diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/repository/__init__.py b/rhodecode/apps/repository/__init__.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/repository/__init__.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/repository/__init__.py
@@ -369,6 +369,10 @@ def includeme(config):
         name='edit_repo_perms',
         pattern='/{repo_name:.*?[^/]}/settings/permissions', repo_route=True)
 
+    config.add_route(
+        name='edit_repo_perms_set_private',
+        pattern='/{repo_name:.*?[^/]}/settings/permissions/set_private', repo_route=True)
+
     # Permissions Branch (EE feature)
     config.add_route(
         name='edit_repo_perms_branch',
diff --git a/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_permissions.py b/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_permissions.py
--- a/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_permissions.py
+++ b/rhodecode/apps/repository/views/repo_permissions.py
@@ -105,3 +105,30 @@ class RepoSettingsPermissionsView(RepoAp
 
         raise HTTPFound(
             h.route_path('edit_repo_perms', repo_name=self.db_repo_name))
+
+    @LoginRequired()
+    @HasRepoPermissionAnyDecorator('repository.admin')
+    @CSRFRequired()
+    @view_config(
+        route_name='edit_repo_perms_set_private', request_method='POST',
+        renderer='json_ext')
+    def edit_permissions_set_private_repo(self):
+        _ = self.request.translate
+        self.load_default_context()
+
+        try:
+            RepoModel().update(
+                self.db_repo, **{'repo_private': True, 'repo_name': self.db_repo_name})
+            Session().commit()
+
+            h.flash(_('Repository `{}` private mode set successfully').format(self.db_repo_name),
+                    category='success')
+        except Exception:
+            log.exception("Exception during update of repository")
+            h.flash(_('Error occurred during update of repository {}').format(
+                self.db_repo_name), category='error')
+
+        return {
+            'redirect_url': h.route_path('edit_repo_perms', repo_name=self.db_repo_name),
+            'private': True
+        }
diff --git a/rhodecode/model/repo.py b/rhodecode/model/repo.py
--- a/rhodecode/model/repo.py
+++ b/rhodecode/model/repo.py
@@ -374,8 +374,7 @@ class RepoModel(BaseModel):
                 )
 
             # handle extra fields
-            for field in filter(lambda k: k.startswith(RepositoryField.PREFIX),
-                                kwargs):
+            for field in filter(lambda k: k.startswith(RepositoryField.PREFIX), kwargs):
                 k = RepositoryField.un_prefix_key(field)
                 ex_field = RepositoryField.get_by_key_name(
                     key=k, repo=cur_repo)
diff --git a/rhodecode/public/js/rhodecode/routes.js b/rhodecode/public/js/rhodecode/routes.js
--- a/rhodecode/public/js/rhodecode/routes.js
+++ b/rhodecode/public/js/rhodecode/routes.js
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ function registerRCRoutes() {
     pyroutes.register('edit_repo_advanced_hooks', '/%(repo_name)s/settings/advanced/hooks', ['repo_name']);
     pyroutes.register('edit_repo_caches', '/%(repo_name)s/settings/caches', ['repo_name']);
     pyroutes.register('edit_repo_perms', '/%(repo_name)s/settings/permissions', ['repo_name']);
+    pyroutes.register('edit_repo_perms_set_private', '/%(repo_name)s/settings/permissions/set_private', ['repo_name']);
     pyroutes.register('edit_repo_maintenance', '/%(repo_name)s/settings/maintenance', ['repo_name']);
     pyroutes.register('edit_repo_maintenance_execute', '/%(repo_name)s/settings/maintenance/execute', ['repo_name']);
     pyroutes.register('edit_repo_fields', '/%(repo_name)s/settings/fields', ['repo_name']);
diff --git a/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_permissions.mako b/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_permissions.mako
--- a/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_permissions.mako
+++ b/rhodecode/templates/admin/repos/repo_edit_permissions.mako
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@
                                   member="${_user.user_id}" member_type="user">
                             ${_('Remove')}
                             </span>
+                          %elif _user.username == h.DEFAULT_USER:
+                            <span class="tooltip btn btn-link btn-default" onclick="enablePrivateRepo(); return false" title="${_('Private repositories are only visible to people explicitly added as collaborators.')}">
+                            ${_('set private mode')}
+                            </span>
                           %endif
                         </td>
                         <td class="quick_repo_menu">
@@ -199,4 +203,20 @@
         markRevokePermInput($(this), 'repository');
     });
     quick_repo_menu();
+
+    var enablePrivateRepo = function () {
+        var postData = {
+            'csrf_token': CSRF_TOKEN
+        };
+
+        var success = function(o) {
+            var defaultUrl = pyroutes.url('edit_repo_perms', {"repo_name": templateContext.repo_name});
+            window.location = o.redirect_url || defaultUrl;
+        };
+
+        ajaxPOST(
+            pyroutes.url('edit_repo_perms_set_private', {"repo_name": templateContext.repo_name}),
+            postData,
+            success);
+    }
 </script>