diff --git a/src/HtmlUtils.js b/src/HtmlUtils.js
index 5620bc06df..b8a1c63dfb 100644
--- a/src/HtmlUtils.js
+++ b/src/HtmlUtils.js
@@ -385,10 +385,9 @@ class TextHighlighter extends BaseHighlighter {
      * highlights: optional list of words to highlight, ordered by longest word first
      *
      * opts.highlightLink: optional href to add to highlighted words
+     * opts.disableBigEmoji: optional argument to disable the big emoji class.
      */
-export function bodyToHtml(content, highlights, opts) {
-    opts = opts || {};
-
+export function bodyToHtml(content, highlights, opts={}) {
     const isHtml = (content.format === "org.matrix.custom.html");
     const body = isHtml ? content.formatted_body : escape(content.body);
 
@@ -418,7 +417,7 @@ export function bodyToHtml(content, highlights, opts) {
     }
 
     let emojiBody = false;
-    if (bodyHasEmoji) {
+    if (!opts.disableBigEmoji && bodyHasEmoji) {
         EMOJI_REGEX.lastIndex = 0;
         const contentBodyTrimmed = content.body !== undefined ? content.body.trim() : '';
         const match = EMOJI_REGEX.exec(contentBodyTrimmed);
diff --git a/src/components/structures/UserSettings.js b/src/components/structures/UserSettings.js
index d83434f5a8..25960f5182 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/UserSettings.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/UserSettings.js
@@ -114,6 +114,10 @@ const SETTINGS_LABELS = [
         id: 'Pill.shouldHidePillAvatar',
         label: _td('Hide avatars in user and room mentions'),
     },
+    {
+        id: 'TextualBody.disableBigEmoji',
+        label: _td('Disable big emoji in chat'),
+    }
 /*
     {
         id: 'useFixedWidthFont',
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js b/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
index c0468c38c2..64b23238e5 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
@@ -354,7 +354,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         const mxEvent = this.props.mxEvent;
         const content = mxEvent.getContent();
 
-        let body = HtmlUtils.bodyToHtml(content, this.props.highlights, {});
+        let body = HtmlUtils.bodyToHtml(content, this.props.highlights, {
+            disableBigEmoji: UserSettingsStore.getSyncedSetting('TextualBody.disableBigEmoji', false),
+        });
 
         if (this.props.highlightLink) {
             body = <a href={this.props.highlightLink}>{ body }</a>;
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index ed07e503ce..6f46fd3257 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@
     "matrix-react-sdk version:": "matrix-react-sdk version:",
     "Matrix Apps": "Matrix Apps",
     "Members only": "Members only",
+    "Disable big emoji in chat": "Disable big emoji in chat",
     "Disable Emoji suggestions while typing": "Disable Emoji suggestions while typing",
     "Message not sent due to unknown devices being present": "Message not sent due to unknown devices being present",
     "Missing room_id in request": "Missing room_id in request",