diff --git a/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml b/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml
index 68eb2a5..1639863 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ tracing-subscriber-utils = ["tracing-subscriber"]
 postgres = ["sqlx"]
 async-bt = ["async-backtrace"]
 watch = ["notify"]
+disable-upload = []
 
 [dependencies]
 sqlx = { version = "0.8.2", features = [
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs
index 14729e3..83a03be 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ pub struct Session {
 
     pub(crate) stats: SessionStats,
 
-    disable_upload: bool,
+    #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
+    _disable_upload: bool,
 
     // This is stored for all tasks to stop when session is dropped.
     _cancellation_token_drop_guard: DropGuard,
@@ -416,6 +417,7 @@ pub struct SessionOptions {
     // the root span to use. If not set will be None.
     pub root_span: Option<Span>,
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
     pub disable_upload: bool,
 }
 
@@ -492,6 +494,7 @@ impl Session {
             let peer_id = opts.peer_id.unwrap_or_else(generate_peer_id);
             let token = opts.cancellation_token.take().unwrap_or_default();
 
+            #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
             if opts.disable_upload {
                 warn!("uploading disabled");
             }
@@ -629,7 +632,8 @@ impl Session {
                 concurrent_initialize_semaphore: Arc::new(tokio::sync::Semaphore::new(
                     opts.concurrent_init_limit.unwrap_or(3),
                 )),
-                disable_upload: opts.disable_upload,
+                #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
+                _disable_upload: opts.disable_upload,
             });
 
             if let Some(mut disk_write_rx) = disk_write_rx {
@@ -1170,7 +1174,8 @@ impl Session {
                     allow_overwrite: opts.overwrite,
                     output_folder,
                     disk_write_queue: self.disk_write_tx.clone(),
-                    disable_upload: self.disable_upload,
+                    #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
+                    _disable_upload: self._disable_upload,
                 },
                 connector: self.connector.clone(),
                 session: Arc::downgrade(self),
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
index 95a4681..220c637 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ impl TorrentStateLive {
         let state = self;
         loop {
             let addr = peer_queue_rx.recv().await.context("torrent closed")?;
-            if state.torrent.options.disable_upload && state.is_finished_and_no_active_streams() {
+            if state.torrent.options.disable_upload() && state.is_finished_and_no_active_streams() {
                 debug!("ignoring peer {} as we are finished", addr);
                 state.peers.mark_peer_not_needed(addr);
                 continue;
@@ -939,7 +939,7 @@ impl<'a> PeerConnectionHandler for &'a PeerHandler {
     }
 
     fn should_send_bitfield(&self) -> bool {
-        if self.state.torrent().options.disable_upload {
+        if self.state.torrent().options.disable_upload() {
             return false;
         }
 
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ impl<'a> PeerConnectionHandler for &'a PeerHandler {
     }
 
     fn should_transmit_have(&self, id: ValidPieceIndex) -> bool {
-        if self.state.torrent.options.disable_upload {
+        if self.state.torrent.options.disable_upload() {
             return false;
         }
         let have = self
@@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ impl PeerHandler {
     }
 
     fn on_download_request(&self, request: Request) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-        if self.state.torrent().options.disable_upload {
+        if self.state.torrent().options.disable_upload() {
             anyhow::bail!("upload disabled, but peer requested a piece")
         }
 
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs
index d5a08e8..cf8940a 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs
@@ -103,7 +103,20 @@ pub(crate) struct ManagedTorrentOptions {
     pub allow_overwrite: bool,
     pub output_folder: PathBuf,
     pub disk_write_queue: Option<DiskWorkQueueSender>,
-    pub disable_upload: bool,
+    #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
+    pub _disable_upload: bool,
+}
+
+impl ManagedTorrentOptions {
+    #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
+    pub fn disable_upload(&self) -> bool {
+        self._disable_upload
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(not(feature = "disable-upload"))]
+    pub const fn disable_upload(&self) -> bool {
+        false
+    }
 }
 
