diff --git a/server-ce/config/settings.js b/server-ce/config/settings.js
index c686a019f6..3b2bf91ab3 100644
--- a/server-ce/config/settings.js
+++ b/server-ce/config/settings.js
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@ const settings = {
     // Add https:// protocol prefix if not set (Allow plain-text http:// for Server Pro/CE).
     (process.env.OVERLEAF_STATUS_PAGE_URL.startsWith('http://') || process.env.OVERLEAF_STATUS_PAGE_URL.startsWith('https://')) ? process.env.OVERLEAF_STATUS_PAGE_URL : `https://${process.env.OVERLEAF_STATUS_PAGE_URL}`
     : undefined,
+  maintenanceMessage: process.env.OVERLEAF_MAINTENANCE_MESSAGE,
+  maintenanceMessageHTML: process.env.OVERLEAF_MAINTENANCE_MESSAGE_HTML,
 
   // The name this is used to describe your Overleaf Community Edition Installation
   appName: process.env.OVERLEAF_APP_NAME || 'Overleaf Community Edition',
diff --git a/services/web/app/src/Features/Errors/HttpErrorHandler.js b/services/web/app/src/Features/Errors/HttpErrorHandler.js
index 0908a1b3e2..e90d2491e9 100644
--- a/services/web/app/src/Features/Errors/HttpErrorHandler.js
+++ b/services/web/app/src/Features/Errors/HttpErrorHandler.js
@@ -144,9 +144,12 @@ module.exports = HttpErrorHandler = {
     } else {
       res.status(503)
     }
-    let message = `${Settings.appName} is currently down for maintenance.`
-    if (Settings.statusPageUrl) {
-      message += ` Please check ${Settings.statusPageUrl} for updates.`
+    let message = Settings.maintenanceMessage
+    if (!message) {
+      message = `${Settings.appName} is currently down for maintenance.`
+      if (Settings.statusPageUrl) {
+        message += ` Please check ${Settings.statusPageUrl} for updates.`
+      }
     }
     switch (req.accepts(['html', 'json'])) {
       case 'html':
diff --git a/services/web/app/views/general/closed.pug b/services/web/app/views/general/closed.pug
index 5725e35ea6..3bb8df8230 100644
--- a/services/web/app/views/general/closed.pug
+++ b/services/web/app/views/general/closed.pug
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@ block content
 					.page-header
 						h1 Maintenance
 					p
-						if settings.statusPageUrl
+						if settings.maintenanceMessageHTML
+							| !{settings.maintenanceMessageHTML}
+						else if settings.maintenanceMessage
+							| #{settings.maintenanceMessage}
+						else if settings.statusPageUrl
 							| #{settings.appName} is currently down for maintenance.
 							| Please check our #[a(href=settings.statusPageUrl target='_blank') status page]
 							| for updates.
diff --git a/services/web/test/acceptance/src/CloseSiteTests.mjs b/services/web/test/acceptance/src/CloseSiteTests.mjs
index 62a6461441..0037e16f67 100644
--- a/services/web/test/acceptance/src/CloseSiteTests.mjs
+++ b/services/web/test/acceptance/src/CloseSiteTests.mjs
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ import Settings from '@overleaf/settings'
 import request from './helpers/request.js'
 
 describe('siteIsOpen', function () {
+  afterEach(function () {
+    delete Settings.maintenanceMessage
+    delete Settings.maintenanceMessageHTML
+  })
+
   describe('when siteIsOpen is default (true)', function () {
     it('should get page', function (done) {
       return request.get('/login', (error, response, body) => {
@@ -41,6 +46,29 @@ describe('siteIsOpen', function () {
       })
     })
 
+    it('should return a custom message on maintenance page', function (done) {
+      const message = `Hello world (${Math.random()})`
+      Settings.maintenanceMessage = message
+      request.get('/login', (error, response, body) => {
+        response.statusCode.should.equal(503)
+        body.should.contain(message)
+        done()
+      })
+    })
+
+    it('should return a custom HTML message on maintenance page', function (done) {
+      const message = `Hello world (${Math.random()})`
+      const messageHTML = `<p style="color: ghostwhite">Hello world (${Math.random()})</p>`
+      Settings.maintenanceMessage = message
+      Settings.maintenanceMessageHTML = messageHTML
+      request.get('/login', (error, response, body) => {
+        response.statusCode.should.equal(503)
+        body.should.not.contain(message)
+        body.should.contain(messageHTML)
+        done()
+      })
+    })
+
     it('should return a plain text message for a json request', function (done) {
       request.get('/some/route', { json: true }, (error, response, body) => {
         response.statusCode.should.equal(503)
@@ -50,6 +78,18 @@ describe('siteIsOpen', function () {
       })
     })
 
+    it('should return a custom message for a json request', function (done) {
+      const message = `Hello world (${Math.random()})`
+      const messageHTML = `<p style="color: ghostwhite">Hello world (${Math.random()})</p>`
+      Settings.maintenanceMessage = message
+      Settings.maintenanceMessageHTML = messageHTML
+      request.get('/some/route', { json: true }, (error, response, body) => {
+        response.statusCode.should.equal(503)
+        body.message.should.equal(message)
+        done()
+      })
+    })
+
     it('should return a 200 on / for load balancer health checks', function (done) {
       request.get('/', (error, response, body) => {
         response.statusCode.should.equal(200)