diff --git a/pandora/archive/extract.py b/pandora/archive/extract.py
index 8cd66c3bf..fc5d00c01 100644
--- a/pandora/archive/extract.py
+++ b/pandora/archive/extract.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ def stream(video, target, profile, info, audio_track=0, flags={}):
     else:
         height = 96
 
-        if settings.FFMPEG_SUPPORTS_VP9:
+        if settings.USE_VP9 and settings.FFMPEG_SUPPORTS_VP9:
             audio_codec = 'libopus'
             video_codec = 'libvpx-vp9'
 
diff --git a/pandora/settings.py b/pandora/settings.py
index 52ac5fc35..f47379e5e 100644
--- a/pandora/settings.py
+++ b/pandora/settings.py
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ AUTH_PROFILE_MODULE = 'user.UserProfile'
 AUTH_CHECK_USERNAME = True
 FFMPEG = 'ffmpeg'
 FFPROBE = 'ffprobe'
+USE_VP9 = True
 FFMPEG_SUPPORTS_VP9 = True
 FFMPEG_DEBUG = False