diff --git a/awx/settings/defaults.py b/awx/settings/defaults.py
index b381548668..89d1727188 100644
--- a/awx/settings/defaults.py
+++ b/awx/settings/defaults.py
@@ -168,6 +168,10 @@ STDOUT_MAX_BYTES_DISPLAY = 1048576
 # on how many events to display before truncating/hiding
 MAX_UI_JOB_EVENTS = 4000
 
+# Returned in index.html, tells the UI if it should make requests
+# to update job data in response to status changes websocket events
+UI_LIVE_UPDATES_ENABLED = True
+
 # The maximum size of the ansible callback event's res data structure
 # beyond this limit and the value will be removed
 MAX_EVENT_RES_DATA = 700000
diff --git a/awx/ui/conf.py b/awx/ui/conf.py
index 0d626c28f0..df88890faf 100644
--- a/awx/ui/conf.py
+++ b/awx/ui/conf.py
@@ -63,3 +63,13 @@ register(
     category=_('UI'),
     category_slug='ui',
 )
+
+register(
+    'UI_LIVE_UPDATES_ENABLED',
+    field_class=fields.BooleanField,
+    label=_('Enable Live Updates in the UI'),
+    help_text=_('If disabled, the page will not refresh when events are received. '
+                'Reloading the page will be required to get the latest details.'),
+    category=_('UI'),
+    category_slug='ui',
+)
diff --git a/awx/ui/templates/ui/index.html b/awx/ui/templates/ui/index.html
index 38bbad9de3..ce8af6b086 100644
--- a/awx/ui/templates/ui/index.html
+++ b/awx/ui/templates/ui/index.html
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     <link rel="shortcut icon" href="{{ STATIC_URL }}assets/favicon.ico?v={{version}}" />
     <script>
     var $basePath = "{{ STATIC_URL }}";
+    var $liveUpdates = "{{ UI_LIVE_UPDATES_ENABLED }}";
     </script>
     <script src="{{ STATIC_URL }}app.vendor.js?v={{version}}"></script>
     <script src="{{ STATIC_URL }}app.js?v={{version}}"></script>
diff --git a/awx/ui/views.py b/awx/ui/views.py
index 0a47154615..994da49732 100644
--- a/awx/ui/views.py
+++ b/awx/ui/views.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # All Rights Reserved.
 
 from django.views.generic.base import TemplateView, RedirectView
+from django.conf import settings
 
 class IndexView(TemplateView):
 
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ class IndexView(TemplateView):
 
     def get_context_data(self, **kwargs):
         context = super(IndexView, self).get_context_data(**kwargs)
+        context['UI_LIVE_UPDATES_ENABLED'] = settings.UI_LIVE_UPDATES_ENABLED
         # Add any additional context info here.
         return context