diff --git a/public/app/controllers/loginCtrl.js b/public/app/controllers/loginCtrl.js
index cda5a085fd3..767f788cea3 100644
--- a/public/app/controllers/loginCtrl.js
+++ b/public/app/controllers/loginCtrl.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ function (angular, config) {
       password: '',
     };
 
-    contextSrv.setSideMenuState(false);
+    contextSrv.sidemenu = false;
 
     $scope.googleAuthEnabled = config.googleAuthEnabled;
     $scope.githubAuthEnabled = config.githubAuthEnabled;
diff --git a/public/app/routes/dashLoadControllers.js b/public/app/routes/dashLoadControllers.js
index d26827248ce..c88f89bbf7f 100644
--- a/public/app/routes/dashLoadControllers.js
+++ b/public/app/routes/dashLoadControllers.js
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ function (angular, _, kbn, moment, $) {
 
   });
 
-  module.controller('DashFromSnapshotCtrl', function($scope, $routeParams, backendSrv) {
+  module.controller('DashFromSnapshotCtrl', function($scope, $routeParams, backendSrv, contextSrv) {
+    //don't show the sidemenu in snapshots.
+    contextSrv.sidemenu = false;
     backendSrv.get('/api/snapshots/' + $routeParams.key).then(function(result) {
       $scope.initDashboard(result, $scope);
     }, function() {
diff --git a/public/app/services/contextSrv.js b/public/app/services/contextSrv.js
index 99bbcccf156..c7d1afda522 100644
--- a/public/app/services/contextSrv.js
+++ b/public/app/services/contextSrv.js
@@ -45,7 +45,19 @@ function (angular, _, store, config) {
     this.user = new User();
     this.isSignedIn = this.user.isSignedIn;
     this.isGrafanaAdmin = this.user.isGrafanaAdmin;
-    this.sidemenu = store.getBool('grafana.sidemenu');
+    var sidemenuDefault = false;
+    if (this.hasRole('Admin')) {
+      sidemenuDefault = true;
+    }
+    this.sidemenu = store.getBool('grafana.sidemenu', sidemenuDefault);
+    if (this.isSignedIn && !store.exists('grafana.sidemenu')) {
+      // If the sidemnu has never been set before, set it to false.
+      // This will result in this.sidemenu and the localStorage grafana.sidemenu
+      // to be out of sync if the user has an admin role.  But this is
+      // intentional and results in the user seeing the sidemenu only on
+      // their first login.
+      store.set('grafana.sidemenu', false);
+    }
     this.isEditor = this.hasRole('Editor') || this.hasRole('Admin');
   });
 });