diff --git a/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js.es6 b/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js.es6
index add60e7..4a136cd 100644
--- a/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js.es6
+++ b/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js.es6
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function initialize(api) {
   api.modifyClass('component:flagged-post', {
     @computed('flaggedPost.topic.assigned_to_user_id', 'filter')
     canAct(assignedToUserId, filter) {
-      if (assignedToUserId && this.currentUser.id !== assignedToUserId) {
+      if (this.siteSettings.assign_locks_flags && assignedToUserId && this.currentUser.id !== assignedToUserId) {
         return false;
       }
 
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 93f5453..8b730b6 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ en:
     assign_other_regex: "Regex that needs to pass for assigning topics to others via mention. Example 'your list'."
     unassign_on_group_archive: "When a message is archived by a group, unassign message (reassign if moved back to inbox)"
     unassign_on_close: "When a topic is closed unassign topic"
+    assign_locks_flags: "When a topic is assigned to a staff member, its flags can only be handled by that person"
   discourse_assign:
     assigned_to: "Topic assigned to @%{username}"
     unassigned: "Topic was unassigned"
diff --git a/config/settings.yml b/config/settings.yml
index d0da05b..ab5c385 100644
--- a/config/settings.yml
+++ b/config/settings.yml
@@ -12,3 +12,6 @@ plugins:
   assigns_user_url_path:
     client: true
     default: "/latest?assigned={username}"
+  assign_locks_flags:
+    default: true
+    client: true
diff --git a/plugin.rb b/plugin.rb
index 7badd29..bcaa16c 100644
--- a/plugin.rb
+++ b/plugin.rb
@@ -20,14 +20,16 @@ after_initialize do
   # Raise an invalid access error if a user tries to act on something
   # not assigned to them
   DiscourseEvent.on(:before_staff_flag_action) do |args|
-    if custom_fields = args[:post].topic.custom_fields
-      if assigned_to_id = custom_fields['assigned_to_id']
-        unless assigned_to_id.to_i == args[:user].id
-          raise Discourse::InvalidAccess.new(
-            "That flag has been assigned to another user",
-            nil,
-            custom_message: 'discourse_assign.flag_assigned'
-          )
+    if SiteSetting.assign_locks_flags?
+      if custom_fields = args[:post].topic.custom_fields
+        if assigned_to_id = custom_fields['assigned_to_id']
+          unless assigned_to_id.to_i == args[:user].id
+            raise Discourse::InvalidAccess.new(
+              "That flag has been assigned to another user",
+              nil,
+              custom_message: 'discourse_assign.flag_assigned'
+            )
+          end
         end
       end
     end