diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b3f23b13643..4aac659c812 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -103,17 +103,16 @@ Most important changes will be listed here, all other changes since `19.4.0` can
 ### Between Magento 1.9.4.5 and OpenMage 19.x
 
 - bug fixes and PHP 7.x and 8.0 compatibility
-- added config cache for system.xml #1916
+- added config cache for system.xml [#1916](https://github.com/OpenMage/magento-lts/pull/1916)
 
 ### Between OpenMage 19.x and 20.x
 
 Do not use 20.x.x if you need IE support.
 
-- removed IE conditional comments, IE styles, IE scripts and IE eot files #1073
-- removed frontend default themes (default, modern, iphone, german, french, blank, blue) #1600
-- fixed incorrect datetime in customer block (`$useTimezone` parameter) #1525
-- add redis as a valid option for `global/session_save` #1513
-- possibility to disable global search in backend #1532
+- removed IE conditional comments, IE styles, IE scripts and IE eot files [#1073](https://github.com/OpenMage/magento-lts/pull/1073)
+- removed frontend default themes (default, modern, iphone, german, french, blank, blue) [#1600](https://github.com/OpenMage/magento-lts/pull/1600)
+- fixed incorrect datetime in customer block (`$useTimezone` parameter) [#1525](https://github.com/OpenMage/magento-lts/pull/1525)
+- add redis as a valid option for `global/session_save` [#1513](https://github.com/OpenMage/magento-lts/pull/1513)
 
 For full list of changes, you can [compare tags](https://github.com/OpenMage/magento-lts/compare/1.9.4.x...20.0).
 
diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/controllers/IndexController.php b/app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/controllers/IndexController.php
index 2f48729e5cc..f1c8d2c97bc 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/controllers/IndexController.php
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/controllers/IndexController.php
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public function globalSearchAction()
         $searchModules = Mage::getConfig()->getNode("adminhtml/global_search");
         $items = array();
 
-        if (!Mage::getSingleton('admin/session')->isAllowed('admin/global_search')) {
+        if (!Mage::getStoreConfigFlag('admin/global_search/enable') || !Mage::getSingleton('admin/session')->isAllowed('admin/global_search')) {
             $items[] = array(
                 'id' => 'error',
                 'type' => Mage::helper('adminhtml')->__('Error'),
diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/etc/config.xml b/app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/etc/config.xml
index 7c12b63a6f9..b721908fd82 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/etc/config.xml
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Adminhtml/etc/config.xml
@@ -231,6 +231,9 @@
             <design>
                 <use_legacy_theme>0</use_legacy_theme>
             </design>
+            <global_search>
+                <enable>1</enable>
+            </global_search>
         </admin>
     </default>
     <stores>
diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/system.xml b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/system.xml
index e3943cdfd00..df9b49ca33f 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/system.xml
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/system.xml
@@ -1063,6 +1063,25 @@
                     </fields>
                 </design>
 
+                <global_search>
+                    <label>Global Search</label>
+                    <show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
+                    <show_in_website>0</show_in_website>
+                    <show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
+                    <sort_order>6</sort_order>
+                    <fields>
+                        <enable translate="label">
+                            <label>Enable global search</label>
+                            <frontend_type>select</frontend_type>
+                            <source_model>adminhtml/system_config_source_yesno</source_model>
+                            <sort_order>1</sort_order>
+                            <show_in_default>1</show_in_default>
+                            <show_in_website>0</show_in_website>
+                            <show_in_store>0</show_in_store>
+                        </enable>
+                    </fields>
+                </global_search>
+
                 <emails translate="label">
                     <label>Admin User Emails</label>
                     <sort_order>10</sort_order>
diff --git a/app/design/adminhtml/default/default/template/page/header.phtml b/app/design/adminhtml/default/default/template/page/header.phtml
index b38f0b02834..6086f1a05be 100644
--- a/app/design/adminhtml/default/default/template/page/header.phtml
+++ b/app/design/adminhtml/default/default/template/page/header.phtml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
         <p class="super">
             <?php echo $this->__("Logged in as %s", $this->escapeHtml($this->getUser()->getUsername())) ?><span class="separator">|</span><a href="<?php echo $this->getLogoutLink() ?>" class="link-logout"><?php echo $this->__('Log Out') ?></a>
         </p>
-        <?php if ( Mage::getSingleton('admin/session')->isAllowed('admin/global_search') ): ?>
+        <?php if (Mage::getStoreConfigFlag('admin/global_search/enable') && Mage::getSingleton('admin/session')->isAllowed('admin/global_search')): ?>
         <fieldset>
             <legend>Search</legend>
             <span id="global_search_indicator" class="autocomplete-indicator" style="display: none">
diff --git a/app/design/adminhtml/default/openmage/template/page/header.phtml b/app/design/adminhtml/default/openmage/template/page/header.phtml
index 973dd4bea34..7d56012d9bc 100644
--- a/app/design/adminhtml/default/openmage/template/page/header.phtml
+++ b/app/design/adminhtml/default/openmage/template/page/header.phtml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 		        </ul>
 		    </li>
 		</ul>
-        <?php if ( Mage::getSingleton('admin/session')->isAllowed('admin/global_search') ): ?>
+        <?php if (Mage::getStoreConfigFlag('admin/global_search/enable') && Mage::getSingleton('admin/session')->isAllowed('admin/global_search')): ?>
         <fieldset>
             <legend>Search</legend>
             <span id="global_search_indicator" class="autocomplete-indicator" style="display: none">