diff --git a/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.js b/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.js
index 80d8f1fc2c..73101056f3 100644
--- a/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.js
+++ b/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.js
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ import {Action} from "../../../dispatcher/actions";
 import {DefaultTagID} from "../../../stores/room-list/models";
 import RoomListStore from "../../../stores/room-list/RoomListStore";
 import {CommunityPrototypeStore} from "../../../stores/CommunityPrototypeStore";
+import SettingsStore from "../../../settings/SettingsStore";
+import {UIFeature} from "../../../settings/UIFeature";
 
 // we have a number of types defined from the Matrix spec which can't reasonably be altered here.
 /* eslint-disable camelcase */
@@ -549,7 +551,7 @@ export default class InviteDialog extends React.PureComponent {
         if (this.state.filterText.startsWith('@')) {
             // Assume mxid
             newMember = new DirectoryMember({user_id: this.state.filterText, display_name: null, avatar_url: null});
-        } else {
+        } else if (SettingsStore.getValue(UIFeature.IdentityServer)) {
             // Assume email
             newMember = new ThreepidMember(this.state.filterText);
         }
@@ -734,7 +736,7 @@ export default class InviteDialog extends React.PureComponent {
                 this.setState({tryingIdentityServer: true});
                 return;
             }
-            if (term.indexOf('@') > 0 && Email.looksValid(term)) {
+            if (term.indexOf('@') > 0 && Email.looksValid(term) && SettingsStore.getValue(UIFeature.IdentityServer)) {
                 // Start off by suggesting the plain email while we try and resolve it
                 // to a real account.
                 this.setState({
@@ -1037,7 +1039,9 @@ export default class InviteDialog extends React.PureComponent {
     }
 
     _renderIdentityServerWarning() {
-        if (!this.state.tryingIdentityServer || this.state.canUseIdentityServer) {
+        if (!this.state.tryingIdentityServer || this.state.canUseIdentityServer ||
+            !SettingsStore.getValue(UIFeature.IdentityServer)
+        ) {
             return null;
         }
 
@@ -1086,22 +1090,38 @@ export default class InviteDialog extends React.PureComponent {
         let buttonText;
         let goButtonFn;
 
+        const identityServersEnabled = SettingsStore.getValue(UIFeature.IdentityServer);
+
         const userId = MatrixClientPeg.get().getUserId();
         if (this.props.kind === KIND_DM) {
             title = _t("Direct Messages");
-            helpText = _t(
-                "Start a conversation with someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or email address.",
-                {},
-                {userId: () => {
-                    return <a href={makeUserPermalink(userId)} rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">{userId}</a>;
-                }},
-            );
+
+            if (identityServersEnabled) {
+                helpText = _t(
+                    "Start a conversation with someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or email address.",
+                    {},
+                    {userId: () => {
+                        return (
+                            <a href={makeUserPermalink(userId)} rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">{userId}</a>
+                        );
+                    }},
+                );
+            } else {
+                helpText = _t(
+                    "Start a conversation with someone using their name or username (like <userId/>).",
+                    {},
+                    {userId: () => {
+                        return (
+                            <a href={makeUserPermalink(userId)} rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">{userId}</a>
+                        );
+                    }},
+                );
+            }
+
             if (CommunityPrototypeStore.instance.getSelectedCommunityId()) {
                 const communityName = CommunityPrototypeStore.instance.getSelectedCommunityName();
-                helpText = _t(
-                    "Start a conversation with someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or email address. " +
-                    "This won't invite them to %(communityName)s. To invite someone to %(communityName)s, click " +
-                    "<a>here</a>.",
+                const inviteText = _t("This won't invite them to %(communityName)s. " +
+                    "To invite someone to %(communityName)s, click <a>here</a>",
                     {communityName}, {
                         userId: () => {
                             return (
@@ -1122,21 +1142,40 @@ export default class InviteDialog extends React.PureComponent {
                         },
                     },
                 );
+                helpText = <React.Fragment>
+                    { helpText } {inviteText}
+                </React.Fragment>;
             }
             buttonText = _t("Go");
             goButtonFn = this._startDm;
         } else { // KIND_INVITE
             title = _t("Invite to this room");
-            helpText = _t(
-                "Invite someone using their name, username (like <userId/>), email address or <a>share this room</a>.",
-                {},
-                {
-                    userId: () =>
-                        <a href={makeUserPermalink(userId)} rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">{userId}</a>,
-                    a: (sub) =>
-                        <a href={makeRoomPermalink(this.props.roomId)} rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">{sub}</a>,
-                },
-            );
+
+            if (identityServersEnabled) {
+                helpText = _t(
+                    "Invite someone using their name, username (like <userId/>), email address or " +
+                        "<a>share this room</a>.",
+                    {},
+                    {
+                        userId: () =>
+                            <a href={makeUserPermalink(userId)} rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">{userId}</a>,
+                        a: (sub) =>
+                            <a href={makeRoomPermalink(this.props.roomId)} rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">{sub}</a>,
+                    },
+                );
+            } else {
+                helpText = _t(
+                    "Invite someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or <a>share this room</a>.",
+                    {},
+                    {
+                        userId: () =>
+                            <a href={makeUserPermalink(userId)} rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">{userId}</a>,
+                        a: (sub) =>
+                            <a href={makeRoomPermalink(this.props.roomId)} rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">{sub}</a>,
+                    },
+                );
+            }
+
             buttonText = _t("Invite");
             goButtonFn = this._inviteUsers;
         }
diff --git a/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/GeneralUserSettingsTab.js b/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/GeneralUserSettingsTab.js
index 43cc37b3e7..abdbb7c582 100644
--- a/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/GeneralUserSettingsTab.js
+++ b/src/components/views/settings/tabs/user/GeneralUserSettingsTab.js
@@ -394,14 +394,21 @@ export default class GeneralUserSettingsTab extends React.Component {
             </>;
         }
 
