diff --git a/packages/grafana-runtime/src/config.ts b/packages/grafana-runtime/src/config.ts
index 8fba0c6d6f5..4a5151589ab 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-runtime/src/config.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-runtime/src/config.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   GrafanaTheme,
   GrafanaTheme2,
   LicenseInfo,
+  MapLayerOptions,
   PanelPluginMeta,
   systemDateFormats,
   SystemDateFormatSettings,
@@ -87,6 +88,8 @@ export class GrafanaBootConfig implements GrafanaConfig {
   caching = {
     enabled: false,
   };
+  geomapDefaultBaseLayer?: MapLayerOptions;
+  geomapDisableCustomBaseLayer?: boolean;
 
   constructor(options: GrafanaBootConfig) {
     const mode = options.bootData.user.lightTheme ? 'light' : 'dark';
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/default.ts b/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/default.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..df526932ae8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/default.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { MapLayerRegistryItem, MapLayerOptions, GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
+import Map from 'ol/Map';
+import { carto } from './carto';
+import { esriXYZTiles } from './esri';
+import { xyzTiles } from './generic';
+import { standard } from './osm';
+import { config } from 'app/core/config';
+
+// Array of base map options to search through
+const baseLayers = [carto, esriXYZTiles, xyzTiles, standard];
+
+// Default base layer depending on the server setting
+export const defaultBaseLayer: MapLayerRegistryItem = {
+  id: 'default',
+  name: 'Default base layer',
+  isBaseMap: true,
+
+  create: (map: Map, options: MapLayerOptions, theme: GrafanaTheme2) => {
+    // Use Carto as the default base layer if not set from server
+    let layer: any = carto;
+    if (config.geomapDefaultBaseLayer && config.geomapDefaultBaseLayer.type) {
+      options = config.geomapDefaultBaseLayer; // options from server
+      layer = baseLayers.find((baseLayer) => baseLayer.id === options.type);
+      if (!layer) {
+        throw new Error('Invalid default base map type');
+      }
+    }
+    return layer.create(map, options, theme);
+  },
+};
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/index.ts b/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/index.ts
index 76f77ce1581..f34b69051aa 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/index.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/index.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-import { cartoLayers, carto } from './carto';
+import { cartoLayers } from './carto';
 import { esriLayers } from './esri';
 import { genericLayers } from './generic';
 import { osmLayers } from './osm';
+import { defaultBaseLayer } from './default';
 
-// For now just use carto
 export const defaultGrafanaThemedMap = {
-  ...carto,
+  ...defaultBaseLayer,
   id: 'default',
   name: 'Default base layer',
 };
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/osm.ts b/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/osm.ts
index 88a20a09b3c..f2c45cfd67e 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/osm.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/layers/basemaps/osm.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import Map from 'ol/Map';
 import OSM from 'ol/source/OSM';
 import TileLayer from 'ol/layer/Tile';
 
-const standard: MapLayerRegistryItem = {
+export const standard: MapLayerRegistryItem = {
   id: 'osm-standard',
   name: 'Open Street Map',
   isBaseMap: true,
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/module.tsx b/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/module.tsx
index d10f4dc4f59..b64880087d5 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/module.tsx
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/geomap/module.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { defaultView, GeomapPanelOptions } from './types';
 import { mapPanelChangedHandler } from './migrations';
 import { defaultGrafanaThemedMap } from './layers/basemaps';
 import { defaultMarkersConfig } from './layers/data/markersLayer';
+import { config } from 'app/core/config';
 
 export const plugin = new PanelPlugin<GeomapPanelOptions>(GeomapPanel)
   .setNoPadding()
@@ -33,17 +34,19 @@ export const plugin = new PanelPlugin<GeomapPanelOptions>(GeomapPanel)
     });
 
     // Nested
-    builder.addCustomEditor({
-      category: ['Base Layer'],
-      id: 'basemap',
-      path: 'basemap',
-      name: 'Base Layer',
-      editor: BaseLayerEditor,
-      defaultValue: {
-        type: defaultGrafanaThemedMap.id,
-        config: defaultGrafanaThemedMap.defaultOptions,
-      },
-    });
+    if (!config.geomapDisableCustomBaseLayer) {
+      builder.addCustomEditor({
+        category: ['Base Layer'],
+        id: 'basemap',
+        path: 'basemap',
+        name: 'Base Layer',
+        editor: BaseLayerEditor,
+        defaultValue: {
+          type: defaultGrafanaThemedMap.id,
+          config: defaultGrafanaThemedMap.defaultOptions,
+        },
+      });
+    }
 
     builder.addCustomEditor({
       category: ['Data Layer'],