diff --git a/packages/core/src/browser/breadcrumbs/breadcrumbs-renderer.tsx b/packages/core/src/browser/breadcrumbs/breadcrumbs-renderer.tsx
index 67a096d6e99f2..47758d2d4fdac 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/browser/breadcrumbs/breadcrumbs-renderer.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/browser/breadcrumbs/breadcrumbs-renderer.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import PerfectScrollbar from 'perfect-scrollbar';
 import URI from '../../common/uri';
 import { BreadcrumbPopup } from './breadcrumb-popup';
 import { DisposableCollection } from '../../common/disposable';
+import { CorePreferences } from '../core-preferences';
 
 export const BreadcrumbsURI = Symbol('BreadcrumbsURI');
 
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@ export class BreadcrumbsRenderer extends ReactRenderer {
     @inject(BreadcrumbRenderer)
     protected readonly breadcrumbRenderer: BreadcrumbRenderer;
 
+    @inject(CorePreferences)
+    protected readonly corePreferences: CorePreferences;
+
     private breadcrumbs: Breadcrumb[] = [];
 
     private popup: BreadcrumbPopup | undefined;
@@ -54,6 +58,7 @@ export class BreadcrumbsRenderer extends ReactRenderer {
     @postConstruct()
     init(): void {
         this.toDispose.push(this.breadcrumbsService.onBreadcrumbsChange(uri => { if (this.uri.toString() === uri.toString()) { this.refresh(); } }));
+        this.toDispose.push(this.corePreferences.onPreferenceChanged(_ => this.refresh()));
     }
 
     dispose(): void {
@@ -67,7 +72,11 @@ export class BreadcrumbsRenderer extends ReactRenderer {
     }
 
     async refresh(): Promise<void> {
-        this.breadcrumbs = await this.breadcrumbsService.getBreadcrumbs(this.uri);
+        if (this.corePreferences['breadcrumbs.enabled']) {
+            this.breadcrumbs = await this.breadcrumbsService.getBreadcrumbs(this.uri);
+        } else {
+            this.breadcrumbs = [];
+        }
         this.render();
 
         if (!this.scrollbar) {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/browser/core-preferences.ts b/packages/core/src/browser/core-preferences.ts
index 5ab6f0b055390..a9e551ed362d3 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/browser/core-preferences.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/browser/core-preferences.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ export const corePreferenceSchema: PreferenceSchema = {
             default: 50,
             minimum: 0,
             description: 'Controls the number of recently used commands to keep in history for the command palette. Set to 0 to disable command history.'
+        },
+        'breadcrumbs.enabled': {
+            'type': 'boolean',
+            'default': true,
+            'description': 'Enable/disable navigation breadcrumbs.'
         }
     }
 };
@@ -52,6 +57,7 @@ export interface CoreConfiguration {
     'application.confirmExit': 'never' | 'ifRequired' | 'always';
     'list.openMode': 'singleClick' | 'doubleClick';
     'workbench.commandPalette.history': number;
+    'breadcrumbs.enabled': boolean;
 }
 
 export const CorePreferences = Symbol('CorePreferences');