diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/ChatResource.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/ChatResource.java
index 66a2bd462..99b37934c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/ChatResource.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/ChatResource.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import org.qortal.repository.DataException;
 import org.qortal.repository.Repository;
 import org.qortal.repository.RepositoryManager;
+import org.qortal.settings.Settings;
 import org.qortal.transaction.ChatTransaction;
 import org.qortal.transaction.Transaction;
 import org.qortal.transaction.Transaction.TransactionType;
@@ -273,7 +274,8 @@ public ActiveChats getActiveChats(@PathParam("address") String address, @QueryPa
 	@ApiErrors({ApiError.TRANSACTION_INVALID, ApiError.TRANSFORMATION_ERROR, ApiError.REPOSITORY_ISSUE})
 	@SecurityRequirement(name = "apiKey")
 	public String buildChat(@HeaderParam(Security.API_KEY_HEADER) String apiKey, ChatTransactionData transactionData) {
-		Security.checkApiCallAllowed(request);
+		if (!Settings.getInstance().isChatAuthBypassEnabled())
+			Security.checkApiCallAllowed(request);
 
 		try (final Repository repository = RepositoryManager.getRepository()) {
 			ChatTransaction chatTransaction = (ChatTransaction) Transaction.fromData(repository, transactionData);
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/settings/Settings.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/settings/Settings.java
index df59c0371..99ef8b8ea 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/settings/Settings.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/settings/Settings.java
@@ -367,6 +367,9 @@ public class Settings {
 	/** Whether to serve QDN data without authentication */
 	private boolean qdnAuthBypassEnabled = true;
 
+	/** Whether to accept CHAT transactions without authentication */
+	private boolean chatAuthBypassEnabled = false;
+
 	/** Limit threads per message type */
 	private Set<ThreadLimit> maxThreadsPerMessageType = new HashSet<>();
 
@@ -1110,6 +1113,10 @@ public boolean isQDNAuthBypassEnabled() {
 		return this.qdnAuthBypassEnabled;
 	}
 
+	public boolean isChatAuthBypassEnabled() {
+		return this.chatAuthBypassEnabled;
+	}
+
 	public Integer getMaxThreadsForMessageType(MessageType messageType) {
 		if (maxThreadsPerMessageType != null) {
 			for (ThreadLimit threadLimit : maxThreadsPerMessageType) {