diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/simplifiedUI/settingsApp/general/General.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/simplifiedUI/settingsApp/general/General.qml
index 9e58a0aa98..24fff2dae4 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/simplifiedUI/settingsApp/general/General.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/simplifiedUI/settingsApp/general/General.qml
@@ -136,17 +136,17 @@ Flickable {
                     Layout.preferredHeight: 18
                     Layout.preferredWidth: parent.width
                     labelTextOn: "Show Emote UI"
-                    checked: Settings.getValue("simplifiedUI/emoteIndicatorVisible", true)
+                    checked: Settings.getValue("simplifiedUI/allowEmoteDrawerExpansion", true)
                     onClicked: {
-                        var currentSetting = Settings.getValue("simplifiedUI/emoteIndicatorVisible", true);
-                        Settings.setValue("simplifiedUI/emoteIndicatorVisible", !currentSetting);
+                        var currentSetting = Settings.getValue("simplifiedUI/allowEmoteDrawerExpansion", true);
+                        Settings.setValue("simplifiedUI/allowEmoteDrawerExpansion", !currentSetting);
                     }                    
 
                     Connections {
                         target: Settings
 
                         onValueChanged: {
-                            if (setting === "simplifiedUI/emoteIndicatorVisible") {
+                            if (setting === "simplifiedUI/allowEmoteDrawerExpansion") {
                                 emoteSwitch.checked = value;
                             }
                         }
diff --git a/scripts/simplifiedUI/simplifiedEmote/simplifiedEmote.js b/scripts/simplifiedUI/simplifiedEmote/simplifiedEmote.js
index cd6c80dd64..ab2cef7cb2 100644
--- a/scripts/simplifiedUI/simplifiedEmote/simplifiedEmote.js
+++ b/scripts/simplifiedUI/simplifiedEmote/simplifiedEmote.js
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ function onGeometryChanged(rect) {
 function onWindowMinimizedChanged(isMinimized) {
     if (isMinimized) {
         handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(false);
-    } else if (!HMD.active && Settings.getValue("simplifiedUI/emoteIndicatorVisible", true)) {
+    } else if (!HMD.active) {
         handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(true);
     }
 }
@@ -520,8 +520,8 @@ function showEmoteAppBar() {
 }
 
 
-function handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(newValue) {
-    if (newValue && !emoteAppBarWindow) {
+function handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(shouldBeVisible) {
+    if (shouldBeVisible && !emoteAppBarWindow) {
         showEmoteAppBar();
     } else if (emoteAppBarWindow) {
         emoteAppBarWindow.fromQml.disconnect(onMessageFromEmoteAppBar);
@@ -531,13 +531,6 @@ function handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(newValue) {
 }
 
 
-function onSettingsValueChanged(settingName, newValue) {
-    if (settingName === "simplifiedUI/emoteIndicatorVisible") {
-        handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(newValue);
-    }
-}
-
-
 function onDisplayModeChanged(isHMDMode) {
     reactionsBegun.forEach(function(react) {
         endReactionWrapper(react);
@@ -545,7 +538,7 @@ function onDisplayModeChanged(isHMDMode) {
 
     if (isHMDMode) {
         handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(false);
-    } else if (Settings.getValue("simplifiedUI/emoteIndicatorVisible", true)) {
+    } else {
         handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(true);
     }
 }
@@ -584,12 +577,11 @@ function init() {
 
     Window.minimizedChanged.connect(onWindowMinimizedChanged);
     Window.geometryChanged.connect(onGeometryChanged);
-    Settings.valueChanged.connect(onSettingsValueChanged);
     HMD.displayModeChanged.connect(onDisplayModeChanged);
     emojiAPI.startup();
 
     getSounds();
-    handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(Settings.getValue("simplifiedUI/emoteIndicatorVisible", true));
+    handleEmoteIndicatorVisibleChanged(true);
     
     Controller.keyPressEvent.connect(keyPressHandler);
     Controller.keyReleaseEvent.connect(keyReleaseHandler);
@@ -621,7 +613,6 @@ function shutdown() {
 
     Window.minimizedChanged.disconnect(onWindowMinimizedChanged);
     Window.geometryChanged.disconnect(onGeometryChanged);
-    Settings.valueChanged.disconnect(onSettingsValueChanged);
     HMD.displayModeChanged.disconnect(onDisplayModeChanged);
 
     if (keyPressSignalsConnected) {
diff --git a/scripts/simplifiedUI/simplifiedEmote/ui/qml/SimplifiedEmoteIndicator.qml b/scripts/simplifiedUI/simplifiedEmote/ui/qml/SimplifiedEmoteIndicator.qml
index a401feec12..787ccadd62 100644
--- a/scripts/simplifiedUI/simplifiedEmote/ui/qml/SimplifiedEmoteIndicator.qml
+++ b/scripts/simplifiedUI/simplifiedEmote/ui/qml/SimplifiedEmoteIndicator.qml
@@ -21,20 +21,24 @@ Rectangle {
     id: root
     color: simplifiedUI.colors.white
     anchors.fill: parent
-
     property int originalWidth: 48
     property int expandedWidth: mainEmojiContainer.width + drawerContainer.width
     // For the below to work, the Repeater's Item's second child must be the individual button's `MouseArea`
-    property int requestedWidth: (drawerContainer.keepDrawerExpanded ||
-        emoteIndicatorMouseArea.containsMouse ||
-        emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(0).hovered ||
-        emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(1).hovered ||
-        emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(2).hovered ||
-        emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(3).hovered ||
-        emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(4).hovered ||
-        emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(5).hovered) ? expandedWidth : originalWidth;
+    property int requestedWidth: (
+        root.allowEmoteDrawerExpansion && (
+            drawerContainer.keepDrawerExpanded ||
+            emoteIndicatorMouseArea.containsMouse ||
+            emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(0).hovered ||
+            emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(1).hovered ||
+            emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(2).hovered ||
+            emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(3).hovered ||
+            emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(4).hovered ||
+            emoteButtonsRepeater.itemAt(5).hovered)
+        ) ? expandedWidth : originalWidth;
     readonly property int totalEmojiDurationMS: 7000 // Must match `TOTAL_EMOJI_DURATION_MS` in `simplifiedEmoji.js`
     readonly property string emoteIconSource: "images/emote_Icon.svg"
+    property bool allowEmoteDrawerExpansion: Settings.getValue("simplifiedUI/allowEmoteDrawerExpansion", true)
+
 
     onRequestedWidthChanged: {
         root.requestNewWidth(root.requestedWidth);
@@ -45,6 +49,16 @@ Rectangle {
         SmoothedAnimation { duration: 220 }
     }
 
+    Connections {
+        target: Settings
+
+        onValueChanged: {
+            if (setting === "simplifiedUI/allowEmoteDrawerExpansion") {
+                root.allowEmoteDrawerExpansion = value;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     SimplifiedConstants.SimplifiedConstants {
         id: simplifiedUI
     }
@@ -158,7 +172,7 @@ Rectangle {
             anchors.fill: lockIcon
             source: lockIcon
             color: "#ffffff"
-            visible: drawerContainer.keepDrawerExpanded
+            visible: root.allowEmoteDrawerExpansion && drawerContainer.keepDrawerExpanded
         }
 
         MouseArea {