diff --git a/frontend/src/html/header.html b/frontend/src/html/header.html
index d07eb3b09..baf4f5809 100644
--- a/frontend/src/html/header.html
+++ b/frontend/src/html/header.html
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@
             <i class="fas fa-fw fa-chart-line"></i>
             User stats
           </a>
-          <!-- TODO: disable if configuration is not set for friends -->
           <a
             href="/friends"
             class="button goToFriends"
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/controllers/route-controller.ts b/frontend/src/ts/controllers/route-controller.ts
index 70fd26ddf..dccb24a83 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/controllers/route-controller.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/controllers/route-controller.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { isFunboxActive } from "../test/funbox/list";
 import * as TestState from "../test/test-state";
 import * as Notifications from "../elements/notifications";
 import { LoadingOptions } from "../pages/page";
-//import { get as getServerOptions } from "../ape/server-configuration";
+import { get as getServerConfiguration } from "../ape/server-configuration";
 
 //source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OstALBk-jTc
 // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OstALBk-jTc
@@ -156,13 +156,13 @@ const routes: Route[] = [
         await navigate("/login", options);
         return;
       }
-      //timing issue, not there yet
-      /* if (!getServerOptions()?.friends.enabled) {
-        console.log("### route friends not enabled");
+      //timing issue, on initial load the serverconfiguration not there yet
+      const serverConfiguration = getServerConfiguration();
+      if (serverConfiguration && !getServerConfiguration()?.friends.enabled) {
         await navigate("/", options);
         return;
       }
-        */
+
       await PageController.change("friends", options);
     },
   },
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/db.ts b/frontend/src/ts/db.ts
index ddccd1fca..3ae6c9d51 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/db.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/db.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import { FunboxMetadata } from "../../../packages/funbox/src/types";
 import { getFirstDayOfTheWeek } from "./utils/date-and-time";
 import { Language } from "@monkeytype/schemas/languages";
 import * as AuthEvent from "./observables/auth-event";
+import { get as getServerConfiguration } from "./ape/server-configuration";
 
 let dbSnapshot: Snapshot | undefined;
 const firstDayOfTheWeek = getFirstDayOfTheWeek();
@@ -90,7 +91,9 @@ export async function initSnapshot(): Promise<Snapshot | false> {
         Ape.users.get(),
         Ape.configs.get(),
         Ape.presets.get(),
-        Ape.friends.getRequests(),
+        getServerConfiguration()?.friends.enabled
+          ? Ape.friends.getRequests()
+          : { status: 200, body: { message: "", data: [] } },
       ]);
 
     if (userResponse.status !== 200) {