diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index e6bb603411..6839d6427e 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -156,6 +156,9 @@ static const bool hires_record = false;
 // Record post-filtered (CPU filter) video rather than raw SNES output.
 static const bool post_filter_record = false;
 
+// OSD-messages
+static const bool font_enable = true;
+
 ////////////////
 // Audio
 ////////////////
diff --git a/general.h b/general.h
index 15fc760e9e..746ff98de8 100644
--- a/general.h
+++ b/general.h
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ struct settings
 
       char font_path[MAXPATHLEN];
       unsigned font_size;
+      bool font_enable;
       float msg_pos_x;
       float msg_pos_y;
       float msg_color_r;
diff --git a/gfx/ext.c b/gfx/ext.c
index c88cefa7e4..5bc1fb5301 100644
--- a/gfx/ext.c
+++ b/gfx/ext.c
@@ -246,15 +246,18 @@ static bool setup_video(ext_t *ext, const video_info_t *video, const input_drive
    font_color_b = font_color_b > 255 ? 255 : (font_color_b < 0 ? 0 : font_color_b);
 
    const char *font = NULL;
+   if (g_settings.video.font_enable)
+   {
 #ifdef HAVE_FREETYPE
-   if (*g_settings.video.font_path)
-      font = g_settings.video.font_path;
-   else
-      font = font_renderer_get_default_font();
+      if (*g_settings.video.font_path)
+         font = g_settings.video.font_path;
+      else
+         font = font_renderer_get_default_font();
 #else
-   font = *g_settings.video.font_path ?
-      g_settings.video.font_path : NULL;
+      font = *g_settings.video.font_path ?
+         g_settings.video.font_path : NULL;
 #endif
+   }
 
    char title_buf[128];
    gfx_window_title_reset();
diff --git a/gfx/gl.c b/gfx/gl.c
index ff7989b0d8..aad319e6a8 100644
--- a/gfx/gl.c
+++ b/gfx/gl.c
@@ -337,6 +337,9 @@ static void gl_shader_scale(unsigned index, struct gl_fbo_scale *scale)
 static inline void gl_init_font(gl_t *gl, const char *font_path, unsigned font_size)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_FREETYPE
+   if (!g_settings.video.font_enable)
+      return;
+
    const char *path = font_path;
    if (!*path)
       path = font_renderer_get_default_font();
diff --git a/gfx/sdl.c b/gfx/sdl.c
index 3d2381de45..b242c3c980 100644
--- a/gfx/sdl.c
+++ b/gfx/sdl.c
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ static void sdl_gfx_free(void *data)
 static void sdl_init_font(sdl_video_t *vid, const char *font_path, unsigned font_size)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_FREETYPE
+   if (!g_settings.video.font_enable)
+      return;
+
    const char *path = font_path;
    if (!*path)
       path = font_renderer_get_default_font();
diff --git a/gfx/xvideo.c b/gfx/xvideo.c
index 6d52e1273d..4c6b2f7cf4 100644
--- a/gfx/xvideo.c
+++ b/gfx/xvideo.c
@@ -184,6 +184,9 @@ static void set_fullscreen(xv_t *xv)
 static void xv_init_font(xv_t *xv, const char *font_path, unsigned font_size)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_FREETYPE
+   if (!g_settings.video.font_enable)
+      return;
+
    const char *path = font_path;
    if (!*path)
       path = font_renderer_get_default_font();
diff --git a/settings.c b/settings.c
index ca55fe3eb7..63509f7e43 100644
--- a/settings.c
+++ b/settings.c
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ static void set_defaults(void)
    g_settings.video.crop_overscan = crop_overscan;
    g_settings.video.aspect_ratio = -1.0f; // Automatic
    g_settings.video.shader_type = SSNES_SHADER_AUTO;
+   g_settings.video.font_enable = font_enable;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_FREETYPE
    g_settings.video.font_size = font_size;
@@ -328,6 +329,7 @@ static void parse_config_file(void)
 #ifdef HAVE_FREETYPE
    CONFIG_GET_STRING(video.font_path, "video_font_path");
    CONFIG_GET_INT(video.font_size, "video_font_size");
+   CONFIG_GET_BOOL(video.font_enable, "video_font_enable");
    CONFIG_GET_DOUBLE(video.msg_pos_x, "video_message_pos_x");
    CONFIG_GET_DOUBLE(video.msg_pos_y, "video_message_pos_y");
 
diff --git a/ssnes.cfg b/ssnes.cfg
index c44d25adc8..c6f9956a03 100644
--- a/ssnes.cfg
+++ b/ssnes.cfg
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@
 # Size of the TTF font rendered.
 # video_font_size = 48
 
+# Enable usage of OSD messages.
+# video_font_enable = true
+
 # Offset for where messages will be placed on screen. Values are in range 0.0 to 1.0 for both x and y values. 
 # [0.0, 0.0] maps to the lower left corner of the screen.
 # video_message_pos_x = 0.05