diff --git a/src/components/nav_panel/nav_panel.js b/src/components/nav_panel/nav_panel.js
index 6cc0b486..cedbbd1c 100644
--- a/src/components/nav_panel/nav_panel.js
+++ b/src/components/nav_panel/nav_panel.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const NavPanel = {
   },
   data () {
     return {
-      showTimelines: true
+      showTimelines: this.$store.getters.mergedConfig.showTimelines
     }
   },
   methods: {
diff --git a/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/general_tab.vue b/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/general_tab.vue
index a98431a5..2641a748 100644
--- a/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/general_tab.vue
+++ b/src/components/settings_modal/tabs/general_tab.vue
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@
             {{ $t('settings.hide_shoutbox') }}
           </BooleanSetting>
         </li>
+        <li>
+          <BooleanSetting
+            path="showTimelines"
+          >
+            {{ $t('settings.showTimelines') }}
+          </BooleanSetting>
+        </li>
       </ul>
     </div>
     <div class="setting-item">
diff --git a/src/i18n/en.json b/src/i18n/en.json
index a33bdb51..50c18ccb 100644
--- a/src/i18n/en.json
+++ b/src/i18n/en.json
@@ -508,6 +508,7 @@
     "greentext": "Meme arrows",
     "conversation_view": "Conversation View",
     "mentions": "Mentions",
+    "showTimelines": "Expand timeline options by default",
     "show_yous": "Show (You)s",
     "notifications": "Notifications",
     "notification_setting_filters": "Filters",
diff --git a/src/modules/config.js b/src/modules/config.js
index 60bfacff..2d65c76e 100644
--- a/src/modules/config.js
+++ b/src/modules/config.js
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ export const defaultState = {
   sensitiveByDefault: undefined, // instance default
   conversationDisplay: undefined, // instance default
   conversationOtherRepliesButton: undefined, // instance default
-  maxDepthInThread: 18
+  maxDepthInThread: 18,
+  showTimelines: undefined // instance default
 }
 
 // caching the instance default properties
diff --git a/src/modules/instance.js b/src/modules/instance.js
index cd17c23d..2c7a88fd 100644
--- a/src/modules/instance.js
+++ b/src/modules/instance.js
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ const defaultState = {
   conversationDisplay: 'simple_tree',
   conversationOtherRepliesButton: 'below',
   maxDepthInThread: 6,
+  showTimelines: true,
 
   // Nasty stuff
   customEmoji: [],