diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/templates/modal/admin-suspend-user.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/templates/modal/admin-suspend-user.hbs
index afb7525fb5..e97eb0989b 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/templates/modal/admin-suspend-user.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/templates/modal/admin-suspend-user.hbs
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@
     {{text-field value=duration maxlength="5" autofocus="autofocus"}}
     {{i18n 'admin.user.suspend_duration_units'}}<br/>
     <br/>
-    {{{i18n 'admin.user.suspend_reason_label'}}}<br/>
+    {{#if siteSettings.hide_suspension_reasons}}
+      {{{i18n 'admin.user.suspend_reason_hidden_label'}}}<br/>
+    {{else}}
+      {{{i18n 'admin.user.suspend_reason_label'}}}<br/>
+    {{/if}}
+
     <br/>
     {{text-field value=reason class="span8"}}
   </form>
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user.hbs
index c2897679c6..7c654823ef 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user.hbs
@@ -84,8 +84,10 @@
               {{#if model.isSuspended}}
                 <div class='suspended'>
                   {{d-icon "ban"}}
-                  <b>{{i18n 'user.suspended_notice' date=model.suspendedTillDate}}</b><br/>
-                  <b>{{i18n 'user.suspended_reason'}}</b> {{model.suspend_reason}}
+                  <b>{{i18n 'user.suspended_notice' date=model.suspendedTillDate}}</b><br>
+                  {{#if model.suspend_reason}}
+                    <b>{{i18n 'user.suspended_reason'}}</b> {{model.suspend_reason}}
+                  {{/if}}
                 </div>
               {{/if}}
               {{#if isNotSuspendedOrIsStaff}}
diff --git a/app/serializers/user_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/user_serializer.rb
index 036b49434e..9f3356f2d4 100644
--- a/app/serializers/user_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/user_serializer.rb
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ class UserSerializer < BasicUserSerializer
   end
 
   def include_suspend_reason?
-    object.suspended?
+    scope.can_see_suspension_reason?(object) && object.suspended?
   end
 
   def include_suspended_till?
diff --git a/config/locales/client.en.yml b/config/locales/client.en.yml
index c7d6fc8ed8..19f3108f0f 100644
--- a/config/locales/client.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/client.en.yml
@@ -3266,6 +3266,7 @@ en:
         suspend_duration: "How long will the user be suspended for?"
         suspend_duration_units: "(days)"
         suspend_reason_label: "Why are you suspending? This text <b>will be visible to everyone</b> on this user's profile page, and will be shown to the user when they try to log in. Keep it short."
+        suspend_reason_hidden_label: "Why are you suspending? This text will be shown to the user when they try to log in. Keep it short."
         suspend_reason: "Reason"
         suspended_by: "Suspended by"
         delete_all_posts: "Delete all posts"
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index cfa15f741f..e2d912f049 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -1441,6 +1441,7 @@ en:
 
     hide_user_profiles_from_public: "Disable user cards, user profiles and user directory for anonymous users."
 
+    hide_suspension_reasons: "Don't display suspension reasons publically on user profiles."
     user_website_domains_whitelist: "User website will be verified against these domains. Pipe-delimited list."
 
     allow_profile_backgrounds: "Allow users to upload profile backgrounds."
diff --git a/config/site_settings.yml b/config/site_settings.yml
index 52363b7612..ab29698159 100644
--- a/config/site_settings.yml
+++ b/config/site_settings.yml
@@ -422,6 +422,9 @@ users:
   user_website_domains_whitelist:
     default: ''
     type: list
+  hide_suspension_reasons:
+    default: false
+    client: true
 
 groups:
   enable_group_directory:
diff --git a/lib/guardian/user_guardian.rb b/lib/guardian/user_guardian.rb
index 3eca04f589..616020aa98 100644
--- a/lib/guardian/user_guardian.rb
+++ b/lib/guardian/user_guardian.rb
@@ -67,4 +67,9 @@ module UserGuardian
     user && is_staff?
   end
 
+  def can_see_suspension_reason?(user)
+    return true unless SiteSetting.hide_suspension_reasons?
+    user == @user || is_staff?
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/spec/components/guardian_spec.rb b/spec/components/guardian_spec.rb
index 03f6d9a75b..9b43ac9765 100644
--- a/spec/components/guardian_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/guardian_spec.rb
@@ -2541,4 +2541,32 @@ describe Guardian do
       end
     end
   end
+
+  context "suspension reasons" do
+    let(:user) { Fabricate(:user) }
+
+    it "will be shown by default" do
+      expect(Guardian.new.can_see_suspension_reason?(user)).to eq(true)
+    end
+
+    context "with hide suspension reason enabled" do
+      let(:moderator) { Fabricate(:moderator) }
+
+      before do
+        SiteSetting.hide_suspension_reasons = true
+      end
+
+      it "will not be shown to anonymous users" do
+        expect(Guardian.new.can_see_suspension_reason?(user)).to eq(false)
+      end
+
+      it "users can see their own suspensions" do
+        expect(Guardian.new(user).can_see_suspension_reason?(user)).to eq(true)
+      end
+
+      it "staff can see suspensions" do
+        expect(Guardian.new(moderator).can_see_suspension_reason?(user)).to eq(true)
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end