diff --git a/core/js/shareconfigmodel.js b/core/js/shareconfigmodel.js
index 98388cbd50..1ead631db4 100644
--- a/core/js/shareconfigmodel.js
+++ b/core/js/shareconfigmodel.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 		defaults: {
 			publicUploadEnabled: false,
 			enforcePasswordForPublicLink: oc_appconfig.core.enforcePasswordForPublicLink,
+			enableLinkPasswordByDefault: oc_appconfig.core.enableLinkPasswordByDefault,
 			isDefaultExpireDateEnforced: oc_appconfig.core.defaultExpireDateEnforced === true,
 			isDefaultExpireDateEnabled: oc_appconfig.core.defaultExpireDateEnabled === true,
 			isRemoteShareAllowed: oc_appconfig.core.remoteShareAllowed,
diff --git a/core/js/sharedialoglinkshareview.js b/core/js/sharedialoglinkshareview.js
index f1cbea1792..36f15a7269 100644
--- a/core/js/sharedialoglinkshareview.js
+++ b/core/js/sharedialoglinkshareview.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 	var PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER = '**********';
 	var PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER_MESSAGE = t('core', 'Choose a password for the public link');
+	var PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER_MESSAGE_OPTIONAL = t('core', 'Choose a password for the public link or press enter');
 
 	var TEMPLATE =
 			'{{#if shareAllowed}}' +
@@ -61,7 +62,11 @@
 			'    {{/if}}' +
 			'<div id="linkPass" class="linkPass {{#unless isPasswordSet}}hidden{{/unless}}">' +
 			'    <label for="linkPassText-{{cid}}" class="hidden-visually">{{passwordLabel}}</label>' +
+			'    {{#if showPasswordCheckBox}}' +
 			'    <input id="linkPassText-{{cid}}" class="linkPassText" type="password" placeholder="{{passwordPlaceholder}}" />' +
+			'    {{else}}' +
+			'    <input id="linkPassText-{{cid}}" class="linkPassText" type="password" placeholder="{{passwordPlaceholderInitial}}" />' +
+			'    {{/if}}' +
 			'    <span class="icon-loading-small hidden"></span>' +
 			'</div>' +
 			'{{else}}' +
@@ -228,7 +233,7 @@
 			}
 
 			if($checkBox.is(':checked')) {
-				if(this.configModel.get('enforcePasswordForPublicLink') === false) {
+				if(this.configModel.get('enforcePasswordForPublicLink') === false && this.configModel.get('enableLinkPasswordByDefault') === false) {
 					$loading.removeClass('hidden');
 					// this will create it
 					this.model.saveLinkShare();
@@ -280,9 +285,19 @@
 			var $input = this.$el.find('.linkPassText');
 			$input.removeClass('error');
 			var password = $input.val();
-			// in IE9 the password might be the placeholder due to bugs in the placeholders polyfill
-			if(password === '' || password === PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER || password === PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER_MESSAGE) {
-				return;
+
+			if (this.$el.find('.linkPassText').attr('placeholder') === PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER_MESSAGE_OPTIONAL) {
+
+				// in IE9 the password might be the placeholder due to bugs in the placeholders polyfill
+				if(password === PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER_MESSAGE_OPTIONAL) {
+					password = '';
+				}
+			} else {
+
+				// in IE9 the password might be the placeholder due to bugs in the placeholders polyfill
+				if(password === '' || password === PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER || password === PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER_MESSAGE) {
+					return;
+				}
 			}
 
 			$loading
@@ -391,6 +406,8 @@
 			var showPasswordCheckBox = isLinkShare
 				&& (   !this.configModel.get('enforcePasswordForPublicLink')
 					|| !this.model.get('linkShare').password);
+			var passwordPlaceholderInitial = this.configModel.get('enforcePasswordForPublicLink')
+				? PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER_MESSAGE : PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER_MESSAGE_OPTIONAL;
 
 			var publicEditable =
 				!this.model.isFolder()
@@ -428,6 +445,7 @@
 				enablePasswordLabel: t('core', 'Password protect'),
 				passwordLabel: t('core', 'Password'),
 				passwordPlaceholder: isPasswordSet ? PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER : PASSWORD_PLACEHOLDER_MESSAGE,
+				passwordPlaceholderInitial: passwordPlaceholderInitial,
 				isPasswordSet: isPasswordSet,
 				showPasswordCheckBox: showPasswordCheckBox,
 				publicUpload: publicUpload && isLinkShare,
diff --git a/lib/private/Settings/Admin/Sharing.php b/lib/private/Settings/Admin/Sharing.php
index 9b17efa802..8f57f77b20 100644
--- a/lib/private/Settings/Admin/Sharing.php
+++ b/lib/private/Settings/Admin/Sharing.php
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ class Sharing implements ISettings {
 			'shareExcludeGroups'              => $this->config->getAppValue('core', 'shareapi_exclude_groups', 'no') === 'yes' ? true : false,
 			'shareExcludedGroupsList'         => $excludeGroupsList,
 			'publicShareDisclaimerText'       => $this->config->getAppValue('core', 'shareapi_public_link_disclaimertext', null),
+			'enableLinkPasswordByDefault'     => $this->config->getAppValue('core', 'shareapi_enable_link_password_by_default', 'no'),
 		];
 
 		return new TemplateResponse('settings', 'admin/sharing', $parameters, '');
diff --git a/lib/private/Template/JSConfigHelper.php b/lib/private/Template/JSConfigHelper.php
index ca45bbee9c..4fc2168021 100644
--- a/lib/private/Template/JSConfigHelper.php
+++ b/lib/private/Template/JSConfigHelper.php
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@ class JSConfigHelper {
 			$apps_paths[$app] = \OC_App::getAppWebPath($app);
 		}
 
