diff --git a/portal/templates/admin/patients_by_org.html b/portal/templates/admin/patients_by_org.html
index 376c83318a..01a518658f 100644
--- a/portal/templates/admin/patients_by_org.html
+++ b/portal/templates/admin/patients_by_org.html
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ <h4 class="tnth-headline">{{_("Patient List")}}</h4>
           {{deletedUsersFilter()}}
         {% endif %}
       </div>
+      {# variable for checking if user is a researcher #}
+      {% set isResearcher = user.has_role(ROLE.RESEARCHER.value) and not(user.has_role(ROLE.ADMIN.value)) %}
       <table id="adminTable"
              data-table-id="adminTable"
              class="tnth-admin-table"
@@ -48,7 +50,7 @@ <h4 class="tnth-headline">{{_("Patient List")}}</h4>
              data-unique-id="id"
              data-id-field="id"
              data-filter-control="true"
-             data-show-export="true"
+             {%- if not isResearcher -%} data-show-export="true" {%- endif -%}
              data-export-data-type="all"
              >
             {{testUsersCheckbox(postUrl=url_for('patients.patients_root'))}}
diff --git a/portal/templates/admin/patients_substudy.html b/portal/templates/admin/patients_substudy.html
index c4cfe7e8c6..dd43f32444 100644
--- a/portal/templates/admin/patients_substudy.html
+++ b/portal/templates/admin/patients_substudy.html
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ <h2>{{list_title}}</h2>
             </form>
           </div>
       </div>
+      {# variable for checking if user is a researcher #}
+      {% set isResearcher = user.has_role(ROLE.RESEARCHER.value) and not(user.has_role(ROLE.ADMIN.value)) %}
       <table id="adminTable"
              data-table-id="adminTable"
              class="tnth-admin-table"
@@ -49,7 +51,7 @@ <h2>{{list_title}}</h2>
              data-unique-id="id"
              data-id-field="id"
              data-filter-control="true"
-             data-show-export="true"
+             {%- if not isResearcher -%} data-show-export="true" {%- endif -%}
              data-export-data-type="all"
              >
             {{testUsersCheckbox(postUrl=url_for('patients.patients_substudy'))}}