diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index dcc79f7f33b..9f0fd5caa09 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -410,6 +410,10 @@ export enum FeatureFlag {
 }
 ```
 
+`superset/config.py` contains `DEFAULT_FEATURE_FLAGS` which will be overwritten by
+those specified under FEATURE_FLAGS in `superset_config.py`. For example, `DEFAULT_FEATURE_FLAGS = { 'FOO': True, 'BAR': False }` in `superset/config.py` and `FEATURE_FLAGS = { 'BAR': True, 'BAZ': True }` in `superset_config.py` will result
+in combined feature flags of `{ 'FOO': True, 'BAR': True, 'BAZ': True }`.
+
 ## Linting
 
 Lint the project with:
diff --git a/superset/__init__.py b/superset/__init__.py
index 791e20bcadd..500bcaa855e 100644
--- a/superset/__init__.py
+++ b/superset/__init__.py
@@ -208,6 +208,18 @@ security_manager = appbuilder.sm
 
 results_backend = app.config.get('RESULTS_BACKEND')
 
+# Merge user defined feature flags with default feature flags
+feature_flags = app.config.get('DEFAULT_FEATURE_FLAGS')
+feature_flags.update(app.config.get('FEATURE_FLAGS') or {})
+
+
+def is_feature_enabled(feature):
+    """
+    Utility function for checking whether a feature is turned on
+    """
+    return feature_flags.get(feature)
+
+
 # Registering sources
 module_datasource_map = app.config.get('DEFAULT_MODULE_DS_MAP')
 module_datasource_map.update(app.config.get('ADDITIONAL_MODULE_DS_MAP'))
diff --git a/superset/config.py b/superset/config.py
index a598d7609e0..93720c339f9 100644
--- a/superset/config.py
+++ b/superset/config.py
@@ -187,9 +187,12 @@ LANGUAGES = {
 # ---------------------------------------------------
 # Feature flags
 # ---------------------------------------------------
-# Feature flags that are on by default go here. Their
-# values can be overridden by those in super_config.py
-FEATURE_FLAGS = {}
+# Feature flags that are set by default go here. Their values can be
+# overwritten by those specified under FEATURE_FLAGS in super_config.py
+# For example, DEFAULT_FEATURE_FLAGS = { 'FOO': True, 'BAR': False } here
+# and FEATURE_FLAGS = { 'BAR': True, 'BAZ': True } in superset_config.py
+# will result in combined feature flags of { 'FOO': True, 'BAR': True, 'BAZ': True }
+DEFAULT_FEATURE_FLAGS = {}
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------
 # Image and file configuration
diff --git a/superset/views/base.py b/superset/views/base.py
index 6b71ff0c922..f0f5fbf7e62 100644
--- a/superset/views/base.py
+++ b/superset/views/base.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ from flask_babel import lazy_gettext as _
 import simplejson as json
 import yaml
 
-from superset import conf, db, security_manager
+from superset import conf, db, feature_flags, security_manager
 from superset.exceptions import SupersetException, SupersetSecurityException
 from superset.translations.utils import get_language_pack
 from superset.utils import core as utils
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class BaseSupersetView(BaseView):
             'conf': {k: conf.get(k) for k in FRONTEND_CONF_KEYS},
             'locale': locale,
             'language_pack': get_language_pack(locale),
-            'feature_flags': conf.get('FEATURE_FLAGS'),
+            'feature_flags': feature_flags,
         }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/base_tests.py b/tests/base_tests.py
index f3029c020cf..1f3b4c5a95a 100644
--- a/tests/base_tests.py
+++ b/tests/base_tests.py
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ import json
 import unittest
 
 from flask_appbuilder.security.sqla import models as ab_models
-from mock import Mock
+from mock import Mock, patch
 import pandas as pd
 
-from superset import app, db, security_manager
+from superset import app, db, is_feature_enabled, security_manager
 from superset.connectors.druid.models import DruidCluster, DruidDatasource
 from superset.connectors.sqla.models import SqlaTable
 from superset.models import core as models
@@ -185,3 +185,11 @@ class SupersetTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         if raise_on_error and 'error' in resp:
             raise Exception('run_sql failed')
         return resp
+
+    @patch.dict('superset.feature_flags', {'FOO': True}, clear=True)
+    def test_existing_feature_flags(self):
+        self.assertTrue(is_feature_enabled('FOO'))
+
+    @patch.dict('superset.feature_flags', {}, clear=True)
+    def test_nonexistent_feature_flags(self):
+        self.assertFalse(is_feature_enabled('FOO'))