diff --git a/config/speechConfig.js.example b/config/speechConfig.js.example
index fe0d5e76..e1d5538f 100644
--- a/config/speechConfig.js.example
+++ b/config/speechConfig.js.example
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@ module.exports = {
     googleId: null, // google id for analytics tracking; leave `null` if not applicable
   },
   sql: {
-    database: null,  // name of mysql database
+    database: 'lbry',
     username: null,  // username for mysql
     password: null,  // password for mysql
   },
   logging: {
-    logLevel         : null,  // options: silly, debug, verbose, info
+    logLevel         : 'debug',  // options: silly, debug, verbose, info
     slackWebHook     : null,  // enter a webhook if you wish to push logs to slack; otherwise leave as `null`
     slackErrorChannel: null,  // enter a slack channel (#example) for errors to be sent to; otherwise leave null
     slackInfoChannel : null,  // enter a slack channel (#info) for info level logs to be sent to otherwise leave null
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ module.exports = {
     description: 'Open-source, decentralized image and video sharing.',
   },
   publish: {
-    primaryClaimAddress     : null,  // choose any address from your lbry wallet
     additionalClaimAddresses: [],  // // optional: add previously used claim addresses
+    disabled          : false,
+    primaryClaimAddress     : null,  // choose any address from your lbry wallet
     thumbnailChannel        : '@channelName',  // create a channel to use for thumbnail images
     thumbnailChannelId      : 'xyz123...',  // the channel_id (claim id) for the channel above
   },
diff --git a/react/containers/PublishTool/index.js b/react/containers/PublishTool/index.js
index c997c832..9258d560 100644
--- a/react/containers/PublishTool/index.js
+++ b/react/containers/PublishTool/index.js
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ import View from './view';
 
 const mapStateToProps = ({ publish }) => {
   return {
-    file  : publish.file,
-    status: publish.status.status,
+    disabled: publish.disabled,
+    file    : publish.file,
+    status  : publish.status.status,
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/react/containers/PublishTool/view.jsx b/react/containers/PublishTool/view.jsx
index 2207e3b9..42167ad2 100644
--- a/react/containers/PublishTool/view.jsx
+++ b/react/containers/PublishTool/view.jsx
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ import PublishStatus from 'containers/PublishStatus';
 
 class PublishTool extends React.Component {
   render () {
+    if (this.props.disabled) {
+      return (
+        <div className='row row--tall flex-container--column flex-container--center-center'>
+          <p>Publishing is temporarily disabled.</p>
+          <p>Please check back soon or join our <a className='link--primary' href='https://discord.gg/YjYbwhS'>discord channel</a> for updates.</p>
+        </div>
+      );
+    }
     if (this.props.file) {
       if (this.props.status) {
         return (
@@ -13,9 +21,8 @@ class PublishTool extends React.Component {
       } else {
         return <PublishDetails />;
       }
-    } else {
-      return <Dropzone />;
     }
+    return <Dropzone />;
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/react/reducers/publish.js b/react/reducers/publish.js
index 3343bded..b1bffad5 100644
--- a/react/reducers/publish.js
+++ b/react/reducers/publish.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { LOGIN } from 'constants/publish_channel_select_states';
 const { publish } = require('../../config/speechConfig.js');
 
 const initialState = {
+  disabled          : publish.disabled,
   publishInChannel  : false,
   selectedChannel   : LOGIN,
   showMetadataInputs: false,