diff --git a/src/index.html b/src/index.html
index 7cd208c65c..7f06bb253b 100644
--- a/src/index.html
+++ b/src/index.html
@@ -7,11 +7,13 @@
     <link rel="shortcut icon" href="./static/img/favicon.ico">
 </head>
 <body>
-    <div id="file-selector" class="hidden">
-        <input type="file" id="bpmn-file" name="file"/>
-        <label for="bpmn-file" class="btn"><span>open BPMN file</span></label>
+    <div id="controls" class="hidden">
+      <div id="file-selector">
+          <input type="file" id="bpmn-file" name="file"/>
+          <label for="bpmn-file" class="btn"><span>open BPMN file</span></label>
+      </div>
+      <div class="info-centered"><p>(either drop a file here)</p></div>
     </div>
-    <div class="info-centered"><p>(either drop a file here)</p></div>
     <div id="graph"></div>
 
     <!-- load global settings -->
diff --git a/src/static/js/demo.js b/src/static/js/demo.js
index e0aa9f2cb4..984404f25b 100644
--- a/src/static/js/demo.js
+++ b/src/static/js/demo.js
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ import { documentReady, handleFileSelect, startBpmnVisualization } from '../../i
 function startDemo() {
   startBpmnVisualization({ container: 'graph' });
   document.getElementById('bpmn-file').addEventListener('change', handleFileSelect, false);
-  document.getElementById('file-selector').classList.remove('hidden');
+
+  const parameters = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
+  if (!(parameters.get('hideControls') === 'true')) {
+    document.getElementById('controls').classList.remove('hidden');
+  }
 }
 
 documentReady(startDemo);
