diff --git a/apps/profile/lib/Listener/ProfilePickerReferenceListener.php b/apps/profile/lib/Listener/ProfilePickerReferenceListener.php
index 242f89b1e7e..124d10e035c 100644
--- a/apps/profile/lib/Listener/ProfilePickerReferenceListener.php
+++ b/apps/profile/lib/Listener/ProfilePickerReferenceListener.php
@@ -12,17 +12,36 @@ use OCA\Profile\AppInfo\Application;
 use OCP\Collaboration\Reference\RenderReferenceEvent;
 use OCP\EventDispatcher\Event;
 use OCP\EventDispatcher\IEventListener;
+use OCP\IAppConfig;
+use OCP\Profile\IProfileManager;
 use OCP\Util;
 
 /**
  * @template-implements IEventListener<RenderReferenceEvent>
  */
 class ProfilePickerReferenceListener implements IEventListener {
+
+	public function __construct(
+		private IAppConfig $appConfig,
+		private IProfileManager $profileManager,
+	) {
+	}
+
 	public function handle(Event $event): void {
 		if (!$event instanceof RenderReferenceEvent) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		Util::addScript(Application::APP_ID, 'reference');
+		$profileEnabledGlobally = $this->profileManager->isProfileEnabled();
+
+		$profilePickerEnabled = filter_var(
+			$this->appConfig->getValueString('settings', 'profile_picker_enabled', '1'),
+			FILTER_VALIDATE_BOOLEAN,
+			FILTER_NULL_ON_FAILURE,
+		);
+
+		if ($profileEnabledGlobally && $profilePickerEnabled) {
+			Util::addScript(Application::APP_ID, 'reference');
+		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/apps/profile/lib/Reference/ProfilePickerReferenceProvider.php b/apps/profile/lib/Reference/ProfilePickerReferenceProvider.php
index e5c4daa5097..9b748a42d6d 100644
--- a/apps/profile/lib/Reference/ProfilePickerReferenceProvider.php
+++ b/apps/profile/lib/Reference/ProfilePickerReferenceProvider.php
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use OCP\Collaboration\Reference\ADiscoverableReferenceProvider;
 use OCP\Collaboration\Reference\IReference;
 use OCP\Collaboration\Reference\Reference;
 
+use OCP\IAppConfig;
 use OCP\IL10N;
 use OCP\IURLGenerator;
 use OCP\IUserManager;
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ use OCP\Profile\IProfileManager;
 
 class ProfilePickerReferenceProvider extends ADiscoverableReferenceProvider {
 	public const RICH_OBJECT_TYPE = 'profile_widget';
+	private bool $enabled;
 
 	public function __construct(
 		private IL10N $l10n,
@@ -29,8 +31,16 @@ class ProfilePickerReferenceProvider extends ADiscoverableReferenceProvider {
 		private IUserManager $userManager,
 		private IAccountManager $accountManager,
 		private IProfileManager $profileManager,
+		private IAppConfig $appConfig,
 		private ?string $userId,
 	) {
+		$profileEnabledGlobally = $this->profileManager->isProfileEnabled();
+		$profilePickerEnabled = filter_var(
+			$this->appConfig->getValueString('settings', 'profile_picker_enabled', '1'),
+			FILTER_VALIDATE_BOOLEAN,
+			FILTER_NULL_ON_FAILURE,
+		);
+		$this->enabled = $profileEnabledGlobally && $profilePickerEnabled;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -65,6 +75,9 @@ class ProfilePickerReferenceProvider extends ADiscoverableReferenceProvider {
 	 * @inheritDoc
 	 */
 	public function matchReference(string $referenceText): bool {
+		if (!$this->enabled) {
+			return false;
+		}
 		return $this->getObjectId($referenceText) !== null;
 	}
 
diff --git a/apps/settings/lib/Settings/Admin/Server.php b/apps/settings/lib/Settings/Admin/Server.php
index 02a6cd2736b..32328da5b1a 100644
--- a/apps/settings/lib/Settings/Admin/Server.php
+++ b/apps/settings/lib/Settings/Admin/Server.php
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class Server implements IDelegatedSettings {
 		// Profile page
 		$this->initialStateService->provideInitialState('profileEnabledGlobally', $this->profileManager->isProfileEnabled());
 		$this->initialStateService->provideInitialState('profileEnabledByDefault', $this->isProfileEnabledByDefault($this->config));
+		$this->initialStateService->provideInitialState('profilePickerEnabled', $this->isProfilePickerEnabled($this->config));
 
 		// Basic settings
 		$this->initialStateService->provideInitialState('restrictSystemTagsCreationToAdmin', $this->appConfig->getValueBool('systemtags', 'restrict_creation_to_admin', false));
diff --git a/apps/settings/src/components/BasicSettings/ProfileSettings.vue b/apps/settings/src/components/BasicSettings/ProfileSettings.vue
index 084155309d5..55d116cbe95 100644
--- a/apps/settings/src/components/BasicSettings/ProfileSettings.vue
+++ b/apps/settings/src/components/BasicSettings/ProfileSettings.vue
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
 			{{ t('settings', 'Profile') }}
 		</h2>
 
-		<p class="settings-hint">
+		<NcNoteCard type="info">
 			{{ t('settings', 'Enable or disable profile by default for new accounts.') }}
-		</p>
+		</NcNoteCard>
 