+
+		$enableLinkPasswordByDefault = $this->config->getAppValue('core', 'shareapi_enable_link_password_by_default', 'no');
+		$enableLinkPasswordByDefault = ($enableLinkPasswordByDefault === 'yes') ? true : false;
 		$defaultExpireDateEnabled = $this->config->getAppValue('core', 'shareapi_default_expire_date', 'no') === 'yes';
 		$defaultExpireDate = $enforceDefaultExpireDate = null;
 		if ($defaultExpireDateEnabled) {
@@ -217,6 +220,7 @@ class JSConfigHelper {
 					'defaultExpireDate' => $defaultExpireDate,
 					'defaultExpireDateEnforced' => $enforceDefaultExpireDate,
 					'enforcePasswordForPublicLink' => \OCP\Util::isPublicLinkPasswordRequired(),
+					'enableLinkPasswordByDefault' => $enableLinkPasswordByDefault,
 					'sharingDisabledForUser' => \OCP\Util::isSharingDisabledForUser(),
 					'resharingAllowed' => \OCP\Share::isResharingAllowed(),
 					'remoteShareAllowed' => $outgoingServer2serverShareEnabled,
diff --git a/settings/templates/admin/sharing.php b/settings/templates/admin/sharing.php
index db025c8f20..9de71c5899 100644
--- a/settings/templates/admin/sharing.php
+++ b/settings/templates/admin/sharing.php
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@
 		<input type="checkbox" name="shareapi_allow_public_upload" id="allowPublicUpload" class="checkbox"
 			   value="1" <?php if ($_['allowPublicUpload'] == 'yes') print_unescaped('checked="checked"'); ?> />
 		<label for="allowPublicUpload"><?php p($l->t('Allow public uploads'));?></label><br/>
-
+		<input type="checkbox" name="shareapi_enable_link_password_by_default" id="enableLinkPasswordByDefault" class="checkbox"
+			   value="1" <?php if ($_['enableLinkPasswordByDefault'] === 'yes') print_unescaped('checked="checked"'); ?> />
+		<label for="enableLinkPasswordByDefault"><?php p($l->t('Always ask for a password'));?></label><br/>
 		<input type="checkbox" name="shareapi_enforce_links_password" id="enforceLinkPassword" class="checkbox"
 			   value="1" <?php if ($_['enforceLinkPassword']) print_unescaped('checked="checked"'); ?> />
 		<label for="enforceLinkPassword"><?php p($l->t('Enforce password protection'));?></label><br/>
diff --git a/tests/lib/Settings/Admin/SharingTest.php b/tests/lib/Settings/Admin/SharingTest.php
index 122bf2b6ca..0bf0355968 100644
--- a/tests/lib/Settings/Admin/SharingTest.php
+++ b/tests/lib/Settings/Admin/SharingTest.php
@@ -104,6 +104,11 @@ class SharingTest extends TestCase {
 			->method('getAppValue')
 			->with('core', 'shareapi_public_link_disclaimertext', null)
 			->willReturn('Lorem ipsum');
+		$this->config
+			->expects($this->at(12))
+			->method('getAppValue')
+			->with('core', 'shareapi_enable_link_password_by_default', 'no')
+			->willReturn('yes');
 
 		$expected = new TemplateResponse(
 			'settings',
@@ -122,7 +127,8 @@ class SharingTest extends TestCase {
 				'shareEnforceExpireDate'          => 'no',
 				'shareExcludeGroups'              => false,
 				'shareExcludedGroupsList'         => '',
-				'publicShareDisclaimerText'           => 'Lorem ipsum',
+				'publicShareDisclaimerText'       => 'Lorem ipsum',
+				'enableLinkPasswordByDefault'     => 'yes'
 			],
 			''
 		);
@@ -191,6 +197,11 @@ class SharingTest extends TestCase {
 			->method('getAppValue')
 			->with('core', 'shareapi_public_link_disclaimertext', null)
 			->willReturn('Lorem ipsum');
+		$this->config
+			->expects($this->at(12))
+			->method('getAppValue')
+			->with('core', 'shareapi_enable_link_password_by_default', 'no')
+			->willReturn('yes');
 
 		$expected = new TemplateResponse(
 			'settings',
@@ -209,7 +220,8 @@ class SharingTest extends TestCase {
 				'shareEnforceExpireDate'          => 'no',
 				'shareExcludeGroups'              => true,
 				'shareExcludedGroupsList'         => 'NoSharers|OtherNoSharers',
-				'publicShareDisclaimerText'           => 'Lorem ipsum',
+				'publicShareDisclaimerText'       => 'Lorem ipsum',
+				'enableLinkPasswordByDefault'     => 'yes'
 			],
 			''
 		);