diff --git a/src/Perpetuum.AdminTool/LocalServerRunner.cs b/src/Perpetuum.AdminTool/LocalServerRunner.cs
index 602101bdf..18161f893 100644
--- a/src/Perpetuum.AdminTool/LocalServerRunner.cs
+++ b/src/Perpetuum.AdminTool/LocalServerRunner.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Net;
@@ -17,6 +18,8 @@ public class LocalServerRunner
         private bool _stopProbing;
         private LogHandler _log;
         private LocalServerState _localServerState;
+
+        private Dictionary<string, dynamic> _loadedConfig;
         public LocalServerState State
         {
             get => _localServerState;
@@ -93,13 +96,25 @@ public void Run(string gameRoot, string pathToExecutable)
                 // save localserverinfo file
                 SaveLocalServerInfo(gameRoot, pathToExecutable);
 
-                var listeningPort = GetPortFromIni(gameRoot);
+                _loadedConfig = ReadConfigFromDisk(gameRoot);
+
+                var listeningPort = _loadedConfig["listenerPort"];
                 if (listeningPort <= 0)
                 {
                     _log.StatusError($"Wasn't able to get listening port from {PERPETUUMINIFILE}. No port probe is started.");
                     return;
                 }
 
+                var adminOnlyMode = _loadedConfig["adminOnlyMode"];
+                if (!adminOnlyMode)
+                {
+                    _log.Log("AdminOnlyMode: Disabled (Default)");
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    _log.Log("AdminOnlyMode: Enabled");
+                }
+
                 //RunNetStatProbe(listeningPort);
                 RunSocketProbe(listeningPort);
             }
@@ -335,26 +350,29 @@ private string NextIndicatorText()
             return _indicatorPhases[_indicatorTextIndex];
         }
 
-        private int GetPortFromIni(string gameRoot)
+        private Dictionary<string, dynamic> ReadConfigFromDisk(string gameRoot)
         {
             var perpetuumIni = Path.Combine(gameRoot, PERPETUUMINIFILE);
             if (!File.Exists(perpetuumIni))
             {
-                _log.StatusError($"{PERPETUUMINIFILE} was not found in game root {gameRoot} folder. Check your settings!" );
-                return -1;
+                _log.StatusError($"{PERPETUUMINIFILE} was not found in game root {gameRoot} folder. Check your settings!");
             }
 
             var json = File.ReadAllText(perpetuumIni);
-            var portData = JsonConvert.DeserializeAnonymousType(json,new
+            var listenerPort = JsonConvert.DeserializeAnonymousType(json, new
             {
                 ListenerPort = -1,
             });
+            var adminOnlyMode = JsonConvert.DeserializeAnonymousType(json, new
+            {
+                StartServerInAdminOnlyMode = false,
+            });
 
-            _log.Log($"Relay port loaded from {PERPETUUMINIFILE}: {portData.ListenerPort}");
+            Dictionary<string, dynamic> result = new Dictionary<string, dynamic>();
+            result.Add("listenerPort", listenerPort.ListenerPort);
+            result.Add("adminOnlyMode", adminOnlyMode.StartServerInAdminOnlyMode);
 
-            return portData.ListenerPort;
+            return result;
         }
-
-
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Perpetuum.RequestHandlers/RelayClose.cs b/src/Perpetuum.RequestHandlers/RelayClose.cs
index 55675dcdb..22e0a2b2e 100644
--- a/src/Perpetuum.RequestHandlers/RelayClose.cs
+++ b/src/Perpetuum.RequestHandlers/RelayClose.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ public RelayClose(IRelayStateService relayStateService)
 
         public void HandleRequest(IRequest request)
         {
+            _relayStateService.ConfigOnlyAllowAdmins(true);
             _relayStateService.State = RelayState.OpenForAdminsOnly;
+            
             Message.Builder.FromRequest(request).WithOk().Send();
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/Perpetuum.RequestHandlers/RelayOpen.cs b/src/Perpetuum.RequestHandlers/RelayOpen.cs
index 460e2af1d..3179dae94 100644
--- a/src/Perpetuum.RequestHandlers/RelayOpen.cs
+++ b/src/Perpetuum.RequestHandlers/RelayOpen.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ public RelayOpen(IRelayStateService relayStateService)
 
         public void HandleRequest(IRequest request)
         {
+            _relayStateService.ConfigOnlyAllowAdmins(false);
             _relayStateService.State = RelayState.OpenForPublic;
+
             Message.Builder.FromRequest(request).WithOk().Send();
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/Perpetuum/GlobalConfiguration.cs b/src/Perpetuum/GlobalConfiguration.cs
index 85d8a6665..49be1c097 100644
--- a/src/Perpetuum/GlobalConfiguration.cs
+++ b/src/Perpetuum/GlobalConfiguration.cs
@@ -21,5 +21,7 @@ public class GlobalConfiguration
         public bool EnableDev { get; set; }
 
         public CorporationConfiguration Corporation { get; set; }
+
+        public bool StartServerInAdminOnlyMode { get; set; }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/IRelayStateService.cs b/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/IRelayStateService.cs
index 2af4aabf0..89ea0ec38 100644
--- a/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/IRelayStateService.cs
+++ b/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/IRelayStateService.cs
@@ -8,5 +8,6 @@ public interface IRelayStateService
         RelayState State { get; set; }
         event Action<RelayState> StateChanged;
         void SendStateToClient(ISession session);
+        void ConfigOnlyAllowAdmins(bool enabled);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/RelayInfoBuilder.cs b/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/RelayInfoBuilder.cs
index eb1a13878..9a7d32193 100644
--- a/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/RelayInfoBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/RelayInfoBuilder.cs
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ public RelayInfoBuilder(GlobalConfiguration globalConfiguration, IRelayStateServ
 
         public RelayInfo Build()
         {
+            if (_globalConfiguration.StartServerInAdminOnlyMode)
+            {
+                _relayStateService.State = RelayState.OpenForAdminsOnly;
+            }
+
             var info = new RelayInfo
             {
                 state = _relayStateService.State,
@@ -48,7 +53,13 @@ public RelayInfo Build()
                 usersCount = _sessionManager.Sessions.Count(),
                 maxUsers = _sessionManager.MaxSessions
             };
+
             return info;
         }
+
+        public void ConfigOnlyAllowAdmins(bool enabled)
+        {
+            _globalConfiguration.StartServerInAdminOnlyMode = enabled;
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/RelayStateService.cs b/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/RelayStateService.cs
index 0c11b869c..82e7dcb83 100644
--- a/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/RelayStateService.cs
+++ b/src/Perpetuum/Services/Relay/RelayStateService.cs
@@ -51,5 +51,11 @@ private MessageBuilder CreateStateMessageBuilder()
             var info = builder.Build();
             return Message.Builder.SetCommand(Commands.State).WithData(info.ToDictionary());
         }
+
+        public void ConfigOnlyAllowAdmins(bool enabled)
+        {
+            var factory = _relayInfoBuilderFactory();
+            factory.ConfigOnlyAllowAdmins(enabled);
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file