diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
index 6d584478d..dadb21870 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
@@ -134,17 +134,19 @@
         var RENDER_SESSION_DELAY = 750;  // When I need to render a session, I have to wait a bit for the mixers to be there.
 
         function beforeShow(data) {
-            sessionId = data.id;
-            if(!sessionId) {
-              window.location = '/client#/home';
-            }
-            promptLeave = true;
-            $myTracksContainer.empty();
-            displayDoneRecording(); // assumption is that you can't join a recording session, so this should be safe
+          sessionId = data.id;
+          if(!sessionId) {
+            window.location = '/client#/home';
+          }
+          promptLeave = true;
+          $myTracksContainer.empty();
+          displayDoneRecording(); // assumption is that you can't join a recording session, so this should be safe
 
-            var shareDialog = new JK.ShareDialog(context.JK.app, sessionId, "session");
-            shareDialog.initialize(context.JK.FacebookHelperInstance);
+          var shareDialog = new JK.ShareDialog(context.JK.app, sessionId, "session");
+          shareDialog.initialize(context.JK.FacebookHelperInstance);
+          if(gon.global.video_available) {
             webcamViewer.beforeShow()
+          }
         }
 
         function beforeDisconnect() {
@@ -504,7 +506,10 @@
         }
 
        function beforeHide(data) {
-         webcamViewer.setVideoOff()
+         if(gon.global.video_available) {
+           webcamViewer.setVideoOff()
+         }
+
          $fluidTracks.removeClass('showing');
            if(screenActive) {
              // this path is possible if FTUE is invoked on session page, and they cancel
@@ -3223,8 +3228,10 @@
             $fluidTracks = $screen.find('.session-fluidtracks');
             $voiceChat = $screen.find('#voice-chat');
             $tracksHolder = $screen.find('#tracks')
-            webcamViewer.init($(".webcam-container")) 
-            webcamViewer.setVideoOff()
+            if(gon.global.video_available) {
+              webcamViewer.init($(".webcam-container"))
+              webcamViewer.setVideoOff()
+            }
             events();
 
 
diff --git a/web/config/initializers/gon.rb b/web/config/initializers/gon.rb
index ed4f92a4f..9e222bf5b 100644
--- a/web/config/initializers/gon.rb
+++ b/web/config/initializers/gon.rb
@@ -12,4 +12,5 @@ Gon.global.influxdb_username = Rails.application.config.influxdb_unsafe_username
 Gon.global.influxdb_password = Rails.application.config.influxdb_unsafe_password
 Gon.global.recurly_public_api_key = Rails.application.config.recurly_public_api_key
 Gon.global.one_free_jamtrack_per_user = Rails.application.config.one_free_jamtrack_per_user
+Gon.global.video_available = Rails.application.config.video_available
 Gon.global.env = Rails.env