diff --git a/data/lightdm-webkit2-greeter.conf b/data/lightdm-webkit2-greeter.conf
index fcefbb3..0a621b6 100644
--- a/data/lightdm-webkit2-greeter.conf
+++ b/data/lightdm-webkit2-greeter.conf
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # [greeter]
 # debug_mode          = Greeter theme debug mode.
-# secure_mode         = Don't allow themes to make non-local http requests.
+# secure_mode         = Don't allow themes to make remote http requests.
 # screensaver-timeout = Blank the screen after this many seconds of inactivity.
 # webkit-theme        = Webkit theme to use.
 #
diff --git a/src/webkit2-extension.c b/src/webkit2-extension.c
index f329660..bb83485 100644
--- a/src/webkit2-extension.c
+++ b/src/webkit2-extension.c
@@ -1779,16 +1779,22 @@ autologin_timer_expired_cb(LightDMGreeter *greeter, WebKitWebExtension *extensio
 }
 
 
+static gboolean
+get_config_option_as_bool(const gchar *section, const gchar *key, GError *err) {
+	return g_key_file_get_boolean(keyfile, section, key, &err);
+}
+
 static gchar*
-get_config_option(const gchar *section, const gchar *key) {
+get_config_option_as_string(const gchar *section, const gchar *key) {
 	gchar *value;
 	GError *err = NULL;
 
 	value = g_key_file_get_string(keyfile, section, key, &err);
 
-	if (err) {
+	if (NULL != err) {
 		g_error(err->message);
 		g_error_free(err);
+		g_free(value);
 		return "";
 	}
 
@@ -1812,13 +1818,13 @@ should_block_request(const char *file_path) {
 
 	paths = g_slist_prepend(paths, THEME_DIR);
 
-	background_images_dir = get_config_option("branding", "background_images");
+	background_images_dir = get_config_option_as_string("branding", "background_images");
 	paths = g_slist_prepend(paths, background_images_dir);
 
-	user_image = get_config_option("branding", "user_image");
+	user_image = get_config_option_as_string("branding", "user_image");
 	paths = g_slist_prepend(paths, user_image);
 
-	logo = get_config_option("branding", "logo");
+	logo = get_config_option_as_string("branding", "logo");
 	paths = g_slist_prepend(paths, logo);
 
 	canonical_path = canonicalize_file_name(file_path);
@@ -1895,6 +1901,16 @@ page_created_cb(WebKitWebExtension *extension,
 				WebKitWebPage      *web_page,
 				gpointer            user_data) {
 
+	gboolean secure_mode;
+	GError *err = NULL;
+
+	secure_mode = get_config_option_as_bool("greeter", "secure_mode", err);
+
+	if (FALSE == secure_mode && NULL == err) {
+		// secure_mode is disabled in our config file. bail.
+		return;
+	}
+
 	page_id = webkit_web_page_get_id(web_page);
 
 	g_signal_connect(