diff --git a/dspace-api/src/test/data/dspaceFolder/config/local.cfg b/dspace-api/src/test/data/dspaceFolder/config/local.cfg
index c4c61bf77ff6..de6caf8880f7 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/test/data/dspaceFolder/config/local.cfg
+++ b/dspace-api/src/test/data/dspaceFolder/config/local.cfg
@@ -272,4 +272,8 @@ lr.pid.community.configurations = community=*, prefix=123456789, type=local, can
 #### Authority configuration `authority.cfg`
 authority.controlled.dc.relation = true
 
-handle.canonical.prefix = ${dspace.ui.url}/handle/
\ No newline at end of file
+handle.canonical.prefix = ${dspace.ui.url}/handle/
+
+### File preview ###
+# File preview is enabled by default
+file.preview.enabled = true
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/MetadataBitstreamRestRepository.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/MetadataBitstreamRestRepository.java
index 8208a662ce79..d2daabe9a4da 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/MetadataBitstreamRestRepository.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/MetadataBitstreamRestRepository.java
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 import org.dspace.core.Constants;
 import org.dspace.core.Context;
 import org.dspace.handle.service.HandleService;
+import org.dspace.services.ConfigurationService;
 import org.dspace.storage.bitstore.service.BitstreamStorageService;
 import org.dspace.util.FileInfo;
 import org.dspace.util.FileTreeViewGenerator;
@@ -98,6 +99,9 @@ public class MetadataBitstreamRestRepository extends DSpaceRestRepository<Metada
     @Autowired
     AuthorizationBitstreamUtils authorizationBitstreamUtils;
 
+    @Autowired
+    ConfigurationService configurationService;
+
     @SearchRestMethod(name = "byHandle")
     public Page<MetadataBitstreamWrapperRest> findByHandle(@Parameter(value = "handle", required = true) String handle,
                                                            @Parameter(value = "fileGrpType") String fileGrpType,
@@ -398,6 +402,13 @@ public String getFileContent(InputStream inputStream) throws IOException {
      */
     private boolean findOutCanPreview(Context context, Bitstream bitstream) throws SQLException, AuthorizeException {
         try {
+            // Check it is allowed by configuration
+            boolean isAllowedByCfg = configurationService.getBooleanProperty("file.preview.enabled", true);
+            if (!isAllowedByCfg) {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            // Check it is allowed by license
             authorizeService.authorizeAction(context, bitstream, Constants.READ);
             return true;
         } catch (MissingLicenseAgreementException e) {
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/MetadataBitstreamRestRepositoryIT.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/MetadataBitstreamRestRepositoryIT.java
index 94f98998b8d3..59e39285bea1 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/MetadataBitstreamRestRepositoryIT.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/MetadataBitstreamRestRepositoryIT.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import org.dspace.content.Item;
 import org.dspace.content.service.clarin.ClarinLicenseResourceMappingService;
 import org.dspace.core.Constants;
+import org.dspace.services.ConfigurationService;
 import org.dspace.util.FileTreeViewGenerator;
 import org.hamcrest.Matchers;
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -57,6 +58,9 @@ public class MetadataBitstreamRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractControllerIntegra
     @Autowired
     AuthorizeService authorizeService;
 
+    @Autowired
+    ConfigurationService configurationService;
+
     @Before
     public void setup() throws Exception {
         context.turnOffAuthorisationSystem();
@@ -125,6 +129,40 @@ public void findByHandle() throws Exception {
 
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void previewingIsDisabledByCfg() throws Exception {
+        boolean canPreview = configurationService.getBooleanProperty("file.preview.enabled", true);
+        // Disable previewing
+        configurationService.setProperty("file.preview.enabled", false);
+        // There is no restriction, so the user could preview the file
+        getClient().perform(get(METADATABITSTREAM_SEARCH_BY_HANDLE_ENDPOINT)
+                        .param("handle", publicItem.getHandle())
+                        .param("fileGrpType", FILE_GRP_TYPE))
+                .andExpect(status().isOk())
+                .andExpect(content().contentType(contentType))
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams").exists())
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams").isArray())
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams[*].name")
+                        .value(Matchers.containsInAnyOrder(Matchers.containsString("Bitstream"))))
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams[*].description")
+                        .value(Matchers.containsInAnyOrder(Matchers.containsString(bts.getFormatDescription(context)))))
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams[*].format")
+                        .value(Matchers.containsInAnyOrder(Matchers.containsString(
+                                bts.getFormat(context).getMIMEType()))))
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams[*].fileSize")
+                        .value(Matchers.containsInAnyOrder(Matchers.containsString(
+                                FileTreeViewGenerator.humanReadableFileSize(bts.getSizeBytes())))))
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams[*].canPreview")
+                        .value(Matchers.containsInAnyOrder(Matchers.is(false))))
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams[*].fileInfo").exists())
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams[*].checksum")
+                        .value(Matchers.containsInAnyOrder(Matchers.containsString(bts.getChecksum()))))
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$._embedded.metadatabitstreams[*].href")
+                        .value(Matchers.containsInAnyOrder(Matchers.containsString(url))));
+
+        configurationService.setProperty("file.preview.enabled", canPreview);
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void findByHandleEmptyFileGrpType() throws Exception {
         getClient().perform(get(METADATABITSTREAM_SEARCH_BY_HANDLE_ENDPOINT)
diff --git a/dspace/config/clarin-dspace.cfg b/dspace/config/clarin-dspace.cfg
index e51dca06ba8e..0064162af6ad 100644
--- a/dspace/config/clarin-dspace.cfg
+++ b/dspace/config/clarin-dspace.cfg
@@ -234,3 +234,7 @@ authority.controlled.dc.relation = true
 #nameConversion
 shibboleth.name.conversion.inputEncoding = ISO-8859-1
 shibboleth.name.conversion.outputEncoding = UTF-8
+
+### File preview ###
+# File preview is enabled by default
+file.preview.enabled = false