diff --git a/apps/files_external/js/settings.js b/apps/files_external/js/settings.js
index fc6edefc64..da3e2397b7 100644
--- a/apps/files_external/js/settings.js
+++ b/apps/files_external/js/settings.js
@@ -945,6 +945,11 @@ MountConfigListView.prototype = _.extend({
 							$tr.find('.configuration').text(t('files_external', 'Admin defined'));
 						}
 					});
+					var mainForm = $('#files_external');
+					if (result.length === 0 && mainForm.attr('data-can-create') === 'false') {
+						mainForm.hide();
+						$('a[href="#external-storage"]').parent().hide();
+					}
 					onCompletion.resolve();
 				}
 			});
diff --git a/apps/files_external/templates/settings.php b/apps/files_external/templates/settings.php
index 47230f98bd..2581259c4c 100644
--- a/apps/files_external/templates/settings.php
+++ b/apps/files_external/templates/settings.php
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
 	}
 ?>
 
-<form id="files_external" class="section" data-encryption-enabled="<?php echo $_['encryptionEnabled']?'true': 'false'; ?>">
+<form data-can-create="<?php echo $canCreateMounts?'true':'false' ?>" id="files_external" class="section" data-encryption-enabled="<?php echo $_['encryptionEnabled']?'true': 'false'; ?>">
 	<h2><?php p($l->t('External Storage')); ?></h2>
 	<?php if (isset($_['dependencies']) and ($_['dependencies']<>'') and $canCreateMounts) print_unescaped(''.$_['dependencies'].''); ?>
 	<table id="externalStorage" class="grid" data-admin='<?php print_unescaped(json_encode($_['visibilityType'] === BackendService::VISIBILITY_ADMIN)); ?>'>