diff --git a/include/rootston/config.h b/include/rootston/config.h
index bd24e577..05f23b75 100644
--- a/include/rootston/config.h
+++ b/include/rootston/config.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 struct roots_output_config {
 	char *name;
+	bool enable;
 	enum wl_output_transform transform;
 	int x, y;
 	float scale;
diff --git a/rootston/config.c b/rootston/config.c
index f9fde369..31bde2b0 100644
--- a/rootston/config.c
+++ b/rootston/config.c
@@ -263,10 +263,19 @@ static int config_ini_handler(void *user, const char *section, const char *name,
 			oc->name = strdup(output_name);
 			oc->transform = WL_OUTPUT_TRANSFORM_NORMAL;
 			oc->scale = 1;
+			oc->enable = true;
 			wl_list_insert(&config->outputs, &oc->link);
 		}
 
-		if (strcmp(name, "x") == 0) {
+		if (strcmp(name, "enable") == 0) {
+			if (strcasecmp(value, "true") == 0) {
+				oc->enable = true;
+			} else if (strcasecmp(value, "false") == 0) {
+				oc->enable = false;
+			} else {
+				wlr_log(L_ERROR, "got invalid output enable value: %s", value);
+			}
+		} else if (strcmp(name, "x") == 0) {
 			oc->x = strtol(value, NULL, 10);
 		} else if (strcmp(name, "y") == 0) {
 			oc->y = strtol(value, NULL, 10);
diff --git a/rootston/output.c b/rootston/output.c
index 10450df3..7e05136a 100644
--- a/rootston/output.c
+++ b/rootston/output.c
@@ -324,9 +324,10 @@ void output_add_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "'%s %s %s' %"PRId32"mm x %"PRId32"mm", wlr_output->make,
 		wlr_output->model, wlr_output->serial, wlr_output->phys_width,
 		wlr_output->phys_height);
+
 	if (wl_list_length(&wlr_output->modes) > 0) {
-		struct wlr_output_mode *mode = NULL;
-		mode = wl_container_of((&wlr_output->modes)->prev, mode, link);
+		struct wlr_output_mode *mode =
+			wl_container_of((&wlr_output->modes)->prev, mode, link);
 		wlr_output_set_mode(wlr_output, mode);
 	}
 
@@ -341,13 +342,17 @@ void output_add_notify(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data) {
 	struct roots_output_config *output_config =
 		roots_config_get_output(config, wlr_output);
 	if (output_config) {
-		if (output_config->mode.width) {
-			set_mode(wlr_output, output_config);
+		if (output_config->enable) {
+			if (output_config->mode.width) {
+				set_mode(wlr_output, output_config);
+			}
+			wlr_output_set_scale(wlr_output, output_config->scale);
+			wlr_output_set_transform(wlr_output, output_config->transform);
+			wlr_output_layout_add(desktop->layout, wlr_output, output_config->x,
+				output_config->y);
+		} else {
+			wlr_output_enable(wlr_output, false);
 		}
-		wlr_output_set_scale(wlr_output, output_config->scale);
-		wlr_output_set_transform(wlr_output, output_config->transform);
-		wlr_output_layout_add(desktop->layout, wlr_output, output_config->x,
-			output_config->y);
 	} else {
 		wlr_output_layout_add_auto(desktop->layout, wlr_output);
 	}