diff --git a/config/settings.py b/config/settings.py
index 6b59d565..4da789c8 100644
--- a/config/settings.py
+++ b/config/settings.py
@@ -444,7 +444,8 @@ class ConfigManager:
             "hydrabase": {
                 "url": "",
                 "api_key": "",
-                "auto_connect": False
+                "auto_connect": False,
+                "enabled": False
             },
             "content_filter": {
                 "allow_explicit": True
diff --git a/web_server.py b/web_server.py
index 6b7b100f..ab0d85c9 100644
--- a/web_server.py
+++ b/web_server.py
@@ -4560,12 +4560,16 @@ _comparison_lock = threading.Lock()
 
 def _is_hydrabase_active():
     """Check if Hydrabase should be used as the primary metadata source.
-    Returns False when dev mode is off — no behavior change for normal users."""
+    Active when: (dev_mode OR hydrabase.enabled config) AND client connected."""
     try:
-        return (dev_mode_enabled
-                and hydrabase_client is not None
-                and hydrabase_client.is_connected())
-    except NameError:
+        if hydrabase_client is None or not hydrabase_client.is_connected():
+            return False
+        # Dev mode always enables Hydrabase (legacy behavior)
+        if dev_mode_enabled:
+            return True
+        # Config toggle: user enabled Hydrabase as metadata source
+        return config_manager.get('hydrabase.enabled', False)
+    except (NameError, Exception):
         return False
 
 def _run_background_comparison(query, hydrabase_counts=None):
@@ -40759,7 +40763,10 @@ try:
             timeout=10
         )
         _hydrabase_ws = _auto_ws
-        dev_mode_enabled = True
+        # Enable dev mode only if Hydrabase was previously in dev mode
+        # The config toggle (hydrabase.enabled) handles non-dev usage
+        if not _hydra_cfg.get('enabled'):
+            dev_mode_enabled = True
         print(f"✅ Hydrabase auto-connected to {_hydra_cfg['url']}")
 except Exception as e:
     print(f"⚠️ Hydrabase auto-reconnect failed: {e}")
diff --git a/webui/index.html b/webui/index.html
index 3e0c0f09..db1b3aa9 100644
--- a/webui/index.html
+++ b/webui/index.html
@@ -3677,6 +3677,38 @@
                                     </div>
                                 </div>
 
+                                <!-- Hydrabase P2P Metadata -->
+                                <div class="api-service-frame" data-stg="connections">
+                                    <h4 class="service-title" style="color: #00b4d8;">Hydrabase</h4>
+                                    <div class="form-group" style="margin-bottom: 8px;">
+                                        <label class="checkbox-label" style="display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; cursor: pointer; padding: 0;">
+                                            <input type="checkbox" id="hydrabase-enabled" style="width: 16px; height: 16px;">
+                                            <span>Enable Hydrabase as metadata source</span>
+                                        </label>
+                                    </div>
+                                    <div class="form-group">
+                                        <label>WebSocket URL:</label>
+                                        <input type="text" id="hydrabase-url" placeholder="ws://localhost:4545">
+                                    </div>
+                                    <div class="form-group">
+                                        <label>API Key:</label>
+                                        <input type="password" id="hydrabase-api-key" placeholder="Hydrabase API Key">
+                                    </div>
+                                    <div class="form-group" style="margin-bottom: 8px;">
+                                        <label class="checkbox-label" style="display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; cursor: pointer; padding: 0;">
+                                            <input type="checkbox" id="hydrabase-auto-connect" style="width: 16px; height: 16px;">
+                                            <span>Auto-connect on startup</span>
+                                        </label>
+                                    </div>
+                                    <div class="callback-info">
+                                        <div class="callback-help">P2P metadata network. When enabled and connected, replaces Spotify/iTunes as the primary metadata source for searches.</div>
+                                    </div>
+                                    <div class="form-actions">
+                                        <button class="test-button" id="hydrabase-connect-btn" onclick="toggleHydrabaseFromSettings()">Connect</button>
+                                        <span id="hydrabase-settings-status" style="font-size: 0.82em; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.4); margin-left: 8px;"></span>
+                                    </div>
+                                </div>
+
                                 <!-- Test Connection Buttons -->
                                 <div class="api-test-buttons">
                                     <button class="test-button" onclick="testConnection('spotify')">Test
diff --git a/webui/static/script.js b/webui/static/script.js
index bc59183e..e3c323da 100644
--- a/webui/static/script.js
+++ b/webui/static/script.js
@@ -5467,6 +5467,13 @@ async function loadSettingsData() {
         // Populate Metadata source setting
         document.getElementById('metadata-fallback-source').value = settings.metadata?.fallback_source || 'itunes';
 
