diff --git a/models/repo/star.go b/models/repo/star.go
index 4c66855525fa6..6f649a95dacb4 100644
--- a/models/repo/star.go
+++ b/models/repo/star.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/db"
 	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/timeutil"
 )
 
@@ -24,7 +25,12 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 // StarRepo or unstar repository.
+//
+// Will do nothing if stars are disabled.
 func StarRepo(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, repo *Repository, star bool) error {
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		return nil
+	}
 	ctx, committer, err := db.TxContext(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -70,13 +76,23 @@ func StarRepo(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, repo *Repository, star
 }
 
 // IsStaring checks if user has starred given repository.
+//
+// Will always return false if stars are disabled.
 func IsStaring(ctx context.Context, userID, repoID int64) bool {
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		return false
+	}
 	has, _ := db.GetEngine(ctx).Get(&Star{UID: userID, RepoID: repoID})
 	return has
 }
 
 // GetStargazers returns the users that starred the repo.
+//
+// Will always return an empty slice if stars are disabled.
 func GetStargazers(ctx context.Context, repo *Repository, opts db.ListOptions) ([]*user_model.User, error) {
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		return make([]*user_model.User, 0), nil
+	}
 	sess := db.GetEngine(ctx).Where("star.repo_id = ?", repo.ID).
 		Join("LEFT", "star", "`user`.id = star.uid")
 	if opts.Page > 0 {
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/star.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/star.go
index 99676de119c1f..89cfefcad3069 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/star.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/star.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 
 	repo_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/repo"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
 	api "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/routers/api/v1/utils"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/context"
@@ -44,6 +45,13 @@ func ListStargazers(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/UserList"
 	//   "404":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+	//   "410":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
+
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		ctx.Error(http.StatusGone, "StarsDisabled", "Stars are disabled.")
+		return
+	}
 
 	stargazers, err := repo_model.GetStargazers(ctx, ctx.Repo.Repository, utils.GetListOptions(ctx))
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/user/star.go b/routers/api/v1/user/star.go
index ad9ed9548d091..848c109fa5f1b 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/user/star.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/user/star.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	access_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/perm/access"
 	repo_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/repo"
 	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
 	api "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/routers/api/v1/utils"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/context"
@@ -66,6 +67,13 @@ func GetStarredRepos(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/RepositoryList"
 	//   "404":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+	//   "410":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
+
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		ctx.Error(http.StatusGone, "StarsDisabled", "Stars are disabled.")
+		return
+	}
 
 	private := ctx.ContextUser.ID == ctx.Doer.ID
 	repos, err := getStarredRepos(ctx, ctx.ContextUser, private)
@@ -97,6 +105,13 @@ func GetMyStarredRepos(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	// responses:
 	//   "200":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/RepositoryList"
+	//   "410":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
+
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		ctx.Error(http.StatusGone, "StarsDisabled", "Stars are disabled.")
+		return
+	}
 
 	repos, err := getStarredRepos(ctx, ctx.Doer, true)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -128,6 +143,13 @@ func IsStarring(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/empty"
 	//   "404":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+	//   "410":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
+
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		ctx.Error(http.StatusGone, "StarsDisabled", "Stars are disabled.")
+		return
+	}
 
 	if repo_model.IsStaring(ctx, ctx.Doer.ID, ctx.Repo.Repository.ID) {
 		ctx.Status(http.StatusNoContent)
@@ -159,6 +181,13 @@ func Star(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/forbidden"
 	//   "404":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+	//   "410":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
+
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		ctx.Error(http.StatusGone, "StarsDisabled", "Stars are disabled.")
+		return
+	}
 
 	err := repo_model.StarRepo(ctx, ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository, true)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -193,6 +222,13 @@ func Unstar(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/empty"
 	//   "404":
 	//     "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+	//   "410":
+	//     "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
+
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		ctx.Error(http.StatusGone, "StarsDisabled", "Stars are disabled.")
+		return
+	}
 
 	err := repo_model.StarRepo(ctx, ctx.Doer, ctx.Repo.Repository, false)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/view.go b/routers/web/repo/view.go
index 9fe2b58ebc66d..aec16565a04ad 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/view.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/view.go
@@ -346,6 +346,10 @@ func Watchers(ctx *context.Context) {
 
 // Stars render repository's starred users
 func Stars(ctx *context.Context) {
+	if setting.Repository.DisableStars {
+		ctx.NotFound("Stars disabled", nil)
+		return
+	}
 	ctx.Data["Title"] = ctx.Tr("repo.stargazers")
 	ctx.Data["CardsTitle"] = ctx.Tr("repo.stargazers")
 	RenderUserCards(ctx, ctx.Repo.Repository.NumStars, func(opts db.ListOptions) ([]*user_model.User, error) {
diff --git a/services/context/api.go b/services/context/api.go
index 3a3cbe670e4fa..b1612903c6750 100644
--- a/services/context/api.go
+++ b/services/context/api.go
@@ -89,6 +89,12 @@ type APINotFound struct{}
 // swagger:response conflict
 type APIConflict struct{}
 
+// APIGone means the functionality has been disabled
+// swagger:response gone
+type APIGone struct {
+	APIError
+}
+
 // APIRedirect is a redirect response
 // swagger:response redirect
 type APIRedirect struct{}
diff --git a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
index fb37d45ce8de2..1ea90df1edd18 100644
--- a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
+++ b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
@@ -13758,6 +13758,9 @@
           },
           "404": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+          },
+          "410": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -17494,6 +17497,9 @@
         "responses": {
           "200": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/RepositoryList"
+          },
+          "410": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -17527,6 +17533,9 @@
           },
           "404": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+          },
+          "410": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
           }
         }
       },
@@ -17561,6 +17570,9 @@
           },
           "404": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+          },
+          "410": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
           }
         }
       },
@@ -17592,6 +17604,9 @@
           },
           "404": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+          },
+          "410": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -18268,6 +18283,9 @@
           },
           "404": {
             "$ref": "#/responses/notFound"
+          },
+          "410": {
+            "$ref": "#/responses/gone"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -26599,6 +26617,17 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "gone": {
+      "description": "APIGone means the functionality has been disabled",
+      "headers": {
+        "message": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "url": {
+          "type": "string"
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "invalidTopicsError": {
       "description": "APIInvalidTopicsError is error format response to invalid topics",
       "headers": {