diff --git a/pkg/api/frontendsettings.go b/pkg/api/frontendsettings.go
index 8f5457cf271..6d6cc708496 100644
--- a/pkg/api/frontendsettings.go
+++ b/pkg/api/frontendsettings.go
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) getFrontendSettingsMap(c *m.ReqContext) (map[string]interf
 		"externalUserMngInfo":        setting.ExternalUserMngInfo,
 		"externalUserMngLinkUrl":     setting.ExternalUserMngLinkUrl,
 		"externalUserMngLinkName":    setting.ExternalUserMngLinkName,
+		"viewersCanEdit":             setting.ViewersCanEdit,
 		"buildInfo": map[string]interface{}{
 			"version":       setting.BuildVersion,
 			"commit":        setting.BuildCommit,
diff --git a/pkg/api/index.go b/pkg/api/index.go
index 2980d8a5c6b..e90db84016d 100644
--- a/pkg/api/index.go
+++ b/pkg/api/index.go
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) setIndexViewData(c *m.ReqContext) (*dtos.IndexViewData, er
 		Children: dashboardChildNavs,
 	})
 
-	if setting.ExploreEnabled && (c.OrgRole == m.ROLE_ADMIN || c.OrgRole == m.ROLE_EDITOR) {
+	if setting.ExploreEnabled && (c.OrgRole == m.ROLE_ADMIN || c.OrgRole == m.ROLE_EDITOR || setting.ViewersCanEdit) {
 		data.NavTree = append(data.NavTree, &dtos.NavLink{
 			Text:     "Explore",
 			Id:       "explore",
diff --git a/public/app/core/config.ts b/public/app/core/config.ts
index 0aa159af84d..26f31ffcf54 100644
--- a/public/app/core/config.ts
+++ b/public/app/core/config.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ export class Settings {
   disableUserSignUp: boolean;
   loginHint: any;
   loginError: any;
+  viewersCanEdit: boolean;
 
   constructor(options) {
     const defaults = {
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ export class Settings {
         env: 'production',
         isEnterprise: false,
       },
+      viewersCanEdit: false,
     };
 
     _.extend(this, defaults, options);
diff --git a/public/app/core/services/keybindingSrv.ts b/public/app/core/services/keybindingSrv.ts
index c02f6850e8b..a85d9b5a500 100644
--- a/public/app/core/services/keybindingSrv.ts
+++ b/public/app/core/services/keybindingSrv.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { getExploreUrl } from 'app/core/utils/explore';
 
 import Mousetrap from 'mousetrap';
 import 'mousetrap-global-bind';
+import { ContextSrv } from './context_srv';
 
 export class KeybindingSrv {
   helpModal: boolean;
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ export class KeybindingSrv {
     private $timeout,
     private datasourceSrv,
     private timeSrv,
-    private contextSrv
+    private contextSrv: ContextSrv
   ) {
     // clear out all shortcuts on route change
     $rootScope.$on('$routeChangeSuccess', () => {
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ export class KeybindingSrv {
     });
 
     // jump to explore if permissions allow
-    if (this.contextSrv.isEditor && config.exploreEnabled) {
+    if ((this.contextSrv.isEditor || config.viewersCanEdit) && config.exploreEnabled) {
       this.bind('x', async () => {
         if (dashboard.meta.focusPanelId) {
           const panel = dashboard.getPanelById(dashboard.meta.focusPanelId);
diff --git a/public/app/features/panel/metrics_panel_ctrl.ts b/public/app/features/panel/metrics_panel_ctrl.ts
index 5557b477b8f..576bde63114 100644
--- a/public/app/features/panel/metrics_panel_ctrl.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/panel/metrics_panel_ctrl.ts
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ class MetricsPanelCtrl extends PanelCtrl {
 
   getAdditionalMenuItems() {
     const items = [];
-    if (config.exploreEnabled && this.contextSrv.isEditor && this.datasource) {
+    if (config.exploreEnabled && (this.contextSrv.isEditor || config.viewersCanEdit) && this.datasource) {
       items.push({
         text: 'Explore',
         click: 'ctrl.explore();',
diff --git a/public/app/features/panel/specs/metrics_panel_ctrl.test.ts b/public/app/features/panel/specs/metrics_panel_ctrl.test.ts
index 913a2461fd0..d4ce5cda7e2 100644
--- a/public/app/features/panel/specs/metrics_panel_ctrl.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/panel/specs/metrics_panel_ctrl.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ jest.mock('app/core/core', () => ({}));
 jest.mock('app/core/config', () => {
   return {
     exploreEnabled: true,
+    viewersCanEdit: false,
     panels: {
       test: {
         id: 'test',
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ jest.mock('app/core/config', () => {
 import q from 'q';
 import { PanelModel } from 'app/features/dashboard/panel_model';
 import { MetricsPanelCtrl } from '../metrics_panel_ctrl';
+import config from 'app/core/config';
 
 describe('MetricsPanelCtrl', () => {
   let ctrl;
@@ -46,6 +48,19 @@ describe('MetricsPanelCtrl', () => {
         expect(additionalItems.length).toBe(1);
       });
     });
+
+    describe('and has datasource set that supports explore and viewersCanEdit is true', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        config.viewersCanEdit = true;
+        ctrl.contextSrv = { isEditor: false };
+        ctrl.datasource = { meta: { explore: true } };
+        additionalItems = ctrl.getAdditionalMenuItems();
+      });
+
+      it('should not return any items', () => {
+        expect(additionalItems.length).toBe(1);
+      });
+    });
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/public/app/routes/routes.ts b/public/app/routes/routes.ts
index 4b24f69b74e..8552d0510a9 100644
--- a/public/app/routes/routes.ts
+++ b/public/app/routes/routes.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import UsersListPage from 'app/features/users/UsersListPage';
 import DataSourceDashboards from 'app/features/datasources/DataSourceDashboards';
 import DataSourceSettingsPage from '../features/datasources/settings/DataSourceSettingsPage';
 import OrgDetailsPage from '../features/org/OrgDetailsPage';
+import config from 'app/core/config';
 
 /** @ngInject */
 export function setupAngularRoutes($routeProvider, $locationProvider) {
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ export function setupAngularRoutes($routeProvider, $locationProvider) {
       template: '<react-container />',
       reloadOnSearch: false,
       resolve: {
-        roles: () => ['Editor', 'Admin'],
+        roles: () => (config.viewersCanEdit ? [] : ['Editor', 'Admin']),
         component: () => import(/* webpackChunkName: "explore" */ 'app/features/explore/Wrapper'),
       },
     })