diff --git a/cronjobs/manual_payout.php b/cronjobs/manual_payout.php
index db4cb2be..ae105ce7 100755
--- a/cronjobs/manual_payout.php
+++ b/cronjobs/manual_payout.php
@@ -22,6 +22,15 @@ limitations under the License.
 // Include all settings and classes
 require_once('shared.inc.php');
 
+if ($setting->getValue('disable_mp') == 1) {
+  $log->logInfo(" auto payout disabled via admin panel");
+  $monitoring->setStatus($cron_name . "_active", "yesno", 0); 
+  $monitoring->setStatus($cron_name . "_message", "message", "Auto-Payout disabled");
+  $monitoring->setStatus($cron_name . "_status", "okerror", 1); 
+  $monitoring->setStatus($cron_name . "_endtime", "date", time());
+  exit(0);
+}
+
 if ($bitcoin->can_connect() !== true) {
   $log->logFatal(" unable to connect to RPC server, exiting");
   $monitoring->setStatus($cron_name . "_active", "yesno", 0);