diff --git a/fedora_repository.module b/fedora_repository.module
index 42eb4c498..f477e9f53 100644
--- a/fedora_repository.module
+++ b/fedora_repository.module
@@ -1027,13 +1027,20 @@ function fedora_repository_get_items($pid = NULL, $dsId = NULL, $collection = NU
   
 // Add a 'manage object' tab for all objects, where detailed list of content is shown.
   $obj = new FedoraObjectDetailedContent($pid);
-  $object_details = $obj->showFieldSets();
-  if ($object_details['fedora_object_details']['#selected'] == TRUE) {
-    foreach ($cmodels_tabs as &$cmodel_tab) {
-      if (is_array($cmodel_tab)) {
-        $cmodel_tab['#selected'] = FALSE;
-      }
-    }
+  
+  //can disable showing the object details tab in admin UI
+  if (variable_get('fedora_repository_show_object_details_tab', TRUE)) {
+   $object_details = $obj->showFieldSets();
+   if ($object_details['fedora_object_details']['#selected'] == TRUE) {
+     foreach ($cmodels_tabs as &$cmodel_tab) {
+       if (is_array($cmodel_tab)) {
+         $cmodel_tab['#selected'] = FALSE;
+       }
+     }
+   }
+  }
+  else {
+   $object_details = array();
   }
 
   $hook_tabs = module_invoke_all('islandora_tabs', $content_models, $pid);
diff --git a/formClass.inc b/formClass.inc
index 293a83ec9..0fa07e985 100644
--- a/formClass.inc
+++ b/formClass.inc
@@ -301,6 +301,22 @@ class formClass {
       '#default_value' => variable_get('fedora_repository_title', 'Digital Repository'),
       '#description' => t('The title displayed when viewing collections and objects in  /fedora/repository. Leave blank to display no title. Note that the menus must be rebuilt after changing this variable.'),
     );
+    //have tabs options (like disable)
+    $form['tabs'] = array(
+      '#type' => 'fieldset',
+      '#title' => t('Tabs Configuration'),
+      '#description' => t('Configure the tabs avaialble when viewing Fedora objects.'),
+      '#collapsible' => TRUE,
+      '#collapsed' => TRUE,
+    );
+    //when checked show object details tab
+    $form['tabs']['fedora_repository_show_object_details_tab'] = array(
+      '#type' => 'checkbox',
+      '#title' => t('Show Object Details Tab'),
+      '#default_value' => variable_get('fedora_repository_show_object_details_tab', TRUE),
+      '#description' => t("When enabled, the 'Object Details' tab will be visible to users with the correct permissions when viewing an object in the repository"),
+    );
+    
     $form['advanced'] = array(
       '#type' => 'fieldset',
       '#title' => t('Advanced configuration options'),