diff --git a/api/initial_perm.py b/api/initial_perm.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f4482fd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/initial_perm.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
+from django.contrib.auth.models import Permission
+from django.conf import settings
+
+api_content_type, created = ContentType.objects.get_or_create(
+    app_label=settings.API_CONTENT_TYPE_APP_LABEL,
+    model=settings.API_CONTENT_TYPE_MODEL
+)
+if created:
+    api_content_type.save()
+api_permission, created = Permission.objects.get_or_create(
+    name=settings.API_PERMISSION_NAME,
+    content_type=api_content_type,
+    codename=settings.API_PERMISSION_CODENAME
+)
+if created:
+    api_permission.save()
diff --git a/api/settings.py b/api/settings.py
index 767082ce..8cf152f2 100644
--- a/api/settings.py
+++ b/api/settings.py
@@ -35,3 +35,9 @@ REST_FRAMEWORK = {
         'api.permissions.DefaultACLPermission',
     )
 }
+
+# API permission settings
+API_CONTENT_TYPE_APP_LABEL = 'api'
+API_CONTENT_TYPE_MODEL = 'api'
+API_PERMISSION_NAME = 'Can use the API'
+API_PERMISSION_CODENAME = 'use_api'
diff --git a/api/urls.py b/api/urls.py
index 662dd8c4..90672b47 100644
--- a/api/urls.py
+++ b/api/urls.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from django.conf.urls import url, include
 from rest_framework.routers import DefaultRouter
 
 from . import views
+from . import initial_perm
 
 router = DefaultRouter()
 router.register(r'users', views.UserViewSet)
diff --git a/re2o/urls.py b/re2o/urls.py
index 47172521..34cb0b15 100644
--- a/re2o/urls.py
+++ b/re2o/urls.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ Including another URLconf
 """
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.conf.urls import include, url
 from django.contrib import admin
 from django.contrib.auth import views as auth_views
@@ -70,6 +71,8 @@ urlpatterns = [
         r'^preferences/',
         include('preferences.urls', namespace='preferences')
     ),
-    url(r'^api/', include('api.urls', namespace='api')),
-
 ]
+if 'api' in settings.INSTALLED_APPS:
+    urlpatterns += [
+        url(r'^api/', include('api.urls', namespace='api')),
+    ]