diff --git a/res/css/views/rooms/_EventTile.scss b/res/css/views/rooms/_EventTile.scss
index 4bb81a2e53..3aa1622e05 100644
--- a/res/css/views/rooms/_EventTile.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/rooms/_EventTile.scss
@@ -298,6 +298,16 @@ limitations under the License.
     cursor: pointer;
 }
 
+.mx_EventTile_e2eIcon[hidden] {
+    display: none;
+}
+
+/* always override hidden attribute for blocked and warning */
+.mx_EventTile_e2eIcon[hidden][src="img/e2e-blocked.svg"],
+.mx_EventTile_e2eIcon[hidden][src="img/e2e-warning.svg"] {
+    display: block;
+}
+
 .mx_EventTile_keyRequestInfo {
     font-size: 12px;
 }
diff --git a/src/components/structures/UserSettings.js b/src/components/structures/UserSettings.js
index 85223c4eef..d0a7275da2 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/UserSettings.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/UserSettings.js
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ const gHVersionLabel = function(repo, token='') {
 const SIMPLE_SETTINGS = [
     { id: "urlPreviewsEnabled" },
     { id: "autoplayGifsAndVideos" },
+    { id: "alwaysShowEncryptionIcons" },
     { id: "hideReadReceipts" },
     { id: "dontSendTypingNotifications" },
     { id: "alwaysShowTimestamps" },
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
index ed7851bf2d..565c8b5977 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
@@ -742,7 +742,11 @@ function E2ePadlockUnencrypted(props) {
 }
 
 function E2ePadlock(props) {
-    return <img className="mx_EventTile_e2eIcon" {...props} />;
+    if (SettingsStore.getValue("alwaysShowEncryptionIcons")) {
+        return <img className="mx_EventTile_e2eIcon" {...props} />;
+    } else {
+        return <img className="mx_EventTile_e2eIcon" hidden {...props} />;
+    }
 }
 
 module.exports.getHandlerTile = getHandlerTile;
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index d90b120bad..33acb04f31 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@
     "Show timestamps in 12 hour format (e.g. 2:30pm)": "Show timestamps in 12 hour format (e.g. 2:30pm)",
     "Always show message timestamps": "Always show message timestamps",
     "Autoplay GIFs and videos": "Autoplay GIFs and videos",
+    "Always show encryption icons": "Always show encryption icons",
     "Enable automatic language detection for syntax highlighting": "Enable automatic language detection for syntax highlighting",
     "Hide avatars in user and room mentions": "Hide avatars in user and room mentions",
     "Disable big emoji in chat": "Disable big emoji in chat",
diff --git a/src/settings/Settings.js b/src/settings/Settings.js
index 8e94be3be1..d214d5417f 100644
--- a/src/settings/Settings.js
+++ b/src/settings/Settings.js
@@ -150,6 +150,11 @@ export const SETTINGS = {
         displayName: _td('Autoplay GIFs and videos'),
         default: false,
     },
+    "alwaysShowEncryptionIcons": {
+        supportedLevels: LEVELS_ACCOUNT_SETTINGS,
+        displayName: _td('Always show encryption icons'),
+        default: true,
+    },
     "enableSyntaxHighlightLanguageDetection": {
         supportedLevels: LEVELS_ACCOUNT_SETTINGS,
         displayName: _td('Enable automatic language detection for syntax highlighting'),