diff --git a/app/controllers/list_controller.rb b/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
index dd41d020e51..905f0077cb2 100644
--- a/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/list_controller.rb
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class ListController < ApplicationController
 
   def topics_by
     list_opts = build_topic_list_options
-    target_user = fetch_user_from_params({ include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?) }, [:user_stat, :user_option])
+    target_user = fetch_user_from_params({ include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?) || (current_user && SiteSetting.show_inactive_accounts) }, [:user_stat, :user_option])
     list = generate_list_for("topics_by", target_user, list_opts)
     list.more_topics_url = url_for(construct_url_with(:next, list_opts))
     list.prev_topics_url = url_for(construct_url_with(:prev, list_opts))
diff --git a/app/controllers/user_actions_controller.rb b/app/controllers/user_actions_controller.rb
index 71dd2a5a129..1efe4eb6ad1 100644
--- a/app/controllers/user_actions_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/user_actions_controller.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class UserActionsController < ApplicationController
 
     per_chunk = 30
 
-    user = fetch_user_from_params(include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?))
+    user = fetch_user_from_params(include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?) || (current_user && SiteSetting.show_inactive_accounts))
 
     opts = { user_id: user.id,
              user: user,
diff --git a/app/controllers/user_badges_controller.rb b/app/controllers/user_badges_controller.rb
index 11ca9878fee..cd456a8c40f 100644
--- a/app/controllers/user_badges_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/user_badges_controller.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class UserBadgesController < ApplicationController
   def username
     params.permit [:grouped]
 
-    user = fetch_user_from_params
+    user = fetch_user_from_params(include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?) || (current_user && SiteSetting.show_inactive_accounts))
     user_badges = user.user_badges
 
     if params[:grouped]
diff --git a/app/controllers/users_controller.rb b/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
index db3182bc5ba..9212c05632a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class UsersController < ApplicationController
     return redirect_to path('/login') if SiteSetting.hide_user_profiles_from_public && !current_user
 
     @user = fetch_user_from_params(
-      { include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?) },
+      { include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?) || (current_user && SiteSetting.show_inactive_accounts) },
       [{ user_profile: :card_image_badge }]
     )
 
@@ -203,14 +203,14 @@ class UsersController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def summary
-    user = fetch_user_from_params
+    user = fetch_user_from_params(include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?) || (current_user && SiteSetting.show_inactive_accounts))
     summary = UserSummary.new(user, guardian)
     serializer = UserSummarySerializer.new(summary, scope: guardian)
     render_json_dump(serializer)
   end
 
   def invited
-    inviter = fetch_user_from_params
+    inviter = fetch_user_from_params(include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?) || (current_user && SiteSetting.show_inactive_accounts))
     offset = params[:offset].to_i || 0
     filter_by = params[:filter]
 
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class UsersController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def invited_count
-    inviter = fetch_user_from_params
+    inviter = fetch_user_from_params(include_inactive: current_user.try(:staff?) || (current_user && SiteSetting.show_inactive_accounts))
 
     pending_count = Invite.find_pending_invites_count(inviter)
     redeemed_count = Invite.find_redeemed_invites_count(inviter)
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 798042ac972..07c38b521ff 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -1449,6 +1449,8 @@ en:
 
     hide_user_profiles_from_public: "Disable user cards, user profiles and user directory for anonymous users."
 
+    show_inactive_accounts: "Allow logged in users to browse profiles of inactive accounts."
+
     hide_suspension_reasons: "Don't display suspension reasons publically on user profiles."
     user_website_domains_whitelist: "User website will be verified against these domains. Pipe-delimited list."
 
diff --git a/config/site_settings.yml b/config/site_settings.yml
index d2639e964f8..38c102a19f6 100644
--- a/config/site_settings.yml
+++ b/config/site_settings.yml
@@ -415,6 +415,8 @@ users:
   hide_user_profiles_from_public:
     default: false
     client: true
+  show_inactive_accounts:
+    default: false
   user_website_domains_whitelist:
     default: ''
     type: list
diff --git a/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb
index bf5b32659a1..9547316b97d 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@ describe UsersController do
         expect(response).not_to be_success
       end
 
+      it 'returns success when show_inactive_accounts is true and user is logged in' do
+        SiteSetting.show_inactive_accounts = true
+        log_in_user(user)
+        inactive = Fabricate(:user, active: false)
+        get :show, params: { username: inactive.username }, format: :json
+        expect(response).to be_success
+      end
+
       it "raises an error on invalid access" do
         Guardian.any_instance.expects(:can_see?).with(user).returns(false)
         get :show, params: { username: user.username }, format: :json