diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/mskcc/cbio/portal/util/GlobalProperties.java b/core/src/main/java/org/mskcc/cbio/portal/util/GlobalProperties.java
index ad5612c6721..ba311e72ad5 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/mskcc/cbio/portal/util/GlobalProperties.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/mskcc/cbio/portal/util/GlobalProperties.java
@@ -50,11 +50,13 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
+import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.cbioportal.security.spring.authentication.PortalUserDetails;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Value;
 import org.springframework.security.core.Authentication;
+import org.springframework.security.core.authority.SimpleGrantedAuthority;
 import org.springframework.security.core.context.SecurityContextHolder;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
 import org.springframework.util.ResourceUtils;
@@ -362,6 +364,10 @@ public static String parseUrl(String url)
     @Value("${frontend.url.runtime:}") 
     public void setFrontendUrlRuntime(String property) { frontendUrlRuntime = property; }
 
+    private static String downloadGroup;
+    @Value("${download_group:}") // default is empty string
+    public void setDownloadGroup(String property) { downloadGroup = property; }
+
     private static Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(GlobalProperties.class);
     private static ConfigPropertyResolver portalProperties = new ConfigPropertyResolver();
     private static Properties mavenProperties = initializeProperties(MAVEN_PROPERTIES_FILE_NAME);
@@ -1264,18 +1270,30 @@ public static String getOncoKbToken()  {
     }
 
     public static String getDownloadControl() {
-        String downloadControlOption = getProperty("skin.hide_download_controls");
-        /*
-            skin.hide_download_controls   return_value
-                    true                    hide
-                    false                   show
-                    data                    data
-                    null/empty              show
-         */
-        switch ((downloadControlOption != null) ? downloadControlOption.trim().toLowerCase() : "false") {
-            case "true" : return "hide";
-            case "data" : return "data";
-            default: return "show";
+        Authentication authentication = SecurityContextHolder.getContext().getAuthentication();
+
+        if (authentication != null &&
+            StringUtils.isNotEmpty(downloadGroup) &&
+            authentication.getAuthorities().contains(new SimpleGrantedAuthority(downloadGroup))) {
+            return "show";
+        } else {
+            String downloadControlOption = getProperty("skin.hide_download_controls");
+            /*
+                skin.hide_download_controls   return_value
+                        true                    hide
+                        false                   show
+                        data                    data
+                        null/empty              show
+             */
+            switch ((downloadControlOption != null) ? downloadControlOption.trim().toLowerCase() : "false") {
+                case "true":
+                    return "hide";
+                case "data":
+                    return "data";
+                case "false":
+                default:
+                    return "show";
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/docs/deployment/customization/Customizing-your-instance-of-cBioPortal.md b/docs/deployment/customization/Customizing-your-instance-of-cBioPortal.md
index b20f514cc23..7575ad63507 100644
--- a/docs/deployment/customization/Customizing-your-instance-of-cBioPortal.md
+++ b/docs/deployment/customization/Customizing-your-instance-of-cBioPortal.md
@@ -246,6 +246,13 @@ Below you can find the complete list of all the available skin properties.
             <td>controls download options in UI. **true**: hides all download options. **false**:  shows all download options. **data**: disable data download but not figure download</td>
             <td>false</td>
             <td>true / false / data</td>
+        </tr>
+		<tr>
+            <td>download_group</td>
+            <td>controls download options in UI for each user. If present and user is authenticated, this value is checked against user roles.
+If the download_group is present in user groups then download options are shown in UI, else it fallback to **skin.hide_download_controls**</td>
+            <td></td>
+            <td>text</td>
         </tr>
         <tr>
             <td>skin.show_settings_menu</td>
diff --git a/portal/src/main/webapp/config_service.jsp b/portal/src/main/webapp/config_service.jsp
index 3dba7cba8c2..ab5bbf48c3e 100644
--- a/portal/src/main/webapp/config_service.jsp
+++ b/portal/src/main/webapp/config_service.jsp
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@
         obj.put("oncoKbTokenDefined", !StringUtils.isEmpty(GlobalProperties.getOncoKbToken()));
 
         obj.put("sessionServiceEnabled", !StringUtils.isEmpty(GlobalProperties.getSessionServiceUrl()));
-        
+
         obj.put("skin_hide_download_controls", GlobalProperties.getDownloadControl());
 
         out.println(obj.toJSONString());
diff --git a/src/main/resources/portal.properties.EXAMPLE b/src/main/resources/portal.properties.EXAMPLE
index ce06c5554df..efae1b8c794 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/portal.properties.EXAMPLE
+++ b/src/main/resources/portal.properties.EXAMPLE
@@ -433,4 +433,6 @@ persistence.cache_type=no-cache
 
 # Set StudyDownloadLinkUrl
 # Allows download links within DataSets Tab (See Portal.Properties documentation for more info)
-# study_download_url=
\ No newline at end of file
+# study_download_url=
+
+# download_group=
\ No newline at end of file