promise.all([
+            const promises = [
               osparc.store.Store.getInstance().getTemplates(),
               osparc.service.Store.getServicesLatest(),
-              osparc.store.Folders.getInstance().fetchFolders(),
-            ]).then(values => {
+            ];
+            if (osparc.utils.DisabledPlugins.isFoldersEnabled()) {
+              promises.push(osparc.store.Folders.getInstance().fetchFolders());
+            }
+            Promise.all(promises).then(values => {
               const templates = values[0];
               const services = values[1];
               if (templates.length === 0 && Object.keys(services).length === 0) {
@@ -388,15 +393,17 @@ qx.Class.define("osparc.dashboard.StudyBrowser", {
     },
 
     __applyCurrentFolderId: function(currentFolderId) {
-      osparc.store.Folders.getInstance().fetchFolders(currentFolderId)
-        .then(() => {
-          this._resourcesContainer.setResourcesToList([]);
-          this._resourcesList = [];
-          this.invalidateStudies();
-
-          this.__reloadResources();
-        })
-        .catch(console.error);
+      if (osparc.utils.DisabledPlugins.isFoldersEnabled()) {
+        osparc.store.Folders.getInstance().fetchFolders(currentFolderId)
+          .then(() => {
+            this._resourcesContainer.setResourcesToList([]);
+            this._resourcesList = [];
+            this.invalidateStudies();
+
+            this.__reloadResources();
+          })
+          .catch(console.error);
+      }
     },
 
     _folderUpdated: function() {
diff --git a/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/store/Folders.js b/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/store/Folders.js
index cd942578047..5b3459852b9 100644
--- a/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/store/Folders.js
+++ b/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/store/Folders.js
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ qx.Class.define("osparc.store.Folders", {
     foldersCached: null,
 
     fetchFolders: function(folderId = null) {
+      if (osparc.auth.Data.getInstance().isGuest()) {
+        return new Promise(resolve => {
+          resolve([]);
+        });
+      }
+
       const params = {
         "url": {
           folderId
diff --git a/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/utils/DisabledPlugins.js b/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/utils/DisabledPlugins.js
index 0b250d0d7db..e9e955b1ba9 100644
--- a/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/utils/DisabledPlugins.js
+++ b/services/static-webserver/client/source/class/osparc/utils/DisabledPlugins.js
@@ -29,9 +29,10 @@ qx.Class.define("osparc.utils.DisabledPlugins", {
     VERSION_CONTROL: "WEBSERVER_VERSION_CONTROL",
     META_MODELING: "WEBSERVER_META_MODELING",
     CLUSTERS: "WEBSERVER_CLUSTERS",
+    FOLDERS: "WEBSERVER_FOLDERS",
 
     isFoldersEnabled: function() {
-      return osparc.utils.Utils.isDevelopmentPlatform();
+      return !this.__isPluginDisabled(this.FOLDERS);
     },
 
     isExportDisabled: function() {
diff --git a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/application_settings.py b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/application_settings.py
index 29ee0817c61..00804af2155 100644
--- a/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/application_settings.py
+++ b/services/web/server/src/simcore_service_webserver/application_settings.py
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ def _get_disabled_public_plugins(self) -> list[str]:
         public_plugin_candidates: Final = {
             "WEBSERVER_CLUSTERS",
             "WEBSERVER_EXPORTER",
+            "WEBSERVER_FOLDERS",
             "WEBSERVER_META_MODELING",
             "WEBSERVER_PAYMENTS",
             "WEBSERVER_SCICRUNCH",
diff --git a/services/web/server/tests/unit/isolated/test_application_settings.py b/services/web/server/tests/unit/isolated/test_application_settings.py
index 3a17debb0e9..8300fc3a73c 100644
--- a/services/web/server/tests/unit/isolated/test_application_settings.py
+++ b/services/web/server/tests/unit/isolated/test_application_settings.py
@@ -216,6 +216,9 @@ def test_settings_to_client_statics_plugins(
     monkeypatch.setenv("WEBSERVER_VERSION_CONTROL", "0")
     disable_plugins.add("WEBSERVER_VERSION_CONTROL")
 
+    monkeypatch.setenv("WEBSERVER_FOLDERS", "0")
+    disable_plugins.add("WEBSERVER_FOLDERS")
+
     settings = ApplicationSettings.create_from_envs()
     statics = settings.to_client_statics()