diff --git a/app/controllers/root_controller.rb b/app/controllers/root_controller.rb
index 7e3e62f19..dccd5f7f1 100644
--- a/app/controllers/root_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/root_controller.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ def privacy_notice; end
 private
 
   def show_user_research_recruitment_banner?
-    !cookies[:dismiss_user_research_recruitment_banner] && !current_user.user_research_recruitment_banner_hidden?
+    Rails.application.config.show_user_research_recruitment_banner &&
+      !cookies[:dismiss_user_research_recruitment_banner] &&
+      !current_user.user_research_recruitment_banner_hidden?
   end
   helper_method :show_user_research_recruitment_banner?
 end
diff --git a/config/application.rb b/config/application.rb
index a7d4edbbc..57252f78e 100644
--- a/config/application.rb
+++ b/config/application.rb
@@ -97,5 +97,7 @@ class Application < Rails::Application
 
       cookies.rotate :encrypted, secret
     end
+
+    config.show_user_research_recruitment_banner = false
   end
 end
diff --git a/config/environments/test.rb b/config/environments/test.rb
index 8985d83b6..a60b470d0 100644
--- a/config/environments/test.rb
+++ b/config/environments/test.rb
@@ -65,4 +65,6 @@
 
   config.logger = Logger.new($stdout)
   config.log_level = :fatal
+
+  config.show_user_research_recruitment_banner = true
 end