diff --git a/jbrowse.conf b/jbrowse.conf
index 3b24275184..71285c0a81 100644
--- a/jbrowse.conf
+++ b/jbrowse.conf
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@
 ## sequence dropdown
 # refSeqOrder = length descending
 
+## Uncomment to prevent HTML tracks from displaying gene subfeatures (enabled by default)
+# inferHTMLSubfeatures = false
 
 ## to set a default data directory other than 'data', uncomment and
 ## edit the line below
@@ -92,4 +94,3 @@ include += {dataRoot}/tracks.conf
 # [datasets.yeast]
 # url  = ?data=sample_data/json/yeast
 # name = Yeast Example
-
diff --git a/src/JBrowse/View/Track/HTMLFeatures.js b/src/JBrowse/View/Track/HTMLFeatures.js
index 358c962eb4..5b97275dc4 100644
--- a/src/JBrowse/View/Track/HTMLFeatures.js
+++ b/src/JBrowse/View/Track/HTMLFeatures.js
@@ -703,7 +703,8 @@ define( [
             addFeatureToBlock: function( feature, uniqueId, block, scale, labelScale, descriptionScale,
                                          containerStart, containerEnd ) {
                 var thisB = this;
-                if( feature.get('type') == 'gene') {
+
+                if ((typeof this.browser.config.inferHTMLSubfeatures === 'undefined' || this.browser.config.inferHTMLSubfeatures===true) && feature.get('type') == 'gene') {
                     var d = dojo.create('div');
                     var feats = feature.get('subfeatures');
                     if(!feats) {