diff --git a/lib/Listeners/Files/PreppingMemberSendMail.php b/lib/Listeners/Files/PreppingMemberSendMail.php
index 84c763bfa..62bbbd30a 100644
--- a/lib/Listeners/Files/PreppingMemberSendMail.php
+++ b/lib/Listeners/Files/PreppingMemberSendMail.php
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ public function __construct(
 	 * @throws UnknownRemoteException
 	 */
 	public function handle(Event $event): void {
-		if (!$event instanceof PreppingCircleMemberEvent) {
+		if (!$event instanceof PreppingCircleMemberEvent
+			|| !$this->configService->enforcePasswordOnSharedFile()) {
 			return;
 		}
 
diff --git a/lib/Listeners/Files/PreppingShareSendMail.php b/lib/Listeners/Files/PreppingShareSendMail.php
index 961228b34..53ff481ef 100644
--- a/lib/Listeners/Files/PreppingShareSendMail.php
+++ b/lib/Listeners/Files/PreppingShareSendMail.php
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ public function __construct(
 	 * @throws UnknownRemoteException
 	 */
 	public function handle(Event $event): void {
-		if (!$event instanceof PreppingFileShareEvent) {
+		if (!$event instanceof PreppingFileShareEvent
+			|| !$this->configService->enforcePasswordOnSharedFile()) {
 			return;
 		}
 
diff --git a/lib/Model/ShareWrapper.php b/lib/Model/ShareWrapper.php
index 02673c8f1..d5772ae58 100644
--- a/lib/Model/ShareWrapper.php
+++ b/lib/Model/ShareWrapper.php
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ public function getShare(
 		$share->setTarget($this->getFileTarget());
 		$share->setProviderId($this->getProviderId());
 		$share->setStatus($this->getStatus());
-		if ($this->hasShareToken()) {
+		if ($this->hasShareToken() && $this->getShareToken()->getPassword() !== '') {
 			$share->setPassword($this->getShareToken()->getPassword());
 		}
 
diff --git a/lib/Service/ConfigService.php b/lib/Service/ConfigService.php
index b633d587a..05626f5cb 100644
--- a/lib/Service/ConfigService.php
+++ b/lib/Service/ConfigService.php
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ class ConfigService {
 	public const KEYHOLE_CFG_REQUEST = 'keyhole_cfg_request';
 	public const ROUTE_TO_CIRCLE = 'route_to_circle';
 	public const EVENT_EXAMPLES = 'event_examples';
+	public const ENFORCE_PASSWORD = 'enforce_password';
 
 	public const SELF_SIGNED_CERT = 'self_signed_cert';
 	public const MEMBERS_LIMIT = 'members_limit';
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ class ConfigService {
 	public const TEST_NC_BASE = 'test_nc_base';
 
 
-	private $defaults = [
+	private static $defaults = [
 		self::FRONTAL_CLOUD_BASE => '',
 		self::FRONTAL_CLOUD_ID => '',
 		self::FRONTAL_CLOUD_SCHEME => 'https',
@@ -173,6 +174,7 @@ class ConfigService {
 		self::KEYHOLE_CFG_REQUEST => '0',
 		self::ROUTE_TO_CIRCLE => 'contacts.contacts.directcircle',
 		self::EVENT_EXAMPLES => '0',
+		self::ENFORCE_PASSWORD => '2',
 
 		self::SELF_SIGNED_CERT => '0',
 		self::MEMBERS_LIMIT => '-1',
@@ -237,7 +239,7 @@ public function getAppValue(string $key): string {
 			return $value;
 		}
 
-		return $this->get($key, $this->defaults);
+		return $this->get($key, self::$defaults);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -327,26 +329,45 @@ public function contactsBackendType(): int {
 
 	/**
 	 * @return bool
-	 *
+	 * @deprecated
 	 * should the password for a mail share be send to the recipient
 	 */
 	public function sendPasswordByMail(): bool {
-		return true;
-//		return ($this->config->getAppValue('sharebymail', 'sendpasswordmail', 'yes') === 'yes');
+		return false;
 	}
 
-	public function enforcePasswordOnFileShare(): bool {
-		return true;
+
+	/**
+	 * @return bool
+	 */
+	public function enforcePasswordOnSharedFile(): bool {
+		$localPolicy = $this->getAppValueInt(ConfigService::ENFORCE_PASSWORD);
+		if ($localPolicy !== $this->getInt(ConfigService::ENFORCE_PASSWORD, self::$defaults)) {
+			return ($localPolicy === 1);
+		}
 
 		// TODO: reimplement a way to set password protection on a single Circle
 //		if ($circle->getSetting('password_enforcement') === 'true') {
 //			return true;
 //		}
 
-//		return ($this->config->getAppValue('sharebymail', 'enforcePasswordProtection', 'no') === 'yes');
+		$sendPasswordMail = $this->config->getAppValue(
+			'sharebymail',
+			'sendpasswordmail',
+			'yes'
+		);
+
+		$enforcePasswordProtection = $this->config->getAppValue(
+			'core',
+			'shareapi_enforce_links_password',
+			'no'
+		);
+
+		return ($sendPasswordMail === 'yes'
+				&& $enforcePasswordProtection === 'yes');
 	}
 
-	
+
 	/**
 	 * @param DeprecatedCircle $circle
 	 *
@@ -356,15 +377,7 @@ public function enforcePasswordOnFileShare(): bool {
 	 *
 	 */
 	public function enforcePasswordProtection(DeprecatedCircle $circle) {
-		if ($this->isContactsBackend()) {
-			return false;
-		}
-
-		if ($circle->getSetting('password_enforcement') === 'true') {
-			return true;
-		}
-
-		return ($this->config->getAppValue('sharebymail', 'enforcePasswordProtection', 'no') === 'yes');
+		return false;
 	}
 
 
diff --git a/lib/Service/SendMailService.php b/lib/Service/SendMailService.php
index 84d9f577d..1e91adff6 100644
--- a/lib/Service/SendMailService.php
+++ b/lib/Service/SendMailService.php
@@ -224,22 +224,11 @@ private function sendMailPassword(
 		string $email,
 		string $password
 	): void {
-		if (!$this->configService->sendPasswordByMail() || $password === '') {
+		if (!$this->configService->enforcePasswordOnSharedFile() || $password === '') {
 			return;
 		}
 
 		$message = $this->mailer->createMessage();
-//		$filename = $share->getNode()
-//						  ->getName();
-//		$initiator = $share->getSharedBy();
-//		$shareWith = $share->getSharedWith();
-//
-//		$initiatorUser = $this->userManager->get($initiator);
-//		$initiatorDisplayName =
-//			($initiatorUser instanceof IUser) ? $initiatorUser->getDisplayName() : $initiator;
-//		$initiatorEmailAddress =
-//			($initiatorUser instanceof IUser) ? $initiatorUser->getEMailAddress() : null;
-
 		$plainBodyPart = $this->l10n->t(
 			"%1\$s shared some content with you.\nYou should have already received a separate email with a link to access it.\n",
 			[$author]