diff --git a/lib/base.php b/lib/base.php
index df4e91dda9..31d9666698 100644
--- a/lib/base.php
+++ b/lib/base.php
@@ -823,12 +823,28 @@ class OC {
 			exit();
 		}
 
-		$request = \OC::$server->getRequest()->getPathInfo();
-		if (substr($request, -3) !== '.js') { // we need these files during the upgrade
+		$request = \OC::$server->getRequest();
+		$requestPath = $request->getPathInfo();
+		if (substr($requestPath, -3) !== '.js') { // we need these files during the upgrade
 			self::checkMaintenanceMode();
 			self::checkUpgrade();
 		}
 
+		// emergency app disabling
+		if ($requestPath === '/disableapp'
+			&& $request->getMethod() === 'POST'
+			&& ((string)$request->getParam('appid')) !== ''
+		) {
+			\OCP\JSON::callCheck();
+			\OCP\JSON::checkAdminUser();
+			$appId = (string)$request->getParam('appid');
+			$appId = \OC_App::cleanAppId($appId);
+
+			\OC_App::disable($appId);
+			\OC_JSON::success();
+			exit();
+		}
+
 		// Always load authentication apps
 		OC_App::loadApps(['authentication']);
 
diff --git a/settings/js/apps.js b/settings/js/apps.js
index a99df65e3c..e6631762fd 100644
--- a/settings/js/apps.js
+++ b/settings/js/apps.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Handlebars.registerHelper('score', function() {
 	if(this.score) {
 		var score = Math.round( this.score / 10 );
 		var imageName = 'rating/s' + score + '.png';
-		
+
 		return new Handlebars.SafeString('<img src="' + OC.imagePath('core', imageName) + '">');
 	}
 	return new Handlebars.SafeString('');
@@ -212,7 +212,19 @@ OC.Settings.Apps = OC.Settings.Apps || {
 		return app.types && app.types.indexOf(type) !== -1;
 	},
 
+	/**
+	 * Checks the server health.
+	 *
+	 * If the promise fails, the server is broken.
+	 *
+	 * @return {Promise} promise
+	 */
+	_checkServerHealth: function() {
+		return $.get(OC.generateUrl('apps/files'));
+	},
+
 	enableApp:function(appId, active, element, groups) {
+		var self = this;
 		OC.Settings.Apps.hideErrorMessage(appId);
 		groups = groups || [];
 		var appItem = $('div#app-'+appId+'');
@@ -242,6 +254,8 @@ OC.Settings.Apps = OC.Settings.Apps || {
 				}
 			},'json');
 		} else {
+			// TODO: display message to admin to not refresh the page!
+			// TODO: lock UI to prevent further operations
 			$.post(OC.filePath('settings','ajax','enableapp.php'),{appid: appId, groups: groups},function(result) {
 				if(!result || result.status !== 'success') {
 					if (result.data && result.data.message) {
@@ -254,35 +268,55 @@ OC.Settings.Apps = OC.Settings.Apps || {
 					element.val(t('settings','Enable'));
 					appItem.addClass('appwarning');
 				} else {
-					if (result.data.update_required) {
-						OC.Settings.Apps.showReloadMessage();
+					self._checkServerHealth().done(function() {
+						if (result.data.update_required) {
+							OC.Settings.Apps.showReloadMessage();
 
-						setTimeout(function() {
-							location.reload();
-						}, 5000);
-					}
-
-					OC.Settings.Apps.rebuildNavigation();
-					appItem.data('active',true);
-					element.data('active',true);
-					appItem.addClass('active');
-					element.val(t('settings','Disable'));
-					var app = OC.Settings.Apps.State.apps[appId];
-					app.active = true;
-
-					if (OC.Settings.Apps.isType(app, 'filesystem') || OC.Settings.Apps.isType(app, 'prelogin') ||
-						OC.Settings.Apps.isType(app, 'authentication') || OC.Settings.Apps.isType(app, 'logging')) {
-						element.parent().find(".groups-enable").attr('checked', null);
-						element.parent().find(".groups-enable").hide();
-						element.parent().find('#group_select').hide().val(null);
-					} else {
-						element.parent().find("#groups-enable").show();
-						if (groups) {
-							appItem.data('groups', JSON.stringify(groups));
-						} else {
-							appItem.data('groups', '');
+							setTimeout(function() {
+								location.reload();
+							}, 5000);
 						}
-					}
+
+						OC.Settings.Apps.rebuildNavigation();
+						appItem.data('active',true);
+						element.data('active',true);
+						appItem.addClass('active');
+						element.val(t('settings','Disable'));
+						var app = OC.Settings.Apps.State.apps[appId];
+						app.active = true;
+
+						if (OC.Settings.Apps.isType(app, 'filesystem') || OC.Settings.Apps.isType(app, 'prelogin') ||
+							OC.Settings.Apps.isType(app, 'authentication') || OC.Settings.Apps.isType(app, 'logging')) {
+							element.parent().find(".groups-enable").attr('checked', null);
+							element.parent().find(".groups-enable").hide();
+							element.parent().find('#group_select').hide().val(null);
+						} else {
+							element.parent().find("#groups-enable").show();
+							if (groups) {
+								appItem.data('groups', JSON.stringify(groups));
+							} else {
+								appItem.data('groups', '');
+							}
+						}
+					}).fail(function() {
+						// server borked, emergency disable app
+						$.post(OC.webroot + '/index.php/disableapp', {appid: appId}, function() {
+							OC.Settings.Apps.showErrorMessage(
+								appId,
+								t('settings', 'Error: this app cannot be enabled because it makes the server unstable')
+							);
+							appItem.data('errormsg', t('settings', 'Error while enabling app'));
+							element.val(t('settings','Enable'));
+							appItem.addClass('appwarning');
+						}).fail(function() {
+							OC.Settings.Apps.showErrorMessage(
+								appId,
+								t('settings', 'Error: could not disable broken app')
+							);
+							appItem.data('errormsg', t('settings', 'Error while disabling broken app'));
+							element.val(t('settings','Enable'));
+						});
+					});
 				}
 			},'json')
 				.fail(function() {