diff --git a/admin/settings/security.php b/admin/settings/security.php
index 102900ea34f..c603abe9836 100644
--- a/admin/settings/security.php
+++ b/admin/settings/security.php
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ if ($hassiteconfig) { // speedup for non-admins, add all caps used on this page
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('extendedusernamechars', get_string('extendedusernamechars', 'admin'), get_string('configextendedusernamechars', 'admin'), 0));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configtext('sitepolicy', get_string('sitepolicy', 'admin'), get_string('configsitepolicy', 'admin'), '', PARAM_RAW));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('keeptagnamecase', get_string('keeptagnamecase','admin'),get_string('configkeeptagnamecase', 'admin'),'1'));
+
+    $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('profilesforenrolledusersonly', get_string('profilesforenrolledusersonly','admin'),get_string('configprofilesforenrolledusersonly', 'admin'),'1'));
+
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('cronclionly', get_string('cronclionly', 'admin'), get_string('configcronclionly', 'admin'), 0));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configpasswordunmask('cronremotepassword', get_string('cronremotepassword', 'admin'), get_string('configcronremotepassword', 'admin'), ''));
 
diff --git a/lang/en_utf8/admin.php b/lang/en_utf8/admin.php
index be20575097c..68c8e65fef3 100644
--- a/lang/en_utf8/admin.php
+++ b/lang/en_utf8/admin.php
@@ -189,6 +189,11 @@ $string['configoverride'] = 'Defined in config.php';
 $string['configpathtoclam'] = 'Path to clam AV.  Probably something like /usr/bin/clamscan or /usr/bin/clamdscan. You need this in order for clam AV to run.';
 $string['configpathtodu'] = 'Path to du. Probably something like /usr/bin/du. If you enter this, pages that display directory contents will run much faster for directories with a lot of files.';
 $string['configperfdebug'] = 'If you turn this on, performance info will be printed in the footer of the standard theme';
+$string['configprofilesforenrolledusersonly'] = '
+<ul>
+<li>When showing the profile page, if a courseid isn\'t defined (this is the public view) AND the user is not enrolled in any courses AND this setting is set as true then replace the profile description won\'t display.</li>
+<li>When editing the profile page, if the description is blank AND the user is not enrolled in any courses AND this setting is set as true then completely hide the description field from the editing page.</li>
+</ul>';
 $string['configprotectusernames'] = 'By default forget_password.php does not display any hints that would allow guessing of usernames or email addresses.';
 $string['configproxybypass'] = 'Comma separated list of (partial) hostnames or IPs that should bypass proxy (e.g., 192.168., .mydomain.com)';
 $string['configproxyhost'] = 'If this <b>server</b> needs to use a proxy computer (eg a firewall) to access the Internet, then provide the proxy hostname here.  Otherwise leave it blank.';
@@ -613,6 +618,7 @@ $string['profilefieldtypetextarea'] = 'Text area';
 $string['profilefieldmaxlength'] = 'Maximum length';
 $string['profilefieldispassword'] = 'Is this a password field?';
 $string['profileforceunique'] = 'Should the data be unique?';
+$string['profilesforenrolledusersonly'] = 'Profiles for enrolled users only';
 $string['profileinvaliddata'] = 'Invalid value';
 $string['profilelocked'] = 'Is this field locked?';
 $string['profilemenudefaultnotinoptions'] = 'The default value is not one of the options';
diff --git a/lang/en_utf8/moodle.php b/lang/en_utf8/moodle.php
index 4965e7a71f8..125fbd868a1 100644
--- a/lang/en_utf8/moodle.php
+++ b/lang/en_utf8/moodle.php
@@ -1220,6 +1220,7 @@ $string['previouslyselectedusers'] = 'Previously selected users not matching \'$
 $string['previoussection'] = 'Previous section';
 $string['primaryadminsetup'] = 'Setup administrator account';
 $string['profile'] = 'Profile';
+$string['profilenotshown'] = 'This profile description will not be shown until this person is enrolled in at least one course.';
 $string['publicdirectory'] = 'Public directory';
 $string['publicdirectory0'] = 'Please do not publish this site';
 $string['publicdirectory1'] = 'Publish the site name only';
diff --git a/user/edit_form.php b/user/edit_form.php
index 45282dc41bb..920ec7edcfd 100644
--- a/user/edit_form.php
+++ b/user/edit_form.php
@@ -60,8 +60,14 @@ class user_edit_form extends moodleform {
             }
         }
 
+
         if ($user = $DB->get_record('user', array('id'=>$userid))) {
 
+            // remove description
+            if (!$DB->get_record('role_assignments', array('userid'=>$userid)) && empty($user->description) && $CFG->profilesforenrolledusersonly) {
+                $mform->removeElement('description');
+            }
+
             // print picture
             if (!empty($CFG->gdversion)) {
                 $image_el =& $mform->getElement('currentpicture');
diff --git a/user/editadvanced_form.php b/user/editadvanced_form.php
index 9ba149862e0..03b3c627c4a 100644
--- a/user/editadvanced_form.php
+++ b/user/editadvanced_form.php
@@ -75,6 +75,13 @@ class user_editadvanced_form extends moodleform {
             }
         }
 
+        $sitecontext = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_SYSTEM);
+        $can_edit_user = has_capability('moodle/user:update', $sitecontext);
+        // remove description
+        if (!$DB->get_record('role_assignments', array('userid'=>$userid)) && empty($user->description) && $CFG->profilesforenrolledusersonly && !$can_edit_user) {
+            $mform->removeElement('description');
+        }
+
         // user can not change own auth method
         if ($userid == $USER->id) {
             $mform->hardFreeze('auth');
diff --git a/user/view.php b/user/view.php
index c9dc4784c78..74a37d5fefb 100644
--- a/user/view.php
+++ b/user/view.php
@@ -210,7 +210,13 @@
     // Print the description
 
     if ($user->description && !isset($hiddenfields['description'])) {
-        echo format_text($user->description, FORMAT_MOODLE)."<hr />";
+        $has_courseid = ($course->id != SITEID);
+        if (!$DB->get_record('role_assignments', array('userid'=>$id))
+            && !$has_courseid && $CFG->profilesforenrolledusersonly) {
+            echo get_string('profilenotshown', 'moodle').'<hr />';
+        } else {
+            echo format_text($user->description, FORMAT_MOODLE)."<hr />";
+        }
     }
 
     // Print all the little details in a list