diff --git a/doc/client_lua_api.md b/doc/client_lua_api.md
index 9f59b4671..2c0351a11 100644
--- a/doc/client_lua_api.md
+++ b/doc/client_lua_api.md
@@ -800,6 +800,7 @@ Call these functions only at load time!
 ### UI
 * `minetest.ui.minimap`
     * Reference to the minimap object. See [`Minimap`](#minimap) class reference for methods.
+    * If client disabled minimap (using enable_minimap setting) this reference will be nil.
 * `minetest.camera`
     * Reference to the camera object. See [`Camera`](#camera) class reference for methods.
 * `minetest.show_formspec(formname, formspec)` : returns true on success
diff --git a/src/client.cpp b/src/client.cpp
index 1e17e7c11..6ab4002a5 100644
--- a/src/client.cpp
+++ b/src/client.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ Client::Client(
 	m_address_name(address_name),
 	m_device(device),
 	m_camera(NULL),
+	m_minimap(NULL),
 	m_minimap_disabled_by_server(false),
 	m_server_ser_ver(SER_FMT_VER_INVALID),
 	m_proto_ver(0),
@@ -127,7 +128,9 @@ Client::Client(
 	// Add local player
 	m_env.setLocalPlayer(new LocalPlayer(this, playername));
 
-	m_minimap = new Minimap(device, this);
+	if (g_settings->getBool("enable_minimap")) {
+		m_minimap = new Minimap(device, this);
+	}
 	m_cache_save_interval = g_settings->getU16("server_map_save_interval");
 
 	m_modding_enabled = g_settings->getBool("enable_client_modding");
@@ -502,7 +505,7 @@ void Client::step(float dtime)
 				delete r.mesh;
 			}
 
-			if (do_mapper_update)
+			if (m_minimap && do_mapper_update)
 				m_minimap->addBlock(r.p, minimap_mapblock);
 
 			if (r.ack_block_to_server) {
diff --git a/src/drawscene.cpp b/src/drawscene.cpp
index 7d2d1d12f..59f9b8375 100644
--- a/src/drawscene.cpp
+++ b/src/drawscene.cpp
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ void draw_plain(Camera &camera, bool show_hud,
 
 void draw_scene(video::IVideoDriver *driver, scene::ISceneManager *smgr,
 		Camera &camera, Client &client, LocalPlayer *player, Hud &hud,
-		Minimap &mapper, gui::IGUIEnvironment *guienv,
+		Minimap *mapper, gui::IGUIEnvironment *guienv,
 		const v2u32 &screensize, const video::SColor &skycolor,
 		bool show_hud, bool show_minimap)
 {
@@ -584,8 +584,8 @@ void draw_scene(video::IVideoDriver *driver, scene::ISceneManager *smgr,
 		hud.drawLuaElements(camera.getOffset());
 		camera.drawNametags();
 
-		if (show_minimap)
-			mapper.drawMinimap();
+		if (mapper && show_minimap)
+			mapper->drawMinimap();
 	}
 
 	guienv->drawAll();
diff --git a/src/drawscene.h b/src/drawscene.h
index 4a71b1f4e..99ff1a6bc 100644
--- a/src/drawscene.h
+++ b/src/drawscene.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ void draw_load_screen(const std::wstring &text, IrrlichtDevice *device,
 
 void draw_scene(video::IVideoDriver *driver, scene::ISceneManager *smgr,
 		Camera &camera, Client &client, LocalPlayer *player,
-		Hud &hud, Minimap &mapper, gui::IGUIEnvironment *guienv,
+		Hud &hud, Minimap *mapper, gui::IGUIEnvironment *guienv,
 		const v2u32 &screensize, const video::SColor &skycolor,
 		bool show_hud, bool show_minimap);
 
diff --git a/src/game.cpp b/src/game.cpp
index f079f836b..f967e349c 100644
--- a/src/game.cpp
+++ b/src/game.cpp
@@ -715,16 +715,19 @@ public:
 		m_eye_position_pixel.set(eye_position_array, services);
 		m_eye_position_vertex.set(eye_position_array, services);
 
