diff --git a/config/config.json b/config/config.json
index 03df2bf370..de4bd5e841 100644
--- a/config/config.json
+++ b/config/config.json
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
         "SessionCacheInMinutes": 10,
         "WebsocketSecurePort": 443,
         "WebsocketPort": 80,
-        "WebserverMode": "regular",
+        "WebserverMode": "gzip",
         "EnableCustomEmoji": false,
         "RestrictCustomEmojiCreation": "all"
     },
@@ -188,4 +188,4 @@
         "LocaleAttribute": "",
         "LoginButtonText": "With SAML"
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/model/config.go b/model/config.go
index 61c39bc5bd..d86ff75b4a 100644
--- a/model/config.go
+++ b/model/config.go
@@ -623,7 +623,9 @@ func (o *Config) SetDefaults() {
 
 	if o.ServiceSettings.WebserverMode == nil {
 		o.ServiceSettings.WebserverMode = new(string)
-		*o.ServiceSettings.WebserverMode = "regular"
+		*o.ServiceSettings.WebserverMode = "gzip"
+	} else if *o.ServiceSettings.WebserverMode == "regular" {
+		*o.ServiceSettings.WebserverMode = "gzip"
 	}
 
 	if o.ServiceSettings.EnableCustomEmoji == nil {
diff --git a/webapp/components/admin_console/configuration_settings.jsx b/webapp/components/admin_console/configuration_settings.jsx
index 65cec30270..4f88a19542 100644
--- a/webapp/components/admin_console/configuration_settings.jsx
+++ b/webapp/components/admin_console/configuration_settings.jsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {FormattedMessage} from 'react-intl';
 import SettingsGroup from './settings_group.jsx';
 import TextSetting from './text_setting.jsx';
 import ReloadConfigButton from './reload_config.jsx';
+import WebserverModeDropdownSetting from './webserver_mode_dropdown_setting.jsx';
 
 export default class ConfigurationSettings extends AdminSettings {
     constructor(props) {
@@ -20,7 +21,8 @@ export default class ConfigurationSettings extends AdminSettings {
         this.renderSettings = this.renderSettings.bind(this);
 
         this.state = Object.assign(this.state, {
-            listenAddress: props.config.ServiceSettings.ListenAddress
+            listenAddress: props.config.ServiceSettings.ListenAddress,
+            webserverMode: props.config.ServiceSettings.WebserverMode
         });
     }
 
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ export default class ConfigurationSettings extends AdminSettings {
 
     getConfigFromState(config) {
         config.ServiceSettings.ListenAddress = this.state.listenAddress;
+        config.ServiceSettings.WebserverMode = this.state.webserverMode;
 
