diff --git a/app/controllers/settings/preferences_controller.rb b/app/controllers/settings/preferences_controller.rb
index 0690267151c..8397631388d 100644
--- a/app/controllers/settings/preferences_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/settings/preferences_controller.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class Settings::PreferencesController < ApplicationController
       :setting_boost_modal,
       :setting_delete_modal,
       :setting_auto_play_gif,
+      :setting_display_sensitive_media,
       :setting_reduce_motion,
       :setting_system_font_ui,
       :setting_noindex,
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/media_gallery.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/media_gallery.js
index 20febdb1669..a276b17d512 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/components/media_gallery.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/components/media_gallery.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import IconButton from './icon_button';
 import { defineMessages, injectIntl, FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
 import { isIOS } from '../is_mobile';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
-import { autoPlayGif } from '../initial_state';
+import { autoPlayGif, displaySensitiveMedia } from '../initial_state';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   toggle_visible: { id: 'media_gallery.toggle_visible', defaultMessage: 'Toggle visibility' },
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ export default class MediaGallery extends React.PureComponent {
   };
 
   state = {
-    visible: !this.props.sensitive,
+    visible: !this.props.sensitive || displaySensitiveMedia,
   };
 
   componentWillReceiveProps (nextProps) {
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/video/index.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/video/index.js
index 0ee8bb6c824..7752fc05784 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/features/video/index.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/features/video/index.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { defineMessages, injectIntl, FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
 import { throttle } from 'lodash';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
 import { isFullscreen, requestFullscreen, exitFullscreen } from '../ui/util/fullscreen';
+import { displaySensitiveMedia } from '../../initial_state';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   play: { id: 'video.play', defaultMessage: 'Play' },
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ export default class Video extends React.PureComponent {
     fullscreen: false,
     hovered: false,
     muted: false,
-    revealed: !this.props.sensitive,
+    revealed: !this.props.sensitive || displaySensitiveMedia,
   };
 
   setPlayerRef = c => {
diff --git a/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js b/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js
index 3fc45077d4c..6f13563246b 100644
--- a/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js
+++ b/app/javascript/mastodon/initial_state.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const getMeta = (prop) => initialState && initialState.meta && initialState.meta
 
 export const reduceMotion = getMeta('reduce_motion');
 export const autoPlayGif = getMeta('auto_play_gif');
+export const displaySensitiveMedia = getMeta('display_sensitive_media');
 export const unfollowModal = getMeta('unfollow_modal');
 export const boostModal = getMeta('boost_modal');
 export const deleteModal = getMeta('delete_modal');
diff --git a/app/lib/user_settings_decorator.rb b/app/lib/user_settings_decorator.rb
index d48e1da65a7..4d6f1946701 100644
--- a/app/lib/user_settings_decorator.rb
+++ b/app/lib/user_settings_decorator.rb
@@ -15,18 +15,19 @@ class UserSettingsDecorator
   private
 
   def process_update
-    user.settings['notification_emails'] = merged_notification_emails if change?('notification_emails')
-    user.settings['interactions']        = merged_interactions if change?('interactions')
-    user.settings['default_privacy']     = default_privacy_preference if change?('setting_default_privacy')
-    user.settings['default_sensitive']   = default_sensitive_preference if change?('setting_default_sensitive')
-    user.settings['unfollow_modal']      = unfollow_modal_preference if change?('setting_unfollow_modal')
-    user.settings['boost_modal']         = boost_modal_preference if change?('setting_boost_modal')
-    user.settings['delete_modal']        = delete_modal_preference if change?('setting_delete_modal')
-    user.settings['auto_play_gif']       = auto_play_gif_preference if change?('setting_auto_play_gif')
-    user.settings['reduce_motion']       = reduce_motion_preference if change?('setting_reduce_motion')
-    user.settings['system_font_ui']      = system_font_ui_preference if change?('setting_system_font_ui')
-    user.settings['noindex']             = noindex_preference if change?('setting_noindex')
-    user.settings['theme']               = theme_preference if change?('setting_theme')
+    user.settings['notification_emails']     = merged_notification_emails if change?('notification_emails')
+    user.settings['interactions']            = merged_interactions if change?('interactions')
+    user.settings['default_privacy']         = default_privacy_preference if change?('setting_default_privacy')
+    user.settings['default_sensitive']       = default_sensitive_preference if change?('setting_default_sensitive')
+    user.settings['unfollow_modal']          = unfollow_modal_preference if change?('setting_unfollow_modal')
+    user.settings['boost_modal']             = boost_modal_preference if change?('setting_boost_modal')
+    user.settings['delete_modal']            = delete_modal_preference if change?('setting_delete_modal')
+    user.settings['auto_play_gif']           = auto_play_gif_preference if change?('setting_auto_play_gif')
+    user.settings['display_sensitive_media'] = display_sensitive_media_preference if change?('setting_display_sensitive_media')
+    user.settings['reduce_motion']           = reduce_motion_preference if change?('setting_reduce_motion')
+    user.settings['system_font_ui']          = system_font_ui_preference if change?('setting_system_font_ui')
+    user.settings['noindex']                 = noindex_preference if change?('setting_noindex')
+    user.settings['theme']                   = theme_preference if change?('setting_theme')
   end
 
