diff --git a/src/sas/qtgui/MainWindow/DataExplorer.py b/src/sas/qtgui/MainWindow/DataExplorer.py
index 72d5146735..ba2729ea42 100644
--- a/src/sas/qtgui/MainWindow/DataExplorer.py
+++ b/src/sas/qtgui/MainWindow/DataExplorer.py
@@ -1086,11 +1086,17 @@ def displayData(self, data_list, id=None):
 
             plot_name = plot_to_show.name
             role = plot_to_show.plot_role
-            stand_alone_types = [DataRole.ROLE_RESIDUAL, DataRole.ROLE_STAND_ALONE]
+            stand_alone_types = [DataRole.ROLE_RESIDUAL, DataRole.ROLE_STAND_ALONE, DataRole.ROLE_POLYDISPERSITY]
 
             if (role in stand_alone_types and shown) or role == DataRole.ROLE_DELETABLE:
                 # Nothing to do if stand-alone plot already shown or plot to be deleted
                 continue
+            elif role == DataRole.ROLE_RESIDUAL and config.DISABLE_RESIDUAL_PLOT:
+                # Nothing to do if residuals are not plotted
+                continue
+            elif role == DataRole.ROLE_POLYDISPERSITY and config.DISABLE_POLYDISPERSITY_PLOT:
+                # Nothing to do if polydispersity plot is not plotted
+                continue
             elif role in stand_alone_types:
                 # Stand-alone plots should always be separate
                 self.plotData([(plot_item, plot_to_show)])
diff --git a/src/sas/qtgui/Perspectives/Fitting/FittingUtilities.py b/src/sas/qtgui/Perspectives/Fitting/FittingUtilities.py
index 825c66a628..48330b8090 100644
--- a/src/sas/qtgui/Perspectives/Fitting/FittingUtilities.py
+++ b/src/sas/qtgui/Perspectives/Fitting/FittingUtilities.py
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ def plotPolydispersities(model):
         data1d.symbol = 'Line'
         data1d.name = "{} polydispersity".format(name)
         data1d.id = data1d.name # placeholder, has to be completed later
-        data1d.plot_role = DataRole.ROLE_STAND_ALONE
+        data1d.plot_role = DataRole.ROLE_POLYDISPERSITY
         plots.append(data1d)
     return plots
 
diff --git a/src/sas/qtgui/Plotting/PlotterData.py b/src/sas/qtgui/Plotting/PlotterData.py
index 8fbaf7991e..e43539dcc0 100644
--- a/src/sas/qtgui/Plotting/PlotterData.py
+++ b/src/sas/qtgui/Plotting/PlotterData.py
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ class DataRole(Enum):
     ROLE_RESIDUAL = 3
     # Stand alone is for plots that should be plotted separately
     ROLE_STAND_ALONE = 4
+    # Polydispersity is for stand-alone polydispersity plot
+    ROLE_POLYDISPERSITY = 5
 
 
 class Data1D(PlottableData1D, LoadData1D):
diff --git a/src/sas/qtgui/Utilities/Preferences/DisplayPreferencesWidget.py b/src/sas/qtgui/Utilities/Preferences/DisplayPreferencesWidget.py
index abdd1d6143..da535cb4f6 100644
--- a/src/sas/qtgui/Utilities/Preferences/DisplayPreferencesWidget.py
+++ b/src/sas/qtgui/Utilities/Preferences/DisplayPreferencesWidget.py
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 class DisplayPreferencesWidget(PreferencesWidget):
     def __init__(self):
         super(DisplayPreferencesWidget, self).__init__("Display Settings")
-        self.config_params = ['QT_SCALE_FACTOR', 'QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR']
+        self.config_params = ['QT_SCALE_FACTOR',
+                              'QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR',
+                              'DISABLE_RESIDUAL_PLOT',
+                              'DISABLE_POLYDISPERSITY_PLOT']
         self.restart_params = {'QT_SCALE_FACTOR': 'QT Screen Scale Factor',
                                'QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR': "Enable Automatic Scaling"}
 
@@ -21,12 +24,26 @@ def _addAllWidgets(self):
             checked=config.QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR)
         self.autoScaling.clicked.connect(
             lambda: self._stageChange('QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR', self.autoScaling.isChecked()))
+        self.disableResidualPlot = self.addCheckBox(
+            title="Disable Residuals Display",
+            checked=config.DISABLE_RESIDUAL_PLOT)
+        self.disableResidualPlot.clicked.connect(
+            lambda: self._stageChange('DISABLE_RESIDUAL_PLOT', self.disableResidualPlot.isChecked()))
+        self.disablePolydispersityPlot = self.addCheckBox(
+            title="Disable Polydispersity Plot Display",
+            checked=config.DISABLE_POLYDISPERSITY_PLOT)
+        self.disablePolydispersityPlot.clicked.connect(
+            lambda: self._stageChange('DISABLE_POLYDISPERSITY_PLOT', self.disablePolydispersityPlot.isChecked()))
 
     def _toggleBlockAllSignaling(self, toggle):
         self.qtScaleFactor.blockSignals(toggle)
         self.autoScaling.blockSignals(toggle)
+        self.disableResidualPlot.blockSignals(toggle)
+        self.disablePolydispersityPlot.blockSignals(toggle)
 
     def _restoreFromConfig(self):
         self.qtScaleFactor.setText(str(config.QT_SCALE_FACTOR))
         self.qtScaleFactor.setStyleSheet("background-color: white")
         self.autoScaling.setChecked(bool(config.QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR))
+        self.disableResidualPlot.setChecked(config.DISABLE_RESIDUAL_PLOT)
+        self.disablePolydispersityPlot.setChecked(config.DISABLE_POLYDISPERSITY_PLOT)
diff --git a/src/sas/system/config/config.py b/src/sas/system/config/config.py
index 816110eb90..d3fd556955 100644
--- a/src/sas/system/config/config.py
+++ b/src/sas/system/config/config.py
@@ -197,6 +197,14 @@ def __init__(self):
         # sets the maximum number of characters per Fitting plot legend entry.
         self.FITTING_PLOT_LEGEND_MAX_LINE_LENGTH = 30
 
+        # Residuals management
+        # If true, disables residual plot display
+        self.DISABLE_RESIDUAL_PLOT = False
+
+        # Polydispersity plot management
+        # If true, disables polydispersity plot display
+        self.DISABLE_POLYDISPERSITY_PLOT = False
+
         # Default fitting optimizer
         self.FITTING_DEFAULT_OPTIMIZER = 'lm'