 		<NcCheckboxRadioSwitch
 			v-model="initialProfileEnabledByDefault"
@@ -21,6 +21,17 @@
 			@update:modelValue="onProfileDefaultChange">
 			{{ t('settings', 'Enable') }}
 		</NcCheckboxRadioSwitch>
+
+		<NcCheckboxRadioSwitch
+			v-model="initialProfilePickerEnabled"
+			type="switch"
+			@update:modelValue="onProfilePickerChange">
+			{{ t('settings', 'Enable the profile picker') }}
+		</NcCheckboxRadioSwitch>
+
+		<NcNoteCard type="info">
+			{{ t('settings', 'Enable or disable the profile picker in the Smart Picker and the profile link previews.') }}
+		</NcNoteCard>
 	</div>
 </template>
 
@@ -28,22 +39,26 @@
 import { showError } from '@nextcloud/dialogs'
 import { loadState } from '@nextcloud/initial-state'
 import NcCheckboxRadioSwitch from '@nextcloud/vue/components/NcCheckboxRadioSwitch'
+import NcNoteCard from '@nextcloud/vue/components/NcNoteCard'
 import logger from '../../logger.ts'
-import { saveProfileDefault } from '../../service/ProfileService.js'
+import { saveProfileDefault, saveProfilePicker } from '../../service/ProfileService.js'
 import { validateBoolean } from '../../utils/validate.js'
 
 const profileEnabledByDefault = loadState('settings', 'profileEnabledByDefault', true)
+const profilePickerEnabled = loadState('settings', 'profilePickerEnabled', true)
 
 export default {
 	name: 'ProfileSettings',
 
 	components: {
 		NcCheckboxRadioSwitch,
+		NcNoteCard,
 	},
 
 	data() {
 		return {
 			initialProfileEnabledByDefault: profileEnabledByDefault,
+			initialProfilePickerEnabled: profilePickerEnabled,
 		}
 	},
 
@@ -59,6 +74,7 @@ export default {
 				const responseData = await saveProfileDefault(isEnabled)
 				this.handleResponse({
 					isEnabled,
+					key: 'initialProfileEnabledByDefault',
 					status: responseData.ocs?.meta?.status,
 				})
 			} catch (e) {
@@ -69,9 +85,31 @@ export default {
 			}
 		},
 
-		handleResponse({ isEnabled, status, errorMessage, error }) {
+		async onProfilePickerChange(isEnabled) {
+			if (validateBoolean(isEnabled)) {
+				await this.updateProfilePicker(isEnabled)
+			}
+		},
+
+		async updateProfilePicker(isEnabled) {
+			try {
+				const responseData = await saveProfilePicker(isEnabled)
+				this.handleResponse({
+					isEnabled,
+					key: 'initialProfilePickerEnabled',
+					status: responseData.ocs?.meta?.status,
+				})
+			} catch (e) {
+				this.handleResponse({
+					errorMessage: t('settings', 'Unable to update profile picker setting'),
+					error: e,
+				})
+			}
+		},
+
+		handleResponse({ isEnabled, key, status, errorMessage, error }) {
 			if (status === 'ok') {
-				this.initialProfileEnabledByDefault = isEnabled
+				this[key] = isEnabled
 			} else {
 				showError(errorMessage)
 				logger.error(errorMessage, error)
@@ -80,3 +118,9 @@ export default {
 	},
 }
 </script>
+
+<style scoped lang="scss">
+#profile-settings {
+	max-width: 600px;
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/apps/settings/src/service/ProfileService.js b/apps/settings/src/service/ProfileService.js
index 1e0f4d46bbe..1490915c49b 100644
--- a/apps/settings/src/service/ProfileService.js
+++ b/apps/settings/src/service/ProfileService.js
@@ -52,3 +52,27 @@ export async function saveProfileDefault(isEnabled) {
 
 	return res.data
 }
+
+/**
+ * Save profile picker default
+ *
+ * @param {boolean} isEnabled the default
+ * @return {object}
+ */
+export async function saveProfilePicker(isEnabled) {
+	// Convert to string for compatibility
+	isEnabled = isEnabled ? '1' : '0'
+
+	const url = generateOcsUrl('/apps/provisioning_api/api/v1/config/apps/{appId}/{key}', {
+		appId: 'settings',
+		key: 'profile_picker_enabled',
+	})
+
+	await confirmPassword()
+
+	const res = await axios.post(url, {
+		value: isEnabled,
+	})
+
+	return res.data
+}
diff --git a/core/shipped.json b/core/shipped.json
index 54ba1d29227..0ea8051cadd 100644
--- a/core/shipped.json
+++ b/core/shipped.json
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@
     "twofactor_totp",
     "updatenotification",
     "user_ldap",
-    "user_picker",
     "user_status",
     "viewer",
     "weather_status",
diff --git a/lib/private/Profile/TProfileHelper.php b/lib/private/Profile/TProfileHelper.php
index ad24d82445c..77a6ea5dd32 100644
--- a/lib/private/Profile/TProfileHelper.php
+++ b/lib/private/Profile/TProfileHelper.php
@@ -19,4 +19,12 @@ trait TProfileHelper {
 			FILTER_NULL_ON_FAILURE,
 		);
 	}
+
+	protected function isProfilePickerEnabled(IConfig $config): ?bool {
+		return filter_var(
+			$config->getAppValue('settings', 'profile_picker_enabled', '1'),
+			FILTER_VALIDATE_BOOLEAN,
+			FILTER_NULL_ON_FAILURE,
+		);
+	}
 }