diff --git a/plugins/src/pop_shell/config.rs b/plugins/src/pop_shell/config.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..337ff81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/src/pop_shell/config.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only
+// Copyright © 2021 System76
+
+use serde::Deserialize;
+
+pub fn bool_true() -> bool {
+    true
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Clone)]
+pub struct SearchScope {
+    #[serde(default = "bool_true")]
+    pub name: bool,
+
+    #[serde(default = "bool_true")]
+    pub description: bool,
+}
+
+impl Default for SearchScope {
+    fn default() -> SearchScope {
+        SearchScope {
+            name: true,
+            description: true,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Deserialize, Clone)]
+pub struct Config {
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub search: SearchScope,
+}
+
+pub fn load() -> Config {
+    let mut config = Config::default();
+
+    for path in pop_launcher::config::find("pop_shell") {
+        let string = match std::fs::read_to_string(&path) {
+            Ok(string) => string,
+            Err(why) => {
+                tracing::error!("failed to read config: {}", why);
+                continue;
+            }
+        };
+
+        match ron::from_str::<Config>(&string) {
+            Ok(raw) => config.search = raw.search,
+            Err(why) => {
+                tracing::error!("failed to deserialize config: {}", why);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    config
+}
diff --git a/plugins/src/pop_shell/mod.rs b/plugins/src/pop_shell/mod.rs
index cdc5546..6470bc7 100644
--- a/plugins/src/pop_shell/mod.rs
+++ b/plugins/src/pop_shell/mod.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ use tokio::io::{AsyncWrite, AsyncWriteExt};
 use zbus::Connection;
 use zvariant::{Signature, Type};
 
+mod config;
+pub use config::{load, Config};
+
 const DEST: &str = "com.System76.PopShell";
 const PATH: &str = "/com/System76/PopShell";
 
@@ -59,6 +62,7 @@ pub async fn main() {
 }
 
 struct App<W> {
+    config: Config,
     desktop_entries: Vec<(fde::PathSource, PathBuf)>,
     entries: Vec<Item>,
     connection: Connection,
@@ -68,6 +72,7 @@ struct App<W> {
 impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin> App<W> {
     fn new(connection: Connection, tx: W) -> Self {
         Self {
+            config: config::load(),
             desktop_entries: fde::Iter::new(fde::default_paths())
                 .map(|path| (fde::PathSource::guess_from(&path), path))
                 .collect(),
@@ -119,8 +124,9 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin> App<W> {
         }
 
         for (id, item) in self.entries.iter().enumerate() {
-            let retain = contains_pattern(&item.name, &haystack)
-                || contains_pattern(&item.description, &haystack);
+            let retain = (self.config.search.name && contains_pattern(&item.name, &haystack))
+                || (self.config.search.description
+                    && contains_pattern(&item.description, &haystack));
 
             if !retain {
                 continue;