diff --git a/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/middleware/update-global-template-options.js b/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/middleware/update-global-template-options.js
index e28c063542..9324fc175b 100644
--- a/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/middleware/update-global-template-options.js
+++ b/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/middleware/update-global-template-options.js
@@ -36,7 +36,11 @@ async function updateGlobalTemplateOptions(req, res, next) {
     {
         hbs.updateTemplateOptions({
             data: {
-                site: siteData,
+                site: {
+                    ...siteData,
+                    comments_enabled: siteData.comments_enabled !== 'off',
+                    comments_access: siteData.comments_enabled
+                },
                 labs: labsData,
                 config: themeData,
                 custom: themeSettingsData
diff --git a/core/shared/settings-cache/public.js b/core/shared/settings-cache/public.js
index e3f169de48..a0aaa869bf 100644
--- a/core/shared/settings-cache/public.js
+++ b/core/shared/settