diff --git a/config/config.exs b/config/config.exs
index e6c695215..bd714a189 100644
--- a/config/config.exs
+++ b/config/config.exs
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@
   name: "Pleroma",
   email: "example@example.com",
   limit: 5000,
-  registrations_open: true
+  registrations_open: true,
+  federating: true
 
 config :pleroma, :media_proxy,
   enabled: false,
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index c3fce17de..a503a5b3f 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ def update_changeset(struct, params \\ %{}) do
     |> cast(params, [:bio, :name])
     |> unique_constraint(:nickname)
     |> validate_format(:nickname, ~r/^[a-zA-Z\d]+$/)
-    |> validate_length(:bio, min: 1, max: 5000)
+    |> validate_length(:bio, max: 1000)
     |> validate_length(:name, min: 1, max: 100)
   end
 
@@ -134,13 +134,13 @@ def reset_password(user, data) do
   def register_changeset(struct, params \\ %{}) do
     changeset = struct
     |> cast(params, [:bio, :email, :name, :nickname, :password, :password_confirmation])
-    |> validate_required([:bio, :email, :name, :nickname, :password, :password_confirmation])
+    |> validate_required([:email, :name, :nickname, :password, :password_confirmation])
     |> validate_confirmation(:password)
     |> unique_constraint(:email)
     |> unique_constraint(:nickname)
     |> validate_format(:nickname, ~r/^[a-zA-Z\d]+$/)
     |> validate_format(:email, @email_regex)
-    |> validate_length(:bio, min: 1, max: 1000)
+    |> validate_length(:bio, max: 1000)
     |> validate_length(:name, min: 1, max: 100)
 
     if changeset.valid? do
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/federator/federator.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/federator/federator.ex
index 0b9808b8f..daf836a40 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/federator/federator.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/federator/federator.ex
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.Federator do
   @websub Application.get_env(:pleroma, :websub)
   @ostatus Application.get_env(:pleroma, :ostatus)
   @httpoison Application.get_env(:pleroma, :httpoison)
+  @instance Application.get_env(:pleroma, :instance)
+  @federating Keyword.get(@instance, :federating)
   @max_jobs 10
 
   def start_link do
@@ -107,10 +109,12 @@ def handle(type, _) do
   end
 
   def enqueue(type, payload, priority \\ 1) do
-    if Mix.env == :test do
-      handle(type, payload)
-    else
-      GenServer.cast(__MODULE__, {:enqueue, type, payload, priority})
+    if @federating do
+      if Mix.env == :test do
+        handle(type, payload)
+      else
+        GenServer.cast(__MODULE__, {:enqueue, type, payload, priority})
+      end
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/router.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/router.ex
index 8d93e1ea6..520ac4a8c 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/router.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/router.ex
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.Router do
 
   alias Pleroma.{Repo, User, Web.Router}
 
+  @instance Application.get_env(:pleroma, :instance)
+  @federating Keyword.get(@instance, :federating)
+
   def user_fetcher(username) do
     {:ok, Repo.get_by(User, %{nickname: username})}
   end
@@ -228,13 +231,16 @@ def user_fetcher(username) do
     get "/objects/:uuid", OStatus.OStatusController, :object
     get "/activities/:uuid", OStatus.OStatusController, :activity
     get "/notice/:id", OStatus.OStatusController, :notice
-
     get "/users/:nickname/feed", OStatus.OStatusController, :feed
     get "/users/:nickname", OStatus.OStatusController, :feed_redirect
-    post "/users/:nickname/salmon", OStatus.OStatusController, :salmon_incoming
-    post "/push/hub/:nickname", Websub.WebsubController, :websub_subscription_request
-    get "/push/subscriptions/:id", Websub.WebsubController, :websub_subscription_confirmation
-    post "/push/subscriptions/:id", Websub.WebsubController, :websub_incoming
+
+    if @federating do
+      post "/users/:nickname/salmon", OStatus.OStatusController, :salmon_incoming
+      post "/push/hub/:nickname", Websub.WebsubController, :websub_subscription_request
+      get "/push/subscriptions/:id", Websub.WebsubController, :websub_subscription_confirmation
+      post "/push/subscriptions/:id", Websub.WebsubController, :websub_incoming
+    end
+
   end
 
   pipeline :activitypub do
@@ -242,17 +248,19 @@ def user_fetcher(username) do
     plug Pleroma.Web.Plugs.HTTPSignaturePlug
   end
 
-  scope "/", Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub do
-    pipe_through :activitypub
-    post "/users/:nickname/inbox", ActivityPubController, :inbox
-    post "/inbox", ActivityPubController, :inbox
-  end
+  if @federating do
+    scope "/", Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub do
+      pipe_through :activitypub
+      post "/users/:nickname/inbox", ActivityPubController, :inbox
+      post "/inbox", ActivityPubController, :inbox
+    end
 
-  scope "/.well-known", Pleroma.Web do
-    pipe_through :well_known
+    scope "/.well-known", Pleroma.Web do
+      pipe_through :well_known
 
-    get "/host-meta", WebFinger.WebFingerController, :host_meta
-    get "/webfinger", WebFinger.WebFingerController, :webfinger
+      get "/host-meta", WebFinger.WebFingerController, :host_meta
+      get "/webfinger", WebFinger.WebFingerController, :webfinger
+    end
   end
 
   scope "/", Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI do
diff --git a/test/user_test.exs b/test/user_test.exs
index 100b3d0a0..35de0a7ce 100644
--- a/test/user_test.exs
+++ b/test/user_test.exs
@@ -102,13 +102,14 @@ test "test if a user is following another user" do
       email: "email@example.com"
     }
 
-    test "it requires a bio, email, name, nickname and password" do
+    test "it requires an email, name, nickname and password, bio is optional" do
       @full_user_data
       |> Map.keys
       |> Enum.each(fn (key) ->
         params = Map.delete(@full_user_data, key)
         changeset = User.register_changeset(%User{}, params)
-        assert changeset.valid? == false
+
+        assert (if key == :bio, do: changeset.valid?, else: not changeset.valid?)
       end)
     end