         return config;
     }
@@ -68,8 +71,13 @@ export default class ConfigurationSettings extends AdminSettings {
                     value={this.state.listenAddress}
                     onChange={this.handleChange}
                 />
+                <WebserverModeDropdownSetting
+                    value={this.state.webserverMode}
+                    onChange={this.handleChange}
+                    disabled={false}
+                />
                 <ReloadConfigButton/>
             </SettingsGroup>
         );
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/webapp/components/admin_console/webserver_mode_dropdown_setting.jsx b/webapp/components/admin_console/webserver_mode_dropdown_setting.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9581816f18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/components/admin_console/webserver_mode_dropdown_setting.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2016 Mattermost, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+// See License.txt for license information.
+
+import React from 'react';
+import * as Utils from 'utils/utils.jsx';
+
+import DropdownSetting from './dropdown_setting.jsx';
+import {FormattedMessage} from 'react-intl';
+
+const WEBSERVER_MODE_HELP_TEXT = (
+    <div>
+        <table
+            className='table table-bordered table-margin--none'
+            cellPadding='5'
+        >
+            <tbody>
+                <tr>
+                    <td className='help-text'>
+                        <FormattedMessage
+                            id='admin.webserverModeGzip'
+                            defaultMessage='gzip'
+                        />
+                    </td>
+                    <td className='help-text'>
+                        <FormattedMessage
+                            id='admin.webserverModeGzipDescription'
+                            defaultMessage='The Mattermost server will serve static files compressed with gzip.'
+                        />
+                    </td>
+                </tr>
+                <tr>
+                    <td className='help-text'>
+                        <FormattedMessage
+                            id='admin.webserverModeUncompressed'
+                            defaultMessage='Uncompressed'
+                        />
+                    </td>
+                    <td className='help-text'>
+                        <FormattedMessage
+                            id='admin.webserverModeUncompressedDescription'
+                            defaultMessage='The Mattermost server will serve static files uncompressed.'
+                        />
+                    </td>
+                </tr>
+                <tr>
+                    <td className='help-text'>
+                        <FormattedMessage
+                            id='admin.webserverModeDisabled'
+                            defaultMessage='Disabled'
+                        />
+                    </td>
+                    <td className='help-text'>
+                        <FormattedMessage
+                            id='admin.webserverModeDisabledDescription'
+                            defaultMessage='The Mattermost server will not serve static files.'
+                        />
+                    </td>
+                </tr>
+            </tbody>
+        </table>
+        <p className='help-text'>
+            <FormattedMessage
+                id='admin.webserverModeHelpText'
+                defaultMessage='gzip compression applies to static content files. It is recommended to enable gzip to improve performance unless your environment has specific restrictions, such as a web proxy that distributes gzip files poorly. This setting requires a server restart to take effect.'
+            />
+        </p>
+    </div>
+);
+
+export default class WebserverModeDropdownSetting extends React.Component {
+    render() {
+        return (
+            <DropdownSetting
+                id='webserverMode'
+                values={[
+                    {value: 'gzip', text: Utils.localizeMessage('admin.webserverModeGzip', 'gzip')},
+                    {value: 'uncompressed', text: Utils.localizeMessage('admin.webserverModeUncompressed', 'Uncompressed')},
+                    {value: 'disabled', text: Utils.localizeMessage('admin.webserverModeDiabled', 'Disabled')}
+                ]}
+                label={
+                    <FormattedMessage
+                        id='admin.webserverModeTitle'
+                        defaultMessage='Webserver Mode:'
+                    />
+                }
+                value={this.props.value}
+                onChange={this.props.onChange}
+                disabled={this.props.disabled}
+                helpText={WEBSERVER_MODE_HELP_TEXT}
+            />
+        );
+    }
+}
+WebserverModeDropdownSetting.defaultProps = {
+};
+
+WebserverModeDropdownSetting.propTypes = {
+    value: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+    onChange: React.PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+    disabled: React.PropTypes.bool.isRequired
+};
diff --git a/webapp/i18n/en.json b/webapp/i18n/en.json
index c3bb3112f9..34dbc49961 100644
--- a/webapp/i18n/en.json
+++ b/webapp/i18n/en.json
@@ -691,6 +691,14 @@
   "admin.user_item.switchToEmail": "Switch to Email/Password",
   "admin.user_item.sysAdmin": "System Admin",
   "admin.user_item.teamAdmin": "Team Admin",
+  "admin.webserverModeGzip": "gzip",
+  "admin.webserverModeGzipDescription": "The Mattermost server will serve static files compressed with gzip.",
+  "admin.webserverModeUncompressed": "Uncompressed",
+  "admin.webserverModeUncompressedDescription": "The Mattermost server will serve static files uncompressed.",
+  "admin.webserverModeDisabled": "Disabled",
+  "admin.webserverModeDisabledDescription": "The Mattermost server will not serve static files.",
+  "admin.webserverModeHelpText": "gzip compression applies to static content files. It is recommended to enable gzip to improve performance unless your environment has specific restrictions, such as a web proxy that distributes gzip files poorly. This setting requires a server restart to take effect.",
+  "admin.webserverModeTitle": "Webserver Mode:",
   "analytics.chart.loading": "Loading...",
   "analytics.chart.meaningful": "Not enough data for a meaningful representation.",
   "analytics.system.activeUsers": "Active Users With Posts",