diff --git a/docs/kiwix-serve.rst b/docs/kiwix-serve.rst
index 588b60c..562c523 100644
--- a/docs/kiwix-serve.rst
+++ b/docs/kiwix-serve.rst
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ Options
   that the command line argument is rather a :ref:`library XML file
   <cli-arg-library-file-path>`.
 
+.. option:: --catalogOnly
+
+  In this mode ``kiwix-serve`` only serves the welcome (library) page and the
+  OPDS catalog. ZIM files referred by the :ref:`library XML file
+  <cli-arg-library-file-path>` need not be accessible.
+
 .. option:: -i ADDR, --address=ADDR
 
   Listen only on this IP address. By default the server listens on all
diff --git a/src/server/kiwix-serve.cpp b/src/server/kiwix-serve.cpp
index 7975361..fdf7ed5 100644
--- a/src/server/kiwix-serve.cpp
+++ b/src/server/kiwix-serve.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ Mandatory arguments:
 Options:
  -h --help                               Print this help
  -a <pid> --attachToProcess=<pid>        Exit if given process id is not running anymore [default: 0]
+ --catalogOnly                           Serve only the library catalog
  -d --daemon                             Detach the HTTP server daemon from the main process
  -i <address> --address=<address>        Listen only on the specified IP address. Specify 'ipv4', 'ipv6' or 'all' to listen on all IPv4, IPv6 or both types of addresses, respectively [default: all]
  -M --monitorLibrary                     Monitor the XML library file and reload it automatically
@@ -229,6 +230,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
   std::string customIndexPath="";
   std::string indexTemplateString="";
   int serverPort = 80;
+  bool catalogOnlyFlag = false;
   bool daemonFlag [[gnu::unused]] = false;
   bool helpFlag = false;
   bool noLibraryButtonFlag = false;
@@ -256,6 +258,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 
   for (auto const& arg: args) {
     FLAG("--help", helpFlag)
+    FLAG("--catalogOnly", catalogOnlyFlag)
     FLAG("--daemon", daemonFlag)
     FLAG("--verbose", isVerboseFlag)
     FLAG("--nosearchbar", noSearchBarFlag)
@@ -379,6 +382,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
   server.setIpConnectionLimit(ipConnectionLimit);
   server.setMultiZimSearchLimit(searchLimit);
   server.setIpMode(ipMode);
+  server.setCatalogOnlyMode(catalogOnlyFlag);
 
   if (! server.start()) {
     exit(1);