diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
index f49699ceb..cd1de8d6a 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
@@ -1274,6 +1274,7 @@ class ApiController(RedditController):
                    over_18 = VBoolean('over_18'),
                    allow_top = VBoolean('allow_top'),
                    show_media = VBoolean('show_media'),
+                   show_cname_sidebar = VBoolean('show_cname_sidebar'),
                    type = VOneOf('type', ('public', 'private', 'restricted')),
                    link_type = VOneOf('link_type', ('any', 'link', 'self')),
                    ip = ValidIP(),
@@ -1290,7 +1291,7 @@ class ApiController(RedditController):
         redir = False
         kw = dict((k, v) for k, v in kw.iteritems()
                   if k in ('name', 'title', 'domain', 'description', 'over_18',
-                           'show_media', 'type', 'link_type', 'lang',
+                           'show_media', 'show_cname_sidebar', 'type', 'link_type', 'lang',
                            "css_on_cname", "header_title", 
                            'allow_top'))
 
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
index 5306899d3..9a0efa266 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
@@ -221,8 +221,8 @@ class Reddit(Templated):
             if srs:
                 ps.append(SideContentBox(_('these reddits'),[SubscriptionBox(srs=srs)]))
 
-        if not isinstance(c.site, FakeSubreddit) and not c.cname:
-            #don't show the subreddit info bar on cnames
+        # don't show the subreddit info bar on cnames unless the option is set
+        if not isinstance(c.site, FakeSubreddit) and (not c.cname or c.site.show_cname_sidebar):
             ps.append(SubredditInfoBar())
             if (c.user.pref_show_adbox or not c.user.gold) and not g.disable_ads:
                 ps.append(Ads())
diff --git a/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py b/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py
index dfb0d2d8f..0770277c5 100644
--- a/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py
+++ b/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class Subreddit(Thing, Printable):
                      reported = 0,
                      valid_votes = 0,
                      show_media = False,
+                     show_cname_sidebar = False,
                      css_on_cname = True,
                      domain = None,
                      over_18 = False,
diff --git a/r2/r2/templates/createsubreddit.html b/r2/r2/templates/createsubreddit.html
index 81124899c..e6ee2b278 100644
--- a/r2/r2/templates/createsubreddit.html
+++ b/r2/r2/templates/createsubreddit.html
@@ -169,6 +169,13 @@
           <label for="css_on_cname">
             ${_("make custom CSS styles apply only when accessed from the cname.")}
           </label>
+          <br/>
+          <input class="nomargin" type="checkbox"
+                 name="show_cname_sidebar" id="show_cname_sidebar"
+                 ${thing.site and thing.site.show_cname_sidebar and "checked='checked'" or ""}/>
+          <label for="show_cname_sidebar">
+            ${_("show sidebar when accessed from the cname.")}
+          </label>
       %endif
     </div>
     <div class="usertext-edit">