diff --git a/_extensions/adsense/adsense.lua b/_extensions/adsense/adsense.lua
index 24b6ce3..0af7692 100644
--- a/_extensions/adsense/adsense.lua
+++ b/_extensions/adsense/adsense.lua
@@ -49,22 +49,28 @@ function Meta(m)
     quarto.log.error("The Quarto project is missing the `adsense` key in either the document header, `_quarto.yml`, or `_metadata.yml`.")
   end
 
-  -- Retrieve publisherID from meta
-  local publisher_id = nil
-  if isVariablePopulated(adsense_meta['publisher-id']) then
-    publisher_id = pandoc.utils.stringify(adsense_meta['publisher-id'])
-  else 
-    quarto.log.error("The `publisher-id` is not set. Please set the `publisher-id` by either the value in the current document, the projects `_quarto.yml`, or `_metadata.yml` for the directory.")
-  end 
 
   -- Retrieve enable-ads from meta
   if isVariablePopulated(adsense_meta['enable-ads']) then
     enableAds = pandoc.utils.stringify(adsense_meta['enable-ads'])
     if not isBoolean(enableAds) then
       quarto.log.error("The `enable-ads` must be either `true` or `false`, not `" .. showAds .. "`. Please fix by correcting the value in the current document, the projects `_quarto.yml`, or `_metadata.yml` for the directory.")
+    end
+
+    -- If ads should be disabled; exit here to avoid running into a publisher-id unset error.
+    if enableAds == false then
+      return m
     end 
   end
 
+  -- Retrieve publisherID from meta
+  local publisher_id = nil
+  if isVariablePopulated(adsense_meta['publisher-id']) then
+    publisher_id = pandoc.utils.stringify(adsense_meta['publisher-id'])
+  else 
+    quarto.log.error("The `publisher-id` is not set. Please set the `publisher-id` by either the value in the current document, the projects `_quarto.yml`, or `_metadata.yml` for the directory.")
+  end 
+
   if enableAds and isAdsenseUnitMissing then
     -- Avoid re-running insertion
     isAdsenseUnitMissing = false