diff --git a/src/translation/en.json b/src/translation/en.json
index c0bf7ba60..db3ecda54 100644
--- a/src/translation/en.json
+++ b/src/translation/en.json
@@ -520,7 +520,8 @@
         "solrConfig": {
             "title": "Full Text Search (Solr)",
             "description": "Solr can be used to provide fast full-text search for emails. Solr is only run if the <a href=\"/#/services\" target=\"_blank\">mail service</a> has been allocated at least 3GB RAM.",
-            "enableSolrCheckbox": "Enable Full Text Search using Solr"
+            "enableSolrCheckbox": "Enable Full Text Search using Solr",
+            "notEnoughMemory": "Please allocate atleast 3GB to the mail service to enable solr."
         }
     },
     "network": {
diff --git a/src/views/emails.html b/src/views/emails.html
index 94a74a787..b1ecdebde 100644
--- a/src/views/emails.html
+++ b/src/views/emails.html
@@ -79,17 +79,21 @@
         <h4 class="modal-title">{{ 'emails.solrConfig.title' | tr }}</h4>
       </div>
       <div class="modal-body">
-        <div ng-bind-html=" 'emails.solrConfig.description' | tr "></div>
-        <br>
+        <p ng-bind-html=" 'emails.solrConfig.description' | tr "></p>
+
         <div class="checkbox">
           <label>
             <input type="checkbox" ng-model="solrConfig.enabled">{{ 'emails.solrConfig.enableSolrCheckbox' | tr }}</input>
           </label>
         </div>
+
+        <!-- only show this when user is trying to enable -->
+        <p class="has-error" ng-show="!solrConfig.currentConfig.enabled && !solrConfig.enoughMemory">{{ 'emails.solrConfig.notEnoughMemory' | tr }}</p>
+
       </div>
       <div class="modal-footer">
         <button type="button" class="btn btn-default" data-dismiss="modal">{{ 'main.dialog.cancel' | tr }}</button>
-        <button type="button" class="btn btn-success" ng-click="solrConfig.submit()" ng-disabled="solrConfig.enabled === solrConfig.currentConfig.enabled || solrConfig.busy"><i class="fa fa-circle-notch fa-spin" ng-show="solrConfig.busy"></i> {{ 'main.dialog.save' | tr }}</button>
+        <button type="button" class="btn btn-success" ng-click="solrConfig.submit()" ng-disabled="(!solrConfig.currentConfig.enabled && !solrConfig.enoughMemory) || solrConfig.enabled === solrConfig.currentConfig.enabled || solrConfig.busy"><i class="fa fa-circle-notch fa-spin" ng-show="solrConfig.busy"></i> {{ 'main.dialog.save' | tr }}</button>
       </div>
     </div>
   </div>
@@ -242,7 +246,7 @@
       <div class="col-xs-6">
         <span class="text-muted">{{ 'emails.settings.solrFts' | tr }}</span>
       </div>
-      <div class="col-xs-6 text-right">
+      <div class="col-xs-6 text-right" ng-show="solrConfig.currentConfig">
         <span ng-show="solrConfig.currentConfig.enabled">
           {{ 'emails.settings.solrEnabled' | tr }}
           <span ng-show="solrConfig.running">/ {{ 'emails.settings.solrRunning' | tr }}</span>
diff --git a/src/views/emails.js b/src/views/emails.js
index 734c9868d..ab930eaaa 100644
--- a/src/views/emails.js
+++ b/src/views/emails.js
@@ -216,19 +216,22 @@ angular.module('Application').controller('EmailsController', ['$scope', '$locati
     $scope.solrConfig = {
         busy: false,
         error: {},
-        currentConfig: {},
+        currentConfig: null, // null means not loaded yet
         enabled: false,
         running: false,
+        enoughMemory: false,
 
         refresh: function () {
             Client.getService('mail', function (error, result) {
                 if (error) return console.log('Error getting status of mail conatiner', error);
 
+                $scope.solrConfig.enoughMemory = result.config.memorySwap > (1024*1024*1024*2);
+                $scope.solrConfig.running = result.healthcheck && result.healthcheck.solr.status;
+
                 Client.getSolrConfig(function (error, config) {
                     if (error) return console.error('Failed to get solr config', error);
 
                     $scope.solrConfig.currentConfig = config;
-                    $scope.solrConfig.running = result.healthcheck && result.healthcheck.solr.status;
                 });
             });
         },