diff --git a/bookie/templates/index.mako b/bookie/templates/index.mako
index 47c4a215..10b2d573 100644
--- a/bookie/templates/index.mako
+++ b/bookie/templates/index.mako
@@ -4,16 +4,20 @@
 <div id="welcome" class="" style="max-width: 1000px;">
     <div class="signup">
         <div class="form">
-            <h2>Enter Email to Signup</h2>
-            <form id="#signup_form" action="signup_process" method="POST">
-                <ul>
-                    <li>
-                        <input type="email" id="email" name="email"
-                        placeholder="email address" />
-                        <input type="submit" id="send_signup" name="send_signup" value="Sign Up" />
-                    </li>
-                </ul>
-            </form>
+            % if signup:
+                <h2>Enter Email to Signup</h2>
+                <form id="#signup_form" action="signup_process" method="POST">
+                    <ul>
+                        <li>
+                            <input type="email" id="email" name="email"
+                            placeholder="email address" />
+                            <input type="submit" id="send_signup" name="send_signup" value="Sign Up" />
+                        </li>
+                    </ul>
+                </form>
+            % else:
+                <h2>This site is private please contact admin for invitation.</h2>
+            %endif
         </div>
     </div>
 
diff --git a/bookie/tests/test_auth/test_signup.py b/bookie/tests/test_auth/test_signup.py
index c8d09828..d449e679 100644
--- a/bookie/tests/test_auth/test_signup.py
+++ b/bookie/tests/test_auth/test_signup.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
     urlencode,
 )
 import transaction
+from pyramid import testing
+from unittest import TestCase
 
 from bookie.models import DBSession
 from bookie.models.auth import Activation
@@ -204,3 +206,42 @@ def testSignupWorks(self):
             email,
             act.user.email,
             "The activation email is the correct one.")
+
+
+class TestPrivateHosting(TestCase):
+    """Check if Signup is disabled in private hosting"""
+
+    message = 'This site is private please contact admin for invitation.'
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        from pyramid.paster import get_app
+        from bookie.tests import BOOKIE_TEST_INI
+        app = get_app(BOOKIE_TEST_INI, 'bookie')
+        # Changing signup_process to false to disable signups
+        app.registry.settings['signup_process'] = "false"
+        from webtest import TestApp
+        self.testapp = TestApp(app)
+        testing.setUp()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        testing.tearDown()
+
+    def testSignupPage(self):
+        """A signup form is not available."""
+        res = self.testapp.get('/signup')
+        self.assertIn(self.message, res.body)
+
+    def testMainPage(self):
+        """A signup form is not available in main page."""
+        res = self.testapp.get('/')
+        self.assertIn(self.message, res.body)
+
+    def testManualHit(self):
+        """Message should be shown if /signup_process is hit manually"""
+        res = self.testapp.post(
+            '/signup_process',
+            params={
+                'email': 'testing@dummy.com'
+            }
+        )
+        self.assertIn(self.message, res.body)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bookie/views/__init__.py b/bookie/views/__init__.py
index c98c5b74..b3a0f4a1 100644
--- a/bookie/views/__init__.py
+++ b/bookie/views/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Basic views with no home"""
 from pyramid.httpexceptions import HTTPFound
 from pyramid.httpexceptions import HTTPNotFound
+from pyramid.settings import asbool
 from pyramid.view import view_config
 
 from bookie.models.auth import UserMgr
@@ -30,7 +31,12 @@ def home(request):
         username = username.lower()
 
     if not request.user:
-        return {}
+        if asbool(request.registry.settings.get('signup_process')):
+            return {
+                'signup': True
+            }
+        else:
+            return {}
     else:
         if not username:
             return HTTPFound(location=request.route_url("bmark_recent"))
diff --git a/bookie/views/api.py b/bookie/views/api.py
index 66ece5db..03aee510 100644
--- a/bookie/views/api.py
+++ b/bookie/views/api.py
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ def reset_password(request):
     new = params.get('new_password', None)
 
     # if we don't have any password info, try a json_body in case it's a json
-    #POST
+    # POST
     if current is None and new is None:
         params = request.json_body
         current = params.get('current_password', None)
diff --git a/bookie/views/auth.py b/bookie/views/auth.py
index 23518b1c..b7ee0c81 100644
--- a/bookie/views/auth.py
+++ b/bookie/views/auth.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from pyramid.renderers import render_to_response
 from pyramid.security import remember
 from pyramid.security import forget
+from pyramid.settings import asbool
 from pyramid.url import route_url
 from pyramid.view import view_config
 
@@ -105,7 +106,12 @@ def signup(request):
     this time so that we can stage invites across a specific number in waves.
 
     """
-    return {}
+    if not asbool(request.registry.settings.get('signup_process')):
+        return {
+            'message': 'This site is private please contact admin for invitation.'
+        }
+    else:
+        return {}
 
 
 @view_config(route_name="signup_process", renderer="/auth/signup.mako")
@@ -116,6 +122,10 @@ def signup_process(request):
     information.
 
     """
+    if not asbool(request.registry.settings.get('signup_process')):
+        return {
+            'message': 'This site is private please contact admin for invitation.'
+        }
     params = request.params
     email = params.get('email', None)
 
diff --git a/sample.ini b/sample.ini
index 7a5d2840..f38e0912 100644
--- a/sample.ini
+++ b/sample.ini
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ email.host=sendmail
 fulltext.engine=whoosh
 fulltext.index=bookie_index
 
+#Change to false to disable signups
+signup_process = true
+ 
 # what is the host that's providing the YUI combo loader?
 combo_server=
 # Set this to help bust the cache. It will add a prefix to the combo url you
diff --git a/test.ini b/test.ini
index ad297e4d..c4047f58 100644
--- a/test.ini
+++ b/test.ini
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ email.host=sendmail
 fulltext.engine=whoosh
 fulltext.index=bookie_test
 
+#Change to false to disable signups
+signup_process = true
+
 # what is the host that's providing the YUI combo loader?
 combo_server = http://127.0.0.1:8000
 # set this to help bust the cache. It will add a prefix to the combo url you