diff --git a/app/soapbox/custom.js b/app/soapbox/custom.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..31f565ed7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/soapbox/custom.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+/**
+ * Functions for dealing with custom build configuration.
+ */
+
+/** Require a custom JSON file if it exists */
+export const custom = (filename, fallback = {}) => {
+  const context = require.context('custom', false, /\.json$/);
+  const path = `./${filename}.json`;
+
+  return context.keys().includes(path) ? context(path) : fallback;
+};
diff --git a/app/soapbox/utils/features.js b/app/soapbox/utils/features.js
index 0516ef02d..44621a322 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/utils/features.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/utils/features.js
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ import { createSelector } from 'reselect';
 import gte from 'semver/functions/gte';
 import lt from 'semver/functions/lt';
 
+import { custom } from 'soapbox/custom';
+
+// Import custom overrides, if exists
+const overrides = custom('features');
+
+// Truthy array convenience function
 const any = arr => arr.some(Boolean);
 
 // For uglification
@@ -16,7 +22,7 @@ export const getFeatures = createSelector([instance => instance], instance => {
   const features = instance.getIn(['pleroma', 'metadata', 'features'], ImmutableList());
   const federation = instance.getIn(['pleroma', 'metadata', 'federation'], ImmutableMap());
 
-  return {
+  return Object.assign({
     bookmarks: any([
       v.software === MASTODON && gte(v.compatVersion, '3.1.0'),
       v.software === PLEROMA && gte(v.version, '0.9.9'),
@@ -93,7 +99,7 @@ export const getFeatures = createSelector([instance => instance], instance => {
       v.software === MASTODON && gte(v.compatVersion, '3.2.0'),
       v.software === PLEROMA && gte(v.version, '2.4.50'),
     ]),
-  };
+  }, overrides);
 });
 
 export const parseVersion = version => {
diff --git a/babel.config.js b/babel.config.js
index b9f7954d1..0791d27f4 100644
--- a/babel.config.js
+++ b/babel.config.js
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ module.exports = (api) => {
     ]);
     break;
   case 'test':
+    config.plugins.push(...[
+      'transform-require-context',
+    ]);
     envOptions.modules = 'commonjs';
     break;
   }
diff --git a/docs/development/build-config.md b/docs/development/build-config.md
index e5083b8a0..a5f9a741b 100644
--- a/docs/development/build-config.md
+++ b/docs/development/build-config.md
@@ -1,5 +1,45 @@
 # Build Configuration
 
+Soapbox supports compile-time customizations in the form of environment variables and a gitignored `custom/` directory.
+
+## `custom/` directory
+
+You can place files into the `custom/` directory to customize the Soapbox build.
+
+### Custom locales (`custom/locales/*.json`)
+
+It is possible to override locale messages by creating a file for each language, eg `custom/locales/en.json`.
+In this file, add only the messages you want to be overridden.
+For example:
+
+```json
+{
+  "account.posts": "Poasts",
+  "account.posts_with_replies": "Poasts & Replies",
+  "compose.submit_success": "Your poast was sent!",
+  "compose_form.publish": "Poast"
+}
+```
+
+These messages will be merged into the language file shipped with Soapbox.
+
+### Feature overrides (`custom/features.json`)
+
+You can create a file called `custom/features.json` to disable version-checking and force some features on or off.
+For example:
+
+```json
+{
+  "bookmarks": false,
+  "lists": false,
+  "quotePosts": true
+}
+```
+
+See `app/soapbox/utils/features.js` for the full list of features.
+
+## Environment variables
+
 When compiling Soapbox FE, environment variables may be passed to change the build itself.
 For example:
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5b9b1d9ac..dcdca8734 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@
     "babel-plugin-preval": "^5.0.0",
     "babel-plugin-react-intl": "^7.5.20",
     "babel-plugin-transform-react-remove-prop-types": "^0.4.24",
+    "babel-plugin-transform-require-context": "^0.1.1",
     "blurhash": "^1.0.0",
     "bootstrap-icons": "^1.5.0",
     "bowser": "^2.11.0",
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 3623eb0ff..36ed26b5d 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -1141,6 +1141,15 @@
   dependencies:
     regenerator-runtime "^0.13.4"
 
+"@babel/template@7", "@babel/template@^7.16.7":
+  version "7.16.7"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@babel/template/-/template-7.16.7.tgz#8d126c8701fde4d66b264b3eba3d96f07666d155"
+  integrity sha512-I8j/x8kHUrbYRTUxXrrMbfCa7jxkE7tZre39x3kjr9hvI82cK1FfqLygotcWN5kdPGWcLdWMHpSBavse5tWw3w==
+  dependencies:
+    "@babel/code-frame" "^7.16.7"
+    "@babel/parser" "^7.16.7"
+    "@babel/types" "^7.16.7"
+
 "@babel/template@^7.15.4", "@babel/template@^7.3.3":
   version "7.15.4"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@babel/template/-/template-7.15.4.tgz#51898d35dcf3faa670c4ee6afcfd517ee139f194"
@@ -1150,15 +1159,6 @@
     "@babel/parser" "^7.15.4"
     "@babel/types" "^7.15.4"
 
-"@babel/template@^7.16.7":
-  version "7.16.7"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@babel/template/-/template-7.16.7.tgz#8d126c8701fde4d66b264b3eba3d96f07666d155"
-  integrity sha512-I8j/x8kHUrbYRTUxXrrMbfCa7jxkE7tZre39x3kjr9hvI82cK1FfqLygotcWN5kdPGWcLdWMHpSBavse5tWw3w==
-  dependencies:
-    "@babel/code-frame" "^7.16.7"
-    "@babel/parser" "^7.16.7"
-    "@babel/types" "^7.16.7"
-
 "@babel/traverse@^7.1.0", "@babel/traverse@^7.13.0", "@babel/traverse@^7.15.4", "@babel/traverse@^7.7.0", "@babel/traverse@^7.7.2":
   version "7.15.4"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@babel/traverse/-/traverse-7.15.4.tgz#ff8510367a144bfbff552d9e18e28f3e2889c22d"
@@ -2579,6 +2579,13 @@ babel-plugin-transform-react-remove-prop-types@^0.4.24:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/babel-plugin-transform-react-remove-prop-types/-/babel-plugin-transform-react-remove-prop-types-0.4.24.tgz#f2edaf9b4c6a5fbe5c1d678bfb531078c1555f3a"
   integrity sha512-eqj0hVcJUR57/Ug2zE1Yswsw4LhuqqHhD+8v120T1cl3kjg76QwtyBrdIk4WVwK+lAhBJVYCd/v+4nc4y+8JsA==
 
+babel-plugin-transform-require-context@^0.1.1:
+  version "0.1.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/babel-plugin-transform-require-context/-/babel-plugin-transform-require-context-0.1.1.tgz#319b545ca83080b5062776b46cc9b8b346fea9a6"
+  integrity sha512-4ceqYOtzgmq4/QsB8dP7pUrUOCjY/jrRYdt7YkIOWHxtGDQbcf6YZDyLCiPQf6KsEIcIbSQiTRXOsbLiuJfgNQ==
+  dependencies:
+    "@babel/template" "7"
+
 babel-preset-current-node-syntax@^1.0.0:
   version "1.0.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/babel-preset-current-node-syntax/-/babel-preset-current-node-syntax-1.0.1.tgz#b4399239b89b2a011f9ddbe3e4f401fc40cff73b"