diff --git a/controller/settingscontroller.php b/controller/settingscontroller.php
index f01eadc..0252317 100644
--- a/controller/settingscontroller.php
+++ b/controller/settingscontroller.php
@@ -47,14 +47,21 @@ class SettingsController extends Controller {
 	 *
 	 * @param string $registered_user_group all newly registered user will be put in this group
 	 * @param string $allowed_domains Registrations are only allowed for E-Mailadresses with these domains
+     * @param bool $admin_approval_required newly registered users have to be validated by an admin
 	 * @return DataResponse
 	 */
-	public function admin($registered_user_group, $allowed_domains) {
+	public function admin($registered_user_group, $allowed_domains, $admin_approval_required) {
+		// handle domains
 		if ( ( $allowed_domains==='' ) || ( $allowed_domains === NULL ) ){
 			$this->config->deleteAppValue($this->appName, 'allowed_domains');
 		}else{
 			$this->config->setAppValue($this->appName, 'allowed_domains', $allowed_domains);
 		}
+
+		// handle admin validation
+		$this->config->setAppValue($this->appName, 'admin_approval_required', $admin_approval_required ? "yes" : "no");
+
+		// handle groups
 		$groups = $this->groupmanager->search('');
 		$group_id_list = array();
 		foreach ( $groups as $group ) {
@@ -92,17 +99,25 @@ class SettingsController extends Controller {
 	 * @return TemplateResponse
 	 */
 	public function displayPanel() {
+		// handle groups
 		$groups = $this->groupmanager->search('');
 		$group_id_list = [];
 		foreach ( $groups as $group ) {
 			$group_id_list[] = $group->getGid();
 		}
 		$current_value = $this->config->getAppValue($this->appName, 'registered_user_group', 'none');
+
+		// handle domains
 		$allowed_domains = $this->config->getAppValue($this->appName, 'allowed_domains', '');
+
+		// handle admin validation
+		$admin_approval_required = $this->config->getAppValue($this->appName, 'admin_approval_required', "no");
+
 		return new TemplateResponse('registration', 'admin', [
 			'groups' => $group_id_list,
 			'current' => $current_value,
-			'allowed' => $allowed_domains
+			'allowed' => $allowed_domains,
+			'approval_required' => $admin_approval_required
 		], '');
 	}
 }
diff --git a/service/mailservice.php b/service/mailservice.php
index 47acb75..39172a1 100644
--- a/service/mailservice.php
+++ b/service/mailservice.php
@@ -106,8 +106,9 @@ class MailService {
 
 	/**
 	 * @param string $userId
+	 * @param bool $userIsEnabled
 	 */
-	public function notifyAdmins($userId) {
+	public function notifyAdmins($userId, $userIsEnabled) {
 		// Notify admin
 		$admin_users = $this->groupManager->get('admin')->getUsers();
 		$to_arr = array();
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ class MailService {
 			}
 		}
 		try {
-			$this->sendNewUserNotifEmail($to_arr, $userId);
+			$this->sendNewUserNotifEmail($to_arr, $userId, $userIsEnabled);
 		} catch (\Exception $e) {
 			$this->logger->error('Sending admin notification email failed: '. $e->getMessage());
 		}
@@ -128,16 +129,27 @@ class MailService {
 	 * Sends new user notification email to admin
 	 * @param array $to
 	 * @param string $username the new user
+	 * @param bool $userIsEnabled the new user account is enabled
 	 * @throws \Exception
 	 */
-	private function sendNewUserNotifEmail(array $to, $username) {
+	private function sendNewUserNotifEmail(array $to, $username, $userIsEnabled) {
 		$template_var = [
 			'user' => $username,
 			'sitename' => $this->defaults->getName()
 		];
-		$html_template = new TemplateResponse('registration', 'email.newuser.disabled_html', $template_var, 'blank');
+
+		// handle user enableness
+		if ($userIsEnabled) {
+			$html_template_file = 'email.newuser_html';
+			$plaintext_template_file = 'email.newuser_plaintext';
+		} else {
+			$html_template_file = 'email.newuser.disabled_html';
+			$plaintext_template_file = 'email.newuser.disabled_plaintext';
+		}
+
+		$html_template = new TemplateResponse('registration', $html_template_file, $template_var, 'blank');
 		$html_part = $html_template->render();
-		$plaintext_template = new TemplateResponse('registration', 'email.newuser.disabled_plaintext', $template_var, 'blank');
+		$plaintext_template = new TemplateResponse('registration', $plaintext_template_file, $template_var, 'blank');
 		$plaintext_part = $plaintext_template->render();
 		$subject = $this->l10n->t('A new user "%s" has created an account on %s', [$username, $this->defaults->getName()]);
 
diff --git a/service/registrationservice.php b/service/registrationservice.php
index 37a004f..83a4d57 100644
--- a/service/registrationservice.php
+++ b/service/registrationservice.php
@@ -293,8 +293,11 @@ class RegistrationService {
 			}
 		}
 
-		// Disable user unconditionaly
-		$user->setEnabled(false);
+		// disable user if this is requested by config
+		$admin_approval_required = $this->config->getAppValue($this->appName, 'admin_approval_required', "no");
+		if ($admin_approval_required) {
+			$user->setEnabled(false);
+		}
 
 		// Delete pending registration if no client secret is stored
 		if($registration->getClientSecret() === null) {
@@ -304,7 +307,7 @@ class RegistrationService {
 			}
 		}
 
-		$this->mailService->notifyAdmins($userId);
+		$this->mailService->notifyAdmins($userId, $user->isEnabled());
 		return $user;
 	}
 
diff --git a/templates/admin.php b/templates/admin.php
index 8695603..8641035 100644
--- a/templates/admin.php
+++ b/templates/admin.php
@@ -23,4 +23,9 @@ foreach ( $_['groups'] as $group ) {
 	<em><?php p($l->t('Enter a semicolon-separated list of allowed domains. Example: owncloud.com;github.com'));?></em>
 	</p>
 
+	<p>
+	<label for="admin_approval_required"><?php p($l->t('Require admin approval?')); ?>
+	<input type="checkbox" id="admin_approval_required" name="admin_approval_required" <?php if($_['approval_required'] == "yes" ) echo " checked"; ?>>
+	</label>
+	</p>
 </form>