-		float minimap_yaw_array[3];
-		v3f minimap_yaw = m_client->getMinimap()->getYawVec();
+		if (m_client->getMinimap()) {
+			float minimap_yaw_array[3];
+			v3f minimap_yaw = m_client->getMinimap()->getYawVec();
 #if (IRRLICHT_VERSION_MAJOR == 1 && IRRLICHT_VERSION_MINOR < 8)
-		minimap_yaw_array[0] = minimap_yaw.X;
-		minimap_yaw_array[1] = minimap_yaw.Y;
-		minimap_yaw_array[2] = minimap_yaw.Z;
+			minimap_yaw_array[0] = minimap_yaw.X;
+			minimap_yaw_array[1] = minimap_yaw.Y;
+			minimap_yaw_array[2] = minimap_yaw.Z;
 #else
-		minimap_yaw.getAs3Values(minimap_yaw_array);
+			minimap_yaw.getAs3Values(minimap_yaw_array);
 #endif
-		m_minimap_yaw.set(minimap_yaw_array, services);
+			m_minimap_yaw.set(minimap_yaw_array, services);
+
+		}
 
 		SamplerLayer_t base_tex = 0,
 				normal_tex = 1,
@@ -1948,7 +1951,8 @@ bool Game::createClient(const std::string &playername,
 	}
 
 	mapper = client->getMinimap();
-	mapper->setMinimapMode(MINIMAP_MODE_OFF);
+	if (mapper)
+		mapper->setMinimapMode(MINIMAP_MODE_OFF);
 
 	return true;
 }
@@ -2781,7 +2785,7 @@ void Game::toggleHud()
 
 void Game::toggleMinimap(bool shift_pressed)
 {
-	if (!flags.show_hud || !g_settings->getBool("enable_minimap"))
+	if (!mapper || !flags.show_hud || !g_settings->getBool("enable_minimap"))
 		return;
 
 	if (shift_pressed) {
@@ -4194,7 +4198,7 @@ void Game::updateFrame(ProfilerGraph *graph, RunStats *stats, f32 dtime,
 	TimeTaker tt_draw("mainloop: draw");
 	driver->beginScene(true, true, skycolor);
 
-	draw_scene(driver, smgr, *camera, *client, player, *hud, *mapper,
+	draw_scene(driver, smgr, *camera, *client, player, *hud, mapper,
 			guienv, screensize, skycolor, flags.show_hud,
 			flags.show_minimap);
 
@@ -4229,7 +4233,7 @@ void Game::updateFrame(ProfilerGraph *graph, RunStats *stats, f32 dtime,
 	/*
 		Update minimap pos and rotation
 	*/
-	if (flags.show_minimap && flags.show_hud) {
+	if (mapper && flags.show_minimap && flags.show_hud) {
 		mapper->setPos(floatToInt(player->getPosition(), BS));
 		mapper->setAngle(player->getYaw());
 	}
diff --git a/src/network/clientpackethandler.cpp b/src/network/clientpackethandler.cpp
index 0dd09c6d1..59669fe6d 100644
--- a/src/network/clientpackethandler.cpp
+++ b/src/network/clientpackethandler.cpp
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ void Client::handleCommand_HudSetFlags(NetworkPacket* pkt)
 	m_minimap_disabled_by_server = !(player->hud_flags & HUD_FLAG_MINIMAP_VISIBLE);
 
 	// Hide minimap if it has been disabled by the server
-	if (m_minimap_disabled_by_server && was_minimap_visible) {
+	if (m_minimap && m_minimap_disabled_by_server && was_minimap_visible) {
 		// defers a minimap update, therefore only call it if really
 		// needed, by checking that minimap was visible before
 		m_minimap->setMinimapMode(MINIMAP_MODE_OFF);
diff --git a/src/script/scripting_client.cpp b/src/script/scripting_client.cpp
index 24f70b8c1..da289e564 100644
--- a/src/script/scripting_client.cpp
+++ b/src/script/scripting_client.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ ClientScripting::ClientScripting(Client *client):
 	InitializeModApi(L, top);
 	lua_pop(L, 1);
 
-	LuaMinimap::create(L, client->getMinimap());
+	if (client->getMinimap())
+		LuaMinimap::create(L, client->getMinimap());
 
 	// Push builtin initialization type
 	lua_pushstring(L, "client");