diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/red.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/red.js
index ff8dad5bf..97159e6d2 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/red.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/red.js
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ var RED = (function() {
                                     }
                                 }
                             ]
-                            // } else if (RED.settings.theme('palette.editable') !== false) {
+                            // } else if (RED.settings.get('externalModules.palette.allowInstall', true) !== false) {
                         } else {
                             options.buttons = [
                                 {
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ var RED = (function() {
         ]});
 
         menuOptions.push(null);
-        if (RED.settings.theme('palette.editable') !== false) {
+        if (RED.settings.get('externalModules.palette.allowInstall', true) !== false) {
             menuOptions.push({id:"menu-item-edit-palette",label:RED._("menu.label.editPalette"),onselect:"core:manage-palette"});
             menuOptions.push(null);
         }
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ var RED = (function() {
         RED.palette.init();
         RED.eventLog.init();
 
-        if (RED.settings.theme('palette.editable') !== false) {
+        if (RED.settings.get('externalModules.palette.allowInstall', true) !== false) {
             RED.palette.editor.init();
         } else {
             console.log("Palette editor disabled");
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/settings.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/settings.js
index 760165581..109554418 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/settings.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/settings.js
@@ -57,12 +57,11 @@ RED.settings = (function () {
             return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(key));
         } else {
             var v;
-            try {
-                v = RED.utils.getMessageProperty(userSettings,key);
-                if (v === undefined) {
-                    v = defaultIfUndefined;
-                }
-            } catch(err) {
+            try { v = RED.utils.getMessageProperty(userSettings,key); } catch(err) {}
+            if (v === undefined) {
+                try { v = RED.utils.getMessageProperty(RED.settings,key); } catch(err) {}
+            }
+            if (v === undefined) {
                 v = defaultIfUndefined;
             }
             return v;
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js
index b0aeed0fe..147789940 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ RED.palette.editor = (function() {
 
 
     function init() {
-        if (RED.settings.theme('palette.editable') === false) {
+        if (RED.settings.get('externalModules.palette.allowInstall', true) === false) {
             return;
         }
         createSettingsPane();
@@ -880,7 +880,7 @@ RED.palette.editor = (function() {
             }
         });
 
-        if (RED.settings.theme('palette.upload') !== false) {
+        if (RED.settings.get('externalModules.palette.allowUpload', true) !== false) {
             var uploadSpan = $('<span class="button-group">').prependTo(toolBar);
             var uploadButton = $('<button type="button" class="red-ui-sidebar-header-button red-ui-palette-editor-upload-button"><label><i class="fa fa-upload"></i><form id="red-ui-palette-editor-upload-form" enctype="multipart/form-data"><input name="tarball" type="file" accept=".tgz"></label></button>').appendTo(uploadSpan);
 
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ RED.palette.editor = (function() {
     }
 
     function update(entry,version,url,container,done) {
-        if (RED.settings.theme('palette.editable') === false) {
+        if (RED.settings.get('externalModules.palette.allowInstall', true) === false) {
             done(new Error('Palette not editable'));
             return;
         }
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ RED.palette.editor = (function() {
         })
     }
     function remove(entry,container,done) {
-        if (RED.settings.theme('palette.editable') === false) {
+        if (RED.settings.get('externalModules.palette.allowInstall', true) === false) {
             done(new Error('Palette not editable'));
             return;
         }
@@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ RED.palette.editor = (function() {
         })
     }
     function install(entry,container,done) {
-        if (RED.settings.theme('palette.editable') === false) {
+        if (RED.settings.get('externalModules.palette.allowInstall', true) === false) {
             done(new Error('Palette not editable'));
             return;
         }
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/projectSettings.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/projectSettings.js
index fdd106e23..c39ac97be 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/projectSettings.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/projects/projectSettings.js
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ RED.projects.settings = (function() {
                     metaRow = $('<div class="red-ui-palette-module-meta"></div>').appendTo(headerRow);
                     var buttons = $('<div class="red-ui-palette-module-button-group"></div>').appendTo(metaRow);
                     if (RED.user.hasPermission("projects.write")) {
-                        if (!entry.installed && RED.settings.theme('palette.editable') !== false) {
+                        if (!entry.installed && RED.settings.get('externalModules.palette.allowInstall', true) !== false) {
                             $('<a href="#" class="red-ui-button red-ui-button-small">' + RED._("sidebar.project.projectSettings.install") + '</a>').appendTo(buttons)
                                 .on("click", function(evt) {
                                     evt.preventDefault();
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/installer.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/installer.js
index 0c3359382..f94ebbad4 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/installer.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/installer.js
@@ -335,7 +335,24 @@ function uninstallModule(module) {
     return activePromise;
 }
 
-function checkPrereq() {
+async function checkPrereq() {
+
+    try {
+        if (settings.editorTheme.palette.editable === false) {
+            log.info(log._("server.palette-editor.disabled"));
+            installerEnabled = false;
+            return
+        }
+    } catch(err) {}
+
+    try {
+        if (settings.externalModules.palette.allowInstall === false) {
+            log.info(log._("server.palette-editor.disabled"));
+            installerEnabled = false;
+            return
+        }
+    } catch(err) {}
+
     if (settings.hasOwnProperty('editorTheme') &&
         settings.editorTheme.hasOwnProperty('palette') &&
         settings.editorTheme.palette.hasOwnProperty('editable') &&
@@ -343,7 +360,6 @@ function checkPrereq() {
     ) {
         log.info(log._("server.palette-editor.disabled"));
         installerEnabled = false;
-        return Promise.resolve();
     } else {
         return new Promise(resolve => {
             child_process.execFile(npmCommand,['-v'],function(err,stdout) {
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/settings.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/settings.js
index 067a8e83a..8b52d4587 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/settings.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/api/settings.js
@@ -90,10 +90,15 @@ var api = module.exports = {
                 safeSettings.flowFilePretty = runtime.settings.flowFilePretty;
             }
 
+            if (runtime.settings.externalModules) {
+                safeSettings.externalModules = runtime.settings.externalModules;
+            }
+
             if (!runtime.nodes.installerEnabled()) {
-                safeSettings.editorTheme = safeSettings.editorTheme || {};
-                safeSettings.editorTheme.palette = safeSettings.editorTheme.palette || {};
-                safeSettings.editorTheme.palette.editable = false;
+                safeSettings.externalModules = safeSettings.externalModules || {};
+                safeSettings.externalModules.palette = safeSettings.externalModules.palette || {};
+                safeSettings.externalModules.palette.allowInstall = false;
+                safeSettings.externalModules.palette.allowUpload = false;
             }
             if (runtime.storage.projects) {
                 var activeProject = runtime.storage.projects.getActiveProject();