diff --git a/lib/galaxy/jobs/__init__.py b/lib/galaxy/jobs/__init__.py
index 19f9d332563..1bfb3511eda 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/jobs/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/jobs/__init__.py
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ class JobQueue( object ):
         """Start the job manager"""
         self.app = app
         self.sa_session = app.model.context
+        self.job_lock = False
         # Should we read jobs form the database, or use an in memory queue
         self.track_jobs_in_database = app.config.get_bool( 'track_jobs_in_database', False )
         # Keep track of the pid that started the job manager, only it
@@ -197,8 +198,13 @@ class JobQueue( object ):
                 elif job_state == JOB_INPUT_DELETED:
                     log.info( "job %d unable to run: one or more inputs deleted" % job.job_id )
                 elif job_state == JOB_READY:
-                    self.dispatcher.put( job )
-                    log.debug( "job %d dispatched" % job.job_id)
+                    if self.job_lock:
+                        log.info("Job dispatch attempted for %s, but prevented by administrative lock." % job.job_id)
+                        if not self.track_jobs_in_database:
+                            new_waiting.append( job )
+                    else:
+                        self.dispatcher.put( job )
+                        log.debug( "job %d dispatched" % job.job_id)
                 elif job_state == JOB_DELETED:
                     msg = "job %d deleted by user while still queued" % job.job_id
                     job.info = msg
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py b/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py
index 10df7180445..d2d3b86fb7a 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py
@@ -1404,7 +1404,8 @@ class Admin( object ):
 
     @web.expose
     @web.require_admin
-    def jobs( self, trans, stop = [], stop_msg = None, cutoff = 180, **kwd ):
+    def jobs( self, trans, stop = [], stop_msg = None, cutoff = 180, job_lock = None, **kwd ):
+        # DBTODO admin job lock.
         deleted = []
         msg = None
         status = None
@@ -1425,6 +1426,10 @@ class Admin( object ):
             msg += ' for deletion: '
             msg += ', '.join( deleted )
             status = 'done'
+        if job_lock == 'lock':
+            trans.app.job_manager.job_queue.job_lock = True
+        elif job_lock == 'unlock':
+            trans.app.job_manager.job_queue.job_lock = False
         cutoff_time = datetime.utcnow() - timedelta( seconds=int( cutoff ) )
         jobs = trans.sa_session.query( trans.app.model.Job ) \
                                .filter( and_( trans.app.model.Job.table.c.update_time < cutoff_time,
@@ -1445,7 +1450,8 @@ class Admin( object ):
                                     last_updated = last_updated,
                                     cutoff = cutoff,
                                     msg = msg,
-                                    status = status )
+                                    status = status,
+                                    job_lock = trans.app.job_manager.job_queue.job_lock )
 
 ## ---- Utility methods -------------------------------------------------------
         
diff --git a/templates/admin/jobs.mako b/templates/admin/jobs.mako
index 67f509821f4..4aac9485886 100644
--- a/templates/admin/jobs.mako
+++ b/templates/admin/jobs.mako
@@ -110,5 +110,30 @@
             </div>
         </div>
     </div>
+	<p/>
+    <div class="toolForm">
+        <div class="toolFormTitle">
+            Administrative Job Lock
+        </div>
+        <div class="toolFormBody">
+	%if job_lock==True:
+            <div class="form-row">
+				<p>All job execution is currently locked.  Click here to unlock.</p>
+				<input type='hidden' name='job_lock' value='unlock'/>
+            </div>
+            <div class="form-row">
+                <input type="submit" class="primary-button" name="submit" value="Unlock">
+            </div>
+	%else:
+		    <div class="form-row">
+				<p>To prevent new jobs from dispatching, you can lock down the job queue here.</p>
+				<input type='hidden' name='job_lock' value='lock'/>
+		    </div>
+		    <div class="form-row">
+		        <input type="submit" class="primary-button" name="submit" value="Lock">
+		    </div>
+	%endif
+        </div>
+    </div>
 
 </form>