diff --git a/docs/configuration/optional-settings.md b/docs/configuration/optional-settings.md
index cbe01728c..337b41b1b 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/optional-settings.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/optional-settings.md
@@ -98,6 +98,14 @@ This parameter serves as a safeguard to prevent some potentially dangerous behav
 
 ---
 
+## DOCS_ROOT
+
+Default: `$INSTALL_DIR/docs/`
+
+The file path to NetBox's documentation. This is used when presenting context-sensitive documentation in the web UI. by default, this will be the `docs/` directory within the root NetBox installation path. (Set this to `None` to disable the embedded documentation.)
+
+---
+
 ## EMAIL
 
 In order to send email, NetBox needs an email server configured. The following items can be defined within the `EMAIL` setting:
diff --git a/netbox/netbox/settings.py b/netbox/netbox/settings.py
index 7f4f44b1a..df1ab908a 100644
--- a/netbox/netbox/settings.py
+++ b/netbox/netbox/settings.py
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ DATE_FORMAT = getattr(configuration, 'DATE_FORMAT', 'N j, Y')
 DATETIME_FORMAT = getattr(configuration, 'DATETIME_FORMAT', 'N j, Y g:i a')
 DEBUG = getattr(configuration, 'DEBUG', False)
 DEVELOPER = getattr(configuration, 'DEVELOPER', False)
+DOCS_ROOT = getattr(configuration, 'DOCS_ROOT', os.path.join(os.path.dirname(BASE_DIR), 'docs'))
 EMAIL = getattr(configuration, 'EMAIL', {})
 ENFORCE_GLOBAL_UNIQUE = getattr(configuration, 'ENFORCE_GLOBAL_UNIQUE', False)
 EXEMPT_VIEW_PERMISSIONS = getattr(configuration, 'EXEMPT_VIEW_PERMISSIONS', [])
diff --git a/netbox/templates/utilities/obj_edit.html b/netbox/templates/utilities/obj_edit.html
index 286563a23..0d7760f30 100644
--- a/netbox/templates/utilities/obj_edit.html
+++ b/netbox/templates/utilities/obj_edit.html
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@
         <div class="row">
             <div class="col-md-6 col-md-offset-3">
                 <h3>
-                    <div class="pull-right">
-                        <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#docs_modal"><i class="fa fa-question"></i></button>
-                    </div>
+                    {% if settings.DOCS_ROOT %}
+                        <div class="pull-right">
+                            <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#docs_modal"><i class="fa fa-question"></i></button>
+                        </div>
+                    {% endif %}
                     {% block title %}{% if obj.pk %}Editing {{ obj_type }} {{ obj }}{% else %}Add a new {{ obj_type }}{% endif %}{% endblock %}
                 </h3>
                 {% block tabs %}{% endblock %}
@@ -49,5 +51,7 @@
             </div>
         </div>
     </form>
-    {% include 'inc/modal.html' with name='docs' content=obj|get_docs %}
+    {% if settings.DOCS_ROOT %}
+        {% include 'inc/modal.html' with name='docs' content=obj|get_docs %}
+    {% endif %}
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/netbox/utilities/templatetags/helpers.py b/netbox/utilities/templatetags/helpers.py
index a57cfc66d..5cede8a7e 100644
--- a/netbox/utilities/templatetags/helpers.py
+++ b/netbox/utilities/templatetags/helpers.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import re
 
 import yaml
 from django import template
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.urls import NoReverseMatch, reverse
 from django.utils.html import strip_tags
 from django.utils.safestring import mark_safe
@@ -222,9 +223,18 @@ def get_docs(model):
     """
     Render and return documentation for the specified model.
     """
-    path = '../docs/models/{}/{}.md'.format(model._meta.app_label, model._meta.model_name)
-    with open(path) as docfile:
-        content = docfile.read()
+    path = '{}/models/{}/{}.md'.format(
+        settings.DOCS_ROOT,
+        model._meta.app_label,
+        model._meta.model_name
+    )
+    try:
+        with open(path) as docfile:
+            content = docfile.read()
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        return "Unable to load documentation, file not found: {}".format(path)
+    except IOError:
+        return "Unable to load documentation, error reading file: {}".format(path)
 
     # Render Markdown with the admonition extension
     content = markdown(content, extensions=['admonition', 'fenced_code'])