 /// Common information about torrent shared among all possible states.
diff --git a/crates/rqbit/Cargo.toml b/crates/rqbit/Cargo.toml
index 1a0c046..32a4cd6 100644
--- a/crates/rqbit/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/rqbit/Cargo.toml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ default-tls = ["librqbit/default-tls"]
 rust-tls = ["librqbit/rust-tls"]
 debug_slow_disk = ["librqbit/storage_middleware"]
 postgres = ["librqbit/postgres"]
+disable-upload = ["librqbit/disable-upload"]
 
 [dependencies]
 librqbit = { version = "7.1.0-beta.0", path = "../librqbit", default-features = false, features = [
diff --git a/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs b/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
index 561d52d..e2c67f0 100644
--- a/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ struct Opts {
     ///
     /// Might be useful e.g. if rqbit upload consumes all your upload bandwidth and interferes
     /// with your other Internet usage.
+    #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
     #[arg(long, env = "RQBIT_DISABLE_UPLOAD")]
     disable_upload: bool,
 }
@@ -474,6 +475,7 @@ async fn async_main(opts: Opts, cancel: CancellationToken) -> anyhow::Result<()>
         root_span: None,
         fastresume: false,
         cancellation_token: Some(cancel.clone()),
+        #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
         disable_upload: opts.disable_upload,
     };
 
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/desktop/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index f76cecd..93ce30c 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -38,3 +38,4 @@ tauri-plugin-shell = "2"
 # this feature is used for production builds or when `devPath` points to the filesystem
 # DO NOT REMOVE!!
 custom-protocol = ["tauri/custom-protocol"]
+disable-upload = ["librqbit/disable-upload"]
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/config.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/config.rs
index 6bea696..33abcb1 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/config.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/config.rs
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ pub struct RqbitDesktopConfigUpnp {
 pub struct RqbitDesktopConfig {
     pub default_download_location: PathBuf,
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
     #[serde(default)]
     pub disable_upload: bool,
 
@@ -171,6 +172,7 @@ impl Default for RqbitDesktopConfig {
             persistence: Default::default(),
             peer_opts: Default::default(),
             http_api: Default::default(),
+            #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
             disable_upload: false,
         }
     }
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/main.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/main.rs
index 3eb0a65..6177fe6 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/main.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/main.rs
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ async fn api_from_config(
             },
             enable_upnp_port_forwarding: !config.upnp.disable_tcp_port_forward,
             fastresume: config.persistence.fastresume,
+            #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
             disable_upload: config.disable_upload,
             ..Default::default()
         },
diff --git a/desktop/src/configuration.tsx b/desktop/src/configuration.tsx
index 93ee11c..013680b 100644
--- a/desktop/src/configuration.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/configuration.tsx
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ interface RqbitDesktopConfigUpnp {
 
 export interface RqbitDesktopConfig {
   default_download_location: PathLike;
-  disable_upload: boolean;
+  disable_upload?: boolean;
   dht: RqbitDesktopConfigDht;
   tcp_listen: RqbitDesktopConfigTcpListen;
   upnp: RqbitDesktopConfigUpnp;
diff --git a/desktop/src/configure.tsx b/desktop/src/configure.tsx
index 6dfc723..65e715d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/configure.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/configure.tsx
@@ -211,15 +211,18 @@ export const ConfigModal: React.FC<{
             help="Where to download torrents by default. You can override this per torrent."
           />
 
-          <FormCheck
-            label="Disable upload"
-            name="disable_upload"
-            checked={config.disable_upload}
-            onChange={handleToggleChange}
-            help="Disable uploading entirely. If this is set, rqbit won't share piece availability and will disconnect on download request.
+          {defaultConfig.disable_upload !== undefined &&
+            config.disable_upload !== undefined && (
+              <FormCheck
+                label="Disable upload"
+                name="disable_upload"
+                checked={config.disable_upload}
+                onChange={handleToggleChange}
+                help="Disable uploading entirely. If this is set, rqbit won't share piece availability and will disconnect on download request.
 
 Might be useful e.g. if rqbit upload consumes all your upload bandwidth and interferes with your other Internet usage."
-          />
+              />
+            )}
         </Tab>
 
         <Tab name="DHT" currentTab={tab}>