diff --git a/src/static/js/chat.js b/src/static/js/chat.js
index a00ac9d92..ca488fe5f 100755
--- a/src/static/js/chat.js
+++ b/src/static/js/chat.js
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ var chat = (function()
     },
     stickToScreen: function(fromInitialCall) // Make chat stick to right hand side of screen
     {
+      if(pad.settings.hideChat){
+        return;
+      }
       chat.show();
       isStuck = (!isStuck || fromInitialCall);
       $('#chatbox').hide();
diff --git a/src/static/js/pad.js b/src/static/js/pad.js
index aeeca15c6..b5e772d15 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pad.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pad.js
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ function randomString()
 var getParameters = [
   { name: "noColors",         checkVal: "true",  callback: function(val) { settings.noColors = true; $('#clearAuthorship').hide(); } },
   { name: "showControls",     checkVal: "true",  callback: function(val) { $('#editbar').css('display', 'flex') } },
-  { name: "showChat",         checkVal: "true", callback: function(val) { $('#chaticon').show(); } },
+  { name: "showChat",         checkVal: null,    callback: function(val) { if(val==="false"){settings.hideChat = true;chat.hide();$('#chaticon').hide();} } },
   { name: "showLineNumbers",  checkVal: "false", callback: function(val) { settings.LineNumbersDisabled = true; } },
   { name: "useMonospaceFont", checkVal: "true",  callback: function(val) { settings.useMonospaceFontGlobal = true; } },
   // If the username is set as a parameter we should set a global value that we can call once we have initiated the pad.
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ var getParameters = [
   // If the userColor is set as a parameter, set a global value to use once we have initiated the pad.
   { name: "userColor",        checkVal: null,    callback: function(val) { settings.globalUserColor = decodeURIComponent(val); clientVars.userColor = decodeURIComponent(val); } },
   { name: "rtl",              checkVal: "true",  callback: function(val) { settings.rtlIsTrue = true } },
-  { name: "alwaysShowChat",   checkVal: "true",  callback: function(val) { chat.stickToScreen(); } },
+  { name: "alwaysShowChat",   checkVal: "true",  callback: function(val) { if(!settings.hideChat) chat.stickToScreen(); } },
   { name: "chatAndUsers",     checkVal: "true",  callback: function(val) { chat.chatAndUsers(); } },
   { name: "lang",             checkVal: null,    callback: function(val) { window.html10n.localize([val, 'en']); createCookie('language', val); } }
 ];
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ function getParams()
   // Tries server enforced options first..
   for(var i = 0; i < getParameters.length; i++)
   {
-   var setting = getParameters[i];
+    var setting = getParameters[i];
     var value = clientVars.padOptions[setting.name];
     if(value.toString() === setting.checkVal)
     {
@@ -286,6 +286,8 @@ function handshake()
         $('#chaticon').hide();
         $('#options-chatandusers').parent().hide();
         $('#options-stickychat').parent().hide();
+      }else{
+        if(!settings.hideChat) $('#chaticon').show();
       }
 
       $("body").addClass(clientVars.readonly ? "readonly" : "readwrite")
diff --git a/tests/frontend/helper.js b/tests/frontend/helper.js
index b9327f289..21cdacd9d 100644
--- a/tests/frontend/helper.js
+++ b/tests/frontend/helper.js
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ var helper = {};
       opts = _.defaults(cb, opts);
     }
 
+    // if opts.params is set we manipulate the URL to include URL parameters IE ?foo=Bah.
+    if(opts.params){
+      var encodedParams = "?" + $.param(opts.params);
+    }
+
     //clear cookies
     if(opts.clearCookies){
       helper.clearSessionCookies();
@@ -106,7 +111,7 @@ var helper = {};
 
     if(!padName)
       padName = "FRONTEND_TEST_" + helper.randomString(20);
-    $iframe = $("<iframe src='/p/" + padName + "'></iframe>");
+    $iframe = $("<iframe src='/p/" + padName + (encodedParams || '') + "'></iframe>");
 
     //clean up inner iframe references
     helper.padChrome$ = helper.padOuter$ = helper.padInner$ = null;
diff --git a/tests/frontend/specs/chat.js b/tests/frontend/specs/chat.js
index 8eaf08a95..84b9344ef 100644
--- a/tests/frontend/specs/chat.js
+++ b/tests/frontend/specs/chat.js
@@ -131,4 +131,41 @@ describe("Chat messages and UI", function(){
       }, 10)
     }, 10)
   });
+
+  it("Checks showChat=false URL Parameter hides chat then when removed it shows chat", function(done) {
+    this.timeout(60000);
+    var inner$ = helper.padInner$;
+    var chrome$ = helper.padChrome$;
+
+    setTimeout(function(){ //give it a second to save the username on the server side
+      helper.newPad({ // get a new pad, but don't clear the cookies
+        clearCookies: false,
+        params:{
+          showChat: "false"
+        }, cb: function(){
+          var chrome$ = helper.padChrome$;
+          var chaticon = chrome$("#chaticon");
+          // chat should be hidden.
+          expect(chaticon.is(":visible")).to.be(false);
+
+
+          setTimeout(function(){ //give it a second to save the username on the server side
+            helper.newPad({ // get a new pad, but don't clear the cookies
+              clearCookies: false
+              , cb: function(){
+                var chrome$ = helper.padChrome$;
+                var chaticon = chrome$("#chaticon");
+                // chat should be visible.
+                expect(chaticon.is(":visible")).to.be(true);
+                done();
+              }
+            });
+          }, 1000);
+
+        }
+      });
+    }, 1000);
+
+  });
+
 });
diff --git a/tests/frontend/specs/helper.js b/tests/frontend/specs/helper.js
index 051e9a17d..1cb712a00 100644
--- a/tests/frontend/specs/helper.js
+++ b/tests/frontend/specs/helper.js
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ describe("the test helper", function(){
         done();
       });
     });
-
     // Make sure the cookies are cleared, and make sure that the cookie
     // clearing has taken effect at this point in the code. It has been
     // observed that the former can happen without the latter if there
@@ -105,7 +104,7 @@ describe("the test helper", function(){
 
             // confirm that the session was actually cleared
             var $usernameInput = chrome$("#myusernameedit");
-            expect($usernameInput.val()).to.be('Enter your name');
+            expect($usernameInput.val()).to.be('');
 
             done();
           });