diff --git a/src/bin/proxmox-backup-proxy.rs b/src/bin/proxmox-backup-proxy.rs
index 68fbbaad..541d34b5 100644
--- a/src/bin/proxmox-backup-proxy.rs
+++ b/src/bin/proxmox-backup-proxy.rs
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ async fn run() -> Result<(), Error> {
     let mut config = ApiConfig::new(
         buildcfg::JS_DIR, &proxmox_backup::api2::ROUTER, RpcEnvironmentType::PUBLIC)?;
 
+    // Enable experimental tape UI if tape.cfg exists
+    if Path::new("/etc/proxmox-backup/tape.cfg").exists() {
+        config.enable_tape_ui = true;
+    }
+
     config.add_alias("novnc", "/usr/share/novnc-pve");
     config.add_alias("extjs", "/usr/share/javascript/extjs");
     config.add_alias("qrcodejs", "/usr/share/javascript/qrcodejs");
diff --git a/src/server/config.rs b/src/server/config.rs
index 8306f1c2..9094fa80 100644
--- a/src/server/config.rs
+++ b/src/server/config.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ pub struct ApiConfig {
     templates: RwLock<Handlebars<'static>>,
     template_files: RwLock<HashMap<String, (SystemTime, PathBuf)>>,
     request_log: Option<Arc<Mutex<FileLogger>>>,
+    pub enable_tape_ui: bool,
 }
 
 impl ApiConfig {
@@ -35,7 +36,8 @@ impl ApiConfig {
             templates: RwLock::new(Handlebars::new()),
             template_files: RwLock::new(HashMap::new()),
             request_log: None,
-        })
+            enable_tape_ui: false,
+       })
     }
 
     pub fn find_method(
diff --git a/src/server/rest.rs b/src/server/rest.rs
index 9bf494fd..44e157fb 100644
--- a/src/server/rest.rs
+++ b/src/server/rest.rs
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@ fn get_index(
         "CSRFPreventionToken": csrf_token,
         "language": lang,
         "debug": debug,
+        "enableTapeUI": api.enable_tape_ui,
     });
 
     let (ct, index) = match api.render_template(template_file, &data) {
diff --git a/www/Makefile b/www/Makefile
index 53981aa4..d45e1789 100644
--- a/www/Makefile
+++ b/www/Makefile
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ IMAGES := \
 	images/logo-128.png 				\
 	images/proxmox_logo.png
 
-TAPE_UI_FILES=
-
-ifdef TEST_TAPE_GUI
 TAPE_UI_FILES=						\
 	tape/form/AllocationSelector.js			\
 	tape/form/ChangerSelector.js			\
@@ -18,7 +15,7 @@ TAPE_UI_FILES=						\
 	tape/form/KeySelector.js			\
 	tape/window/ChangerEdit.js			\
 	tape/window/DriveEdit.js			\
-	tape/window/Erase.js			\
+	tape/window/Erase.js				\
 	tape/window/EncryptionEdit.js			\
 	tape/window/LabelMedia.js			\
 	tape/window/PoolEdit.js				\
@@ -34,9 +31,7 @@ TAPE_UI_FILES=						\
 	tape/PoolConfig.js				\
 	tape/TapeInventory.js				\
 	tape/BackupJobs.js				\
-	tape/TapeManagement.js				\
-
-endif
+	tape/TapeManagement.js
 
 JSSRC=							\
 	Utils.js					\
diff --git a/www/NavigationTree.js b/www/NavigationTree.js
index 9aef4a9e..1c33d52d 100644
--- a/www/NavigationTree.js
+++ b/www/NavigationTree.js
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ Ext.define('PBS.view.main.NavigationTree', {
 	    view.rstore.on('load', this.onLoad, this);
 	    view.on('destroy', view.rstore.stopUpdate);
 
-	    if (PBS.TapeManagement !== undefined) {
+	    if (PBS.enableTapeUI) {
 		view.tapestore = Ext.create('Proxmox.data.UpdateStore', {
 		    autoStart: true,
 		    interval: 2 * 1000,
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ Ext.define('PBS.view.main.NavigationTree', {
 
     select: function(path, silent) {
 	var me = this;
-	if (me.rstore.isLoaded() && (!PBS.TapeManagement || me.tapestore.isLoaded())) {
+	if (me.rstore.isLoaded() && (!PBS.enableTapeUI || me.tapestore.isLoaded())) {
 	    if (silent) {
 		me.suspendEvents(false);
 	    }
diff --git a/www/index.hbs b/www/index.hbs
index 665bef23..ff3ccb99 100644
--- a/www/index.hbs
+++ b/www/index.hbs
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 	UserName: "{{ UserName }}",
 	CSRFPreventionToken: "{{ CSRFPreventionToken }}",
     };
+    PBS = {
+	enableTapeUI: {{ enableTapeUI }},
+    };
     </script>
     <script type="text/javascript" src="/widgettoolkit/proxmoxlib.js"></script>
     <script type="text/javascript" src="/extjs/locale/locale-en.js"></script>