+        let discoverySection;
+        if (SettingsStore.getValue(UIFeature.IdentityServer)) {
+            discoverySection = <>
+                <div className="mx_SettingsTab_heading">{discoWarning} {_t("Discovery")}</div>
+                {this._renderDiscoverySection()}
+            </>;
+        }
+
         return (
             <div className="mx_SettingsTab">
                 <div className="mx_SettingsTab_heading">{_t("General")}</div>
                 {this._renderProfileSection()}
                 {this._renderAccountSection()}
                 {this._renderLanguageSection()}
-                <div className="mx_SettingsTab_heading">{discoWarning} {_t("Discovery")}</div>
-                {this._renderDiscoverySection()}
+                { discoverySection }
                 {this._renderIntegrationManagerSection() /* Has its own title */}
                 { accountManagementSection }
             </div>
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index d91fe475df..4c2a55d09e 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -833,8 +833,8 @@
     "Deactivating your account is a permanent action - be careful!": "Deactivating your account is a permanent action - be careful!",
     "Deactivate Account": "Deactivate Account",
     "Deactivate account": "Deactivate account",
-    "General": "General",
     "Discovery": "Discovery",
+    "General": "General",
     "Legal": "Legal",
     "Credits": "Credits",
     "For help with using %(brand)s, click <a>here</a>.": "For help with using %(brand)s, click <a>here</a>.",
@@ -1732,9 +1732,11 @@
     "Recently Direct Messaged": "Recently Direct Messaged",
     "Direct Messages": "Direct Messages",
     "Start a conversation with someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or email address.": "Start a conversation with someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or email address.",
-    "Start a conversation with someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or email address. This won't invite them to %(communityName)s. To invite someone to %(communityName)s, click <a>here</a>.": "Start a conversation with someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or email address. This won't invite them to %(communityName)s. To invite someone to %(communityName)s, click <a>here</a>.",
+    "Start a conversation with someone using their name or username (like <userId/>).": "Start a conversation with someone using their name or username (like <userId/>).",
+    "This won't invite them to %(communityName)s. To invite someone to %(communityName)s, click <a>here</a>": "This won't invite them to %(communityName)s. To invite someone to %(communityName)s, click <a>here</a>",
     "Go": "Go",
     "Invite someone using their name, username (like <userId/>), email address or <a>share this room</a>.": "Invite someone using their name, username (like <userId/>), email address or <a>share this room</a>.",
+    "Invite someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or <a>share this room</a>.": "Invite someone using their name, username (like <userId/>) or <a>share this room</a>.",
     "a new master key signature": "a new master key signature",
     "a new cross-signing key signature": "a new cross-signing key signature",
     "a device cross-signing signature": "a device cross-signing signature",
diff --git a/src/settings/Settings.ts b/src/settings/Settings.ts
index cc7d0726ed..82d37af030 100644
--- a/src/settings/Settings.ts
+++ b/src/settings/Settings.ts
@@ -651,4 +651,8 @@ export const SETTINGS: {[setting: string]: ISetting} = {
         supportedLevels: LEVELS_UI_FEATURE,
         default: true,
     },
+    [UIFeature.IdentityServer]: {
+        supportedLevels: LEVELS_UI_FEATURE,
+        default: true,
+    },
 };
diff --git a/src/settings/UIFeature.ts b/src/settings/UIFeature.ts
index d8bae1befd..81fe682521 100644
--- a/src/settings/UIFeature.ts
+++ b/src/settings/UIFeature.ts
@@ -25,4 +25,5 @@ export enum UIFeature {
     Deactivate = "UIFeature.deactivate",
     ShareQRCode = "UIFeature.shareQrCode",
     ShareSocial = "UIFeature.shareSocial",
+    IdentityServer = "UIFeature.identityServer",
 }