+        // Populate Hydrabase settings
+        const hbConfig = settings.hydrabase || {};
+        document.getElementById('hydrabase-enabled').checked = hbConfig.enabled || false;
+        document.getElementById('hydrabase-url').value = hbConfig.url || '';
+        document.getElementById('hydrabase-api-key').value = hbConfig.api_key || '';
+        document.getElementById('hydrabase-auto-connect').checked = hbConfig.auto_connect || false;
+
         // Populate Download settings (right column)
         document.getElementById('download-path').value = settings.soulseek?.download_path || './downloads';
         document.getElementById('transfer-path').value = settings.soulseek?.transfer_path || './Transfer';
@@ -6077,6 +6084,54 @@ async function saveQualityProfile() {
 // END QUALITY PROFILE FUNCTIONS
 // ===============================
 
+async function toggleHydrabaseFromSettings() {
+    const statusEl = document.getElementById('hydrabase-settings-status');
+    const btn = document.getElementById('hydrabase-connect-btn');
+    const url = document.getElementById('hydrabase-url').value.trim();
+    const apiKey = document.getElementById('hydrabase-api-key').value.trim();
+
+    if (!url || !apiKey) {
+        if (statusEl) statusEl.textContent = 'URL and API Key required';
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Save settings first
+    await saveSettings(true);
+
+    try {
+        // Check current status
+        const statusRes = await fetch('/api/hydrabase/status');
+        const statusData = await statusRes.json();
+
+        if (statusData.connected) {
+            // Disconnect
+            await fetch('/api/hydrabase/disconnect', { method: 'POST' });
+            if (btn) btn.textContent = 'Connect';
+            if (statusEl) statusEl.textContent = 'Disconnected';
+            showToast('Hydrabase disconnected', 'info');
+        } else {
+            // Connect
+            const res = await fetch('/api/hydrabase/connect', {
+                method: 'POST',
+                headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+                body: JSON.stringify({ url, api_key: apiKey })
+            });
+            const data = await res.json();
+            if (data.success) {
+                if (btn) btn.textContent = 'Disconnect';
+                if (statusEl) statusEl.textContent = 'Connected';
+                showToast('Hydrabase connected', 'success');
+            } else {
+                if (statusEl) statusEl.textContent = data.error || 'Connection failed';
+                showToast('Hydrabase connection failed', 'error');
+            }
+        }
+    } catch (e) {
+        if (statusEl) statusEl.textContent = 'Error';
+        showToast('Hydrabase connection error', 'error');
+    }
+}
+
 async function activateDevMode() {
     const password = document.getElementById('dev-mode-password').value;
     try {
@@ -6384,6 +6439,12 @@ async function saveSettings(quiet = false) {
         metadata: {
             fallback_source: document.getElementById('metadata-fallback-source').value || 'itunes'
         },
+        hydrabase: {
+            enabled: document.getElementById('hydrabase-enabled').checked,
+            url: document.getElementById('hydrabase-url').value,
+            api_key: document.getElementById('hydrabase-api-key').value,
+            auto_connect: document.getElementById('hydrabase-auto-connect').checked
+        },
         download_source: {
             mode: document.getElementById('download-source-mode').value,
             hybrid_primary: document.getElementById('hybrid-primary-source').value,