diff --git a/src/gui/application.cpp b/src/gui/application.cpp
index bea238ecc0a79..7ef731f907adf 100644
--- a/src/gui/application.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/application.cpp
@@ -405,7 +405,20 @@ Application::Application(int &argc, char **argv)
     }
 
 #if WITH_LIBCLOUDPROVIDERS
-    _gui->setupCloudProviders();
+    // Configuration: showCloudProvidersInFileManager (default: true)
+    // This setting controls whether Nextcloud folders are exposed via the freedesktop
+    // CloudProviders D-Bus interface to file managers (Nautilus, etc.).
+    //
+    // Note: This is a config-file-only setting, not exposed in the UI, as it addresses
+    // a niche use case.
+    //
+    // Future: This global setting should be deprecated once file managers implement
+    // per-entry visibility controls for CloudProviders mount points. When that happens,
+    // users will be able to selectively hide individual cloud provider entries directly
+    // in their file manager preferences.
+    if (ConfigFile().showCloudProvidersInFileManager()) {
+        _gui->setupCloudProviders();
+    }
 #endif
 
     if (_theme->doNotUseProxy()) {
diff --git a/src/libsync/configfile.cpp b/src/libsync/configfile.cpp
index a04e71feb2862..348dffd955b99 100644
--- a/src/libsync/configfile.cpp
+++ b/src/libsync/configfile.cpp
@@ -231,6 +231,19 @@ void ConfigFile::setShowInExplorerNavigationPane(bool show)
     settings.sync();
 }
 
+bool ConfigFile::showCloudProvidersInFileManager() const
+{
+    QSettings settings(configFile(), QSettings::IniFormat);
+    return settings.value(showCloudProvidersInFileManagerC, true).toBool();
+}
+
+void ConfigFile::setShowCloudProvidersInFileManager(bool show)
+{
+    QSettings settings(configFile(), QSettings::IniFormat);
+    settings.setValue(showCloudProvidersInFileManagerC, show);
+    settings.sync();
+}
+
 int ConfigFile::timeout() const
 {
     QSettings settings(configFile(), QSettings::IniFormat);
diff --git a/src/libsync/configfile.h b/src/libsync/configfile.h
index 86b77fadd235b..bf1b2e8f94c6b 100644
--- a/src/libsync/configfile.h
+++ b/src/libsync/configfile.h
@@ -172,6 +172,9 @@ class OWNCLOUDSYNC_EXPORT ConfigFile
     [[nodiscard]] bool showInExplorerNavigationPane() const;
     void setShowInExplorerNavigationPane(bool show);
 
+    [[nodiscard]] bool showCloudProvidersInFileManager() const;
+    void setShowCloudProvidersInFileManager(bool show);
+
     [[nodiscard]] int timeout() const;
     [[nodiscard]] qint64 chunkSize() const;
     [[nodiscard]] qint64 maxChunkSize() const;
@@ -296,6 +299,7 @@ class OWNCLOUDSYNC_EXPORT ConfigFile
     static constexpr char showQuotaWarningNotificationsC[] = "showQuotaWarningNotifications";
     static constexpr char showChatNotificationsC[] = "showChatNotifications";
     static constexpr char showInExplorerNavigationPaneC[] = "showInExplorerNavigationPane";
+    static constexpr char showCloudProvidersInFileManagerC[] = "showCloudProvidersInFileManager";
     static constexpr char confirmExternalStorageC[] = "confirmExternalStorage";
     static constexpr char useNewBigFolderSizeLimitC[] = "useNewBigFolderSizeLimit";
     static constexpr char newBigFolderSizeLimitC[] = "newBigFolderSizeLimit";