diff --git a/assets/settings/default.json b/assets/settings/default.json
index 0f20e7d629..ee50d43670 100644
--- a/assets/settings/default.json
+++ b/assets/settings/default.json
@@ -212,6 +212,8 @@
     "scroll_debounce_ms": 50
   },
   "project_panel": {
+    // Whether to show the project panel button in the status bar
+    "button": true,
     // Default width of the project panel.
     "default_width": 240,
     // Where to dock the project panel. Can be 'left' or 'right'.
diff --git a/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel.rs b/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel.rs
index 837e563b1c..830f022607 100644
--- a/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel.rs
+++ b/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel.rs
@@ -1899,8 +1899,10 @@ impl Panel for ProjectPanel {
         cx.notify();
     }
 
-    fn icon(&self, _: &WindowContext) -> Option<ui::IconName> {
-        Some(ui::IconName::FileTree)
+    fn icon(&self, cx: &WindowContext) -> Option<IconName> {
+        ProjectPanelSettings::get_global(cx)
+            .button
+            .then(|| IconName::FileTree)
     }
 
     fn icon_tooltip(&self, _cx: &WindowContext) -> Option<&'static str> {
diff --git a/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel_settings.rs b/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel_settings.rs
index 500f33be41..0a41c6ea6c 100644
--- a/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel_settings.rs
+++ b/crates/project_panel/src/project_panel_settings.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ pub enum ProjectPanelDockPosition {
 
 #[derive(Deserialize, Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
 pub struct ProjectPanelSettings {
+    pub button: bool,
     pub default_width: Pixels,
     pub dock: ProjectPanelDockPosition,
     pub file_icons: bool,
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@ pub struct ProjectPanelSettings {
 
 #[derive(Clone, Default, Serialize, Deserialize, JsonSchema, Debug)]
 pub struct ProjectPanelSettingsContent {
+    /// Whether to show the project panel button in the status bar.
+    ///
+    /// Default: true
+    pub button: Option<bool>,
     /// Customise default width (in pixels) taken by project panel
     ///
     /// Default: 240
diff --git a/docs/src/configuring_zed.md b/docs/src/configuring_zed.md
index 23a4c1040a..c3393e1d23 100644
--- a/docs/src/configuring_zed.md
+++ b/docs/src/configuring_zed.md
@@ -1294,6 +1294,7 @@ Run the `theme selector: toggle` action in the command palette to see a current
 
 ```json
 "project_panel": {
+  "button": true,
   "dock": "left",
   "git_status": true,
   "default_width": "N/A - width in pixels"