diff --git a/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml b/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
index 9391b923ec..4f2c0ab78a 100644
--- a/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
+++ b/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
@@ -6648,6 +6648,17 @@
       <key>Value</key>
       <integer>0</integer>
     </map>
+    <key>FSOpenSimAlwaysForceShowGrid</key>
+    <map>
+      <key>Comment</key>
+      <string>Soft enable/disable the startup behaviour of OpenSim builds to allow gridlist access</string>
+      <key>Persist</key>
+      <integer>1</integer>
+      <key>Type</key>
+      <string>Boolean</string>
+      <key>Value</key>
+      <integer>1</integer>
+    </map>
     <key>ForceMandatoryUpdate</key>
     <map>
       <key>Comment</key>
diff --git a/indra/newview/llappviewer.cpp b/indra/newview/llappviewer.cpp
index 68d8e0cc83..9623545256 100644
--- a/indra/newview/llappviewer.cpp
+++ b/indra/newview/llappviewer.cpp
@@ -2993,16 +2993,19 @@ bool LLAppViewer::initConfiguration()
 		}
 		// </FS>
 		
-// <FS:CR> Set ForceShowGrid to TRUE on first run if we're on an OpenSim build
-#ifdef OPENSIM
-		if (!gSavedSettings.getBOOL("ForceShowGrid"))
-			gSavedSettings.setBOOL("ForceShowGrid", TRUE);
-#endif // OPENSIM
-// </FS:CR>
 		
 		gSavedSettings.setBOOL("FirstRunThisInstall", FALSE);
 	}
 	
+// <FS:Beq> FIRE-29819 Set ForceShowGrid to TRUE always, unless expressly disabled
+// FSOpenSimAlwaysForcesShowGrid is added to allow closed grids to soft disable the default behaviour
+#if OPENSIM && !SINGLEGRID
+	if (!gSavedSettings.getBOOL("ForceShowGrid") && gSavedSettings.getBOOL("FSOpenSimAlwaysForceShowGrid"))
+	{
+		gSavedSettings.setBOOL("ForceShowGrid", TRUE);
+	}
+#endif
+// </FS:Beq>
 	// <FS:CR> Compatibility with old backups
 	// Put gSavedSettings here, gSavedPerAccountSettings in llstartup.cpp
 	// *TODO: Should we keep these around forever or just three release cycles?