diff --git a/boards/context_processors.py b/boards/context_processors.py
--- a/boards/context_processors.py
+++ b/boards/context_processors.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from boards.models.user import Notificat
 
 __author__ = 'neko259'
 
+import neboard
 from boards import settings
 from boards.models import Post, Tag, Thread
 
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ CONTEXT_IMAGE_VIEWER = 'image_viewer'
 CONTEXT_HAS_FAV_THREADS = 'has_fav_threads'
 CONTEXT_POW_DIFFICULTY = 'pow_difficulty'
 CONTEXT_NEW_POST_COUNT = 'new_post_count'
+CONTEXT_SEARCH_ENABLED = 'search_enabled'
 
 
 def get_notifications(context, request):
@@ -76,6 +78,8 @@ def user_and_ui_processor(request):
     context[CONTEXT_HAS_FAV_THREADS] =\
         len(settings_manager.get_fav_threads()) > 0
 
+    context[CONTEXT_SEARCH_ENABLED] = 'haystack' in neboard.settings.INSTALLED_APPS
+
     get_notifications(context, request)
     get_new_post_count(context, request)
 
diff --git a/boards/templates/boards/base.html b/boards/templates/boards/base.html
--- a/boards/templates/boards/base.html
+++ b/boards/templates/boards/base.html
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@
             {% trans 'Add tags' %} → 
         {% endif %}
         <a href="{% url 'tags' 'required'%}" title="{% trans 'Tag management' %}">{% trans "tags" %}</a>,
-        <a href="{% url 'search' %}" title="{% trans 'Search' %}">{% trans 'search' %}</a>,
+        {% if search_enabled %}
+            <a href="{% url 'search' %}" title="{% trans 'Search' %}">{% trans 'search' %}</a>,
+        {% endif %}
         <a href="{% url 'feed' %}" title="{% trans 'Feed' %}">{% trans 'feed' %}</a>,
         <a href="{% url 'random' %}" title="{% trans 'Random images' %}">{% trans 'random' %}</a>{% if has_fav_threads %},