diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index bcdcbc679..ad8951baf 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ class Config(object):
     ROUTE_SECRET_KEY_1 = os.environ.get('ROUTE_SECRET_KEY_1', '')
     ROUTE_SECRET_KEY_2 = os.environ.get('ROUTE_SECRET_KEY_2', '')
     CHECK_PROXY_HEADER = False
+    ANTIVIRUS_ENABLED = True
 
     REDIS_URL = os.environ.get('REDIS_URL')
     REDIS_ENABLED = os.environ.get('REDIS_ENABLED') == '1'
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ class Development(Config):
     SECRET_KEY = 'dev-notify-secret-key'
     ANTIVIRUS_API_HOST = 'http://localhost:6016'
     ANTIVIRUS_API_KEY = 'test-key'
+    ANTIVIRUS_ENABLED = os.getenv('ANTIVIRUS_ENABLED') == '1'
 
     ASSET_PATH = '/static/'
 
@@ -126,6 +128,7 @@ class Test(Development):
     TEMPLATE_PREVIEW_API_HOST = 'http://localhost:9999'
     ANTIVIRUS_API_HOST = 'https://test-antivirus'
     ANTIVIRUS_API_KEY = 'test-antivirus-secret'
+    ANTIVIRUS_ENABLED = True
 
     ASSET_DOMAIN = 'static.example.com'
     ASSET_PATH = 'https://static.example.com/'
diff --git a/app/main/views/uploads.py b/app/main/views/uploads.py
index 3b12b548f..967ac9dd5 100644
--- a/app/main/views/uploads.py
+++ b/app/main/views/uploads.py
@@ -52,9 +52,10 @@ def upload_letter(service_id):
         pdf_file_bytes = form.file.data.read()
         original_filename = form.file.data.filename
 
-        virus_free = antivirus_client.scan(BytesIO(pdf_file_bytes))
-        if not virus_free:
-            return invalid_upload_error('Your file contains a virus')
+        if current_app.config['ANTIVIRUS_ENABLED']:
+            virus_free = antivirus_client.scan(BytesIO(pdf_file_bytes))
+            if not virus_free:
+                return invalid_upload_error('Your file contains a virus')
 
         if len(pdf_file_bytes) > MAX_FILE_UPLOAD_SIZE:
             return invalid_upload_error('Your file is too big', 'Files must be smaller than 2MB.')