   def merged_notification_emails
@@ -65,6 +66,10 @@ class UserSettingsDecorator
     boolean_cast_setting 'setting_auto_play_gif'
   end
 
+  def display_sensitive_media_preference
+    boolean_cast_setting 'setting_display_sensitive_media'
+  end
+
   def reduce_motion_preference
     boolean_cast_setting 'setting_reduce_motion'
   end
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index feaf8b26c7e..fd153912e64 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
   has_many :session_activations, dependent: :destroy
 
   delegate :auto_play_gif, :default_sensitive, :unfollow_modal, :boost_modal, :delete_modal,
-           :reduce_motion, :system_font_ui, :noindex, :theme,
+           :reduce_motion, :system_font_ui, :noindex, :theme, :display_sensitive_media,
            to: :settings, prefix: :setting, allow_nil: false
 
   attr_accessor :invite_code
diff --git a/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb
index 4fa1981ed40..152e10f3726 100644
--- a/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/initial_state_serializer.rb
@@ -20,12 +20,13 @@ class InitialStateSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
     }
 
     if object.current_account
-      store[:me]             = object.current_account.id.to_s
-      store[:unfollow_modal] = object.current_account.user.setting_unfollow_modal
-      store[:boost_modal]    = object.current_account.user.setting_boost_modal
-      store[:delete_modal]   = object.current_account.user.setting_delete_modal
-      store[:auto_play_gif]  = object.current_account.user.setting_auto_play_gif
-      store[:reduce_motion]  = object.current_account.user.setting_reduce_motion
+      store[:me]                      = object.current_account.id.to_s
+      store[:unfollow_modal]          = object.current_account.user.setting_unfollow_modal
+      store[:boost_modal]             = object.current_account.user.setting_boost_modal
+      store[:delete_modal]            = object.current_account.user.setting_delete_modal
+      store[:auto_play_gif]           = object.current_account.user.setting_auto_play_gif
+      store[:display_sensitive_media] = object.current_account.user.setting_display_sensitive_media
+      store[:reduce_motion]           = object.current_account.user.setting_reduce_motion
     end
 
     store
diff --git a/app/views/settings/preferences/show.html.haml b/app/views/settings/preferences/show.html.haml
index 441e27a6819..030719201b1 100644
--- a/app/views/settings/preferences/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/settings/preferences/show.html.haml
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 
   .fields-group
     = f.input :setting_auto_play_gif, as: :boolean, wrapper: :with_label
+    = f.input :setting_display_sensitive_media, as: :boolean, wrapper: :with_label
     = f.input :setting_reduce_motion, as: :boolean, wrapper: :with_label
     = f.input :setting_system_font_ui, as: :boolean, wrapper: :with_label
 
diff --git a/app/views/stream_entries/_detailed_status.html.haml b/app/views/stream_entries/_detailed_status.html.haml
index 94e081c84dc..470bff218c8 100644
--- a/app/views/stream_entries/_detailed_status.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/stream_entries/_detailed_status.html.haml
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
   - if !status.media_attachments.empty?
     - if status.media_attachments.first.video?
       - video = status.media_attachments.first
-      %div{ data: { component: 'Video', props: Oj.dump(src: video.file.url(:original), preview: video.file.url(:small), sensitive: status.sensitive?, width: 670, height: 380, detailed: true) }}
+      %div{ data: { component: 'Video', props: Oj.dump(src: video.file.url(:original), preview: video.file.url(:small), sensitive: status.sensitive? && !current_account&.user&.setting_display_sensitive_media, width: 670, height: 380, detailed: true) }}
     - else
-      %div{ data: { component: 'MediaGallery', props: Oj.dump(height: 380, sensitive: status.sensitive?, standalone: true, 'autoPlayGif': current_account&.user&.setting_auto_play_gif, 'reduceMotion': current_account&.user&.setting_reduce_motion, media: status.media_attachments.map { |a| ActiveModelSerializers::SerializableResource.new(a, serializer: REST::MediaAttachmentSerializer).as_json }) }}
+      %div{ data: { component: 'MediaGallery', props: Oj.dump(height: 380, sensitive: status.sensitive? && !current_account&.user&.setting_display_sensitive_media, standalone: true, 'autoPlayGif': current_account&.user&.setting_auto_play_gif, 'reduceMotion': current_account&.user&.setting_reduce_motion, media: status.media_attachments.map { |a| ActiveModelSerializers::SerializableResource.new(a, serializer: REST::MediaAttachmentSerializer).as_json }) }}
   - elsif status.preview_cards.first
     %div{ data: { component: 'Card', props: Oj.dump('maxDescription': 160, card: ActiveModelSerializers::SerializableResource.new(status.preview_cards.first, serializer: REST::PreviewCardSerializer).as_json) }}
 
diff --git a/app/views/stream_entries/_simple_status.html.haml b/app/views/stream_entries/_simple_status.html.haml
index b594c9da606..ce723f1ccb2 100644
--- a/app/views/stream_entries/_simple_status.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/stream_entries/_simple_status.html.haml
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@
   - unless status.media_attachments.empty?
     - if status.media_attachments.first.video?
       - video = status.media_attachments.first
-      %div{ data: { component: 'Video', props: Oj.dump(src: video.file.url(:original), preview: video.file.url(:small), sensitive: status.sensitive?, width: 610, height: 343) }}
+      %div{ data: { component: 'Video', props: Oj.dump(src: video.file.url(:original), preview: video.file.url(:small), sensitive: status.sensitive? && !current_account&.user&.setting_display_sensitive_media, width: 610, height: 343) }}
     - else
-      %div{ data: { component: 'MediaGallery', props: Oj.dump(height: 343, sensitive: status.sensitive?, 'autoPlayGif': current_account&.user&.setting_auto_play_gif, media: status.media_attachments.map { |a| ActiveModelSerializers::SerializableResource.new(a, serializer: REST::MediaAttachmentSerializer).as_json }) }}
+      %div{ data: { component: 'MediaGallery', props: Oj.dump(height: 343, sensitive: status.sensitive? && !current_account&.user&.setting_display_sensitive_media, 'autoPlayGif': current_account&.user&.setting_auto_play_gif, media: status.media_attachments.map { |a| ActiveModelSerializers::SerializableResource.new(a, serializer: REST::MediaAttachmentSerializer).as_json }) }}
diff --git a/config/locales/simple_form.en.yml b/config/locales/simple_form.en.yml
index c56334d563a..90b97ce0e0b 100644
--- a/config/locales/simple_form.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/simple_form.en.yml
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ en:
         setting_default_privacy: Post privacy
         setting_default_sensitive: Always mark media as sensitive
         setting_delete_modal: Show confirmation dialog before deleting a toot
+        setting_display_sensitive_media: Always show media marked as sensitive
         setting_noindex: Opt-out of search engine indexing
         setting_reduce_motion: Reduce motion in animations
         setting_system_font_ui: Use system's default font
diff --git a/config/settings.yml b/config/settings.yml
index 32d0687cee2..68579ad0f06 100644
--- a/config/settings.yml
+++ b/config/settings.yml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ defaults: &defaults
   boost_modal: false
   delete_modal: true
   auto_play_gif: false
+  display_sensitive_media: false
   reduce_motion: false
   system_font_ui: false
   noindex: false