diff --git a/applications/examples/static/503.html b/applications/examples/static/503.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b063a75b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/examples/static/503.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<html><body><h1>Temporarily down for maintenance</h1></body></html>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/applications/welcome/static/503.html b/applications/welcome/static/503.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b063a75b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/welcome/static/503.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<html><body><h1>Temporarily down for maintenance</h1></body></html>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/gluon/main.py b/gluon/main.py
index a830d7a84..24327a89c 100644
--- a/gluon/main.py
+++ b/gluon/main.py
@@ -390,7 +390,11 @@ def wsgibase(environ, responder):
                                    % 'invalid request',
                                    web2py_error='invalid application')
                 elif not request.is_local and exists(disabled):
-                    raise HTTP(503, "<html><body><h1>Temporarily down for maintenance</h1></body></html>")
+                    five0three = os.path.join(request.folder,'static','503.html')
+                    if os.path.exists(five0three):
+                        raise HTTP(503, file(five0three, 'r').read())
+                    else:
+                        raise HTTP(503, "<html><body><h1>Temporarily down for maintenance</h1></body></html>")
 
                 # ##################################################
                 # build missing folders
