diff --git a/synapse/config/registration.py b/synapse/config/registration.py
index 9bb3beedb..d9f452dce 100644
--- a/synapse/config/registration.py
+++ b/synapse/config/registration.py
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ class RegistrationConfig(Config):
                 raise ConfigError("Invalid auto_join_rooms entry %s" % (room_alias,))
         self.autocreate_auto_join_rooms = config.get("autocreate_auto_join_rooms", True)
 
+        self.disable_set_displayname = config.get("disable_set_displayname", False)
+        self.disable_set_avatar_url = config.get("disable_set_avatar_url", False)
+
         self.disable_msisdn_registration = config.get(
             "disable_msisdn_registration", False
         )
@@ -330,6 +333,14 @@ class RegistrationConfig(Config):
             #email: https://example.com     # Delegate email sending to example.com
             #msisdn: http://localhost:8090  # Delegate SMS sending to this local process
 
+        # If enabled, don't let users set their own display names/avatars
+        # other than for the very first time (unless they are a server admin).
+        # Useful when provisioning users based on the contents of a 3rd party
+        # directory and to avoid ambiguities.
+        #
+        # disable_set_displayname: False
+        # disable_set_avatar_url: False
+
         # Users who register on this homeserver will automatically be joined
         # to these rooms
         #
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/profile.py b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
index 50ce0c585..fb7e84f3b 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/profile.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ class BaseProfileHandler(BaseHandler):
         if not by_admin and target_user != requester.user:
             raise AuthError(400, "Cannot set another user's displayname")
 
+        if not by_admin and self.hs.config.disable_set_displayname:
+            profile = yield self.store.get_profileinfo(target_user.localpart)
+            if profile.display_name:
+                raise SynapseError(400, "Changing displayname is disabled on this server")
+
         if len(new_displayname) > MAX_DISPLAYNAME_LEN:
             raise SynapseError(
                 400, "Displayname is too long (max %i)" % (MAX_DISPLAYNAME_LEN,)
@@ -218,6 +223,11 @@ class BaseProfileHandler(BaseHandler):
         if not by_admin and target_user != requester.user:
             raise AuthError(400, "Cannot set another user's avatar_url")
 
+        if not by_admin and self.hs.config.disable_set_avatar_url:
+            profile = yield self.store.get_profileinfo(target_user.localpart)
+            if profile.avatar_url:
+                raise SynapseError(400, "Changing avatar url is disabled on this server")
+
         if len(new_avatar_url) > MAX_AVATAR_URL_LEN:
             raise SynapseError(
                 400, "Avatar URL is too long (max %i)" % (MAX_AVATAR_URL_LEN,)
diff --git a/tests/handlers/test_profile.py b/tests/handlers/test_profile.py
index d60c124ee..b85520c68 100644
--- a/tests/handlers/test_profile.py
+++ b/tests/handlers/test_profile.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from mock import Mock, NonCallableMock
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
 import synapse.types
-from synapse.api.errors import AuthError
+from synapse.api.errors import AuthError, SynapseError
 from synapse.handlers.profile import MasterProfileHandler
 from synapse.types import UserID
 
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         yield self.store.create_profile(self.frank.localpart)
 
         self.handler = hs.get_profile_handler()
+        self.config = hs.config
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def test_get_my_name(self):
@@ -90,6 +91,19 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             "Frank Jr.",
         )
 
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def test_set_my_name_if_disabled(self):
+        self.config.disable_set_displayname = True
+
+        # Set first displayname is allowed, if displayname is null
+        self.store.set_profile_displayname(self.frank.localpart, "Frank")
+
+        d = self.handler.set_displayname(
+            self.frank, synapse.types.create_requester(self.frank), "Frank Jr."
+        )
+
+        yield self.assertFailure(d, SynapseError)
+
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
     def test_set_my_name_noauth(self):
         d = self.handler.set_displayname(
@@ -147,3 +161,20 @@ class ProfileTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             (yield self.store.get_profile_avatar_url(self.frank.localpart)),
             "http://my.server/pic.gif",
         )
+
+    @defer.inlineCallbacks
+    def test_set_my_avatar_if_disabled(self):
+        self.config.disable_set_avatar_url = True
+
+        # Set first time avatar is allowed, if displayname is null
+        self.store.set_profile_avatar_url(
+            self.frank.localpart, "http://my.server/me.png"
+        )
+
+        d = self.handler.set_avatar_url(
+            self.frank,
+            synapse.types.create_requester(self.frank),
+            "http://my.server/pic.gif",
+        )
+
+        yield self.assertFailure(d, SynapseError)