diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/webpage.py b/qutebrowser/browser/webpage.py
index a8683aaeb..7197aa889 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/webpage.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/webpage.py
@@ -306,7 +306,8 @@ class BrowserPage(QWebPage):
             else:
                 reply.finished.connect(functools.partial(
                     self.display_content, reply, 'image/jpeg'))
-        elif mimetype in {'application/pdf', 'application/x-pdf'}:
+        elif (mimetype in {'application/pdf', 'application/x-pdf'} and
+              config.get('content', 'enable-pdfjs')):
             # Use pdf.js to display the page
             html_page = _generate_pdfjs(reply)
             url = reply.url()
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index 801278e27..fbe5c2319 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -841,6 +841,11 @@ def data(readonly=False):
              "required to exactly match the requested domain.\n\n"
              "Local domains are always exempt from hostblocking."),
 
+            ('enable-pdfjs', SettingValue(typ.Bool(), 'true'),
+             "Enable pdf.js to view PDF files in the browser.\n\n"
+             "Note that the files can still be downloaded by clicking"
+             " the download button in the pdf.js viewer."),
+
             readonly=readonly
         )),