diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsPlayerListener.java b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsPlayerListener.java
index 8b6b2d51f16..013ef74d6aa 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsPlayerListener.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsPlayerListener.java
@@ -574,6 +574,17 @@ public void onPlayerLogin(final PlayerLoginEvent event) {
                 event.disallow(Result.KICK_FULL, tlLiteral("serverFull"));
             }
         }
+        if (event.getResult() == Result.KICK_WHITELIST) {
+            final User kfuser = ess.getUser(event.getPlayer());
+            kfuser.update(event.getPlayer());
+            if (kfuser.isAuthorized("essentials.whitelist.bypass")) {
+                event.allow();
+                return;
+            }
+            if (ess.getSettings().isCustomWhitelistMessage()) {
+                event.disallow(Result.KICK_WHITELIST, tlLiteral("whitelistKick"));
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     @EventHandler(priority = EventPriority.HIGH, ignoreCancelled = true)
diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/ISettings.java b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/ISettings.java
index 302d3a15783..1f82c27f270 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/ISettings.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/ISettings.java
@@ -318,6 +318,8 @@ public interface ISettings extends IConf {
 
     boolean isCustomServerFullMessage();
 
+    boolean isCustomWhitelistMessage();
+
     boolean isNotifyNoNewMail();
 
     boolean isDropItemsIfFull();
diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java
index 45d47db0b11..b9cb054e680 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/Settings.java
@@ -1634,6 +1634,11 @@ public boolean isCustomServerFullMessage() {
         return config.getBoolean("use-custom-server-full-message", true);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean isCustomWhitelistMessage() {
+        return config.getBoolean("use-custom-whitelist-message", true);
+    }
+
     @Override
     public int getJoinQuitMessagePlayerCount() {
         return config.getInt("hide-join-quit-messages-above", -1);
@@ -2139,7 +2144,7 @@ public boolean showZeroBaltop() {
     public String getNickRegex() {
         return config.getString("allowed-nicks-regex", "^[a-zA-Z_0-9§]+$");
     }
-  
+
     @Override
     public BigDecimal getMultiplier(final User user) {
         BigDecimal multiplier = defaultMultiplier;
diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/resources/config.yml b/Essentials/src/main/resources/config.yml
index 27eafcae5bd..479472dc675 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/resources/config.yml
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/resources/config.yml
@@ -597,6 +597,10 @@ custom-new-username-message: "none"
 # Set to false to keep the vanilla message.
 use-custom-server-full-message: true
 
+# Should Essentials override the vanilla "You are not whitelisted on this server" message with its own from the language file?
+# Set to false to keep the vanilla message.
+use-custom-whitelist-message: true
+
 # You can disable join and quit messages when the player count reaches a certain limit.
 # When the player count is below this number, join/quit messages will always be shown.
 # Set this to -1 to always show join and quit messages regardless of player count.
diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/resources/messages.properties b/Essentials/src/main/resources/messages.properties
index 0274cd4acec..7385893f059 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/resources/messages.properties
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/resources/messages.properties
@@ -1131,6 +1131,7 @@ sellCommandUsage4=/<command> blocks [amount]
 sellCommandUsage4Description=Sells all (or the given amount, if specified) of blocks in your inventory
 sellHandPermission=<primary>You do not have permission to hand sell.
 serverFull=Server is full\!
+whitelistKick=Whitelist enabled\!
 serverReloading=There's a good chance you're reloading your server right now. If that's the case, why do you hate yourself? Expect no support from the EssentialsX team when using /reload.
 serverTotal=<primary>Server Total\:<secondary> {0}
 serverUnsupported=You are running an unsupported server version\!
diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/resources/plugin.yml b/Essentials/src/main/resources/plugin.yml
index ad605a788f9..5ae740a886d 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/resources/plugin.yml
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/resources/plugin.yml
@@ -968,6 +968,8 @@ permissions:
     description: Allows the user to keep their exp on death, instead of dropping it.
   essentials.joinfullserver:
     description: Allows the to join the server even if it is full
+  essentials.whitelist.bypass:
+    description: Allows a player to join the server even if they are not whitelisted.
   essentials.kick:
     description: Allows access to the /kick command
   essentials.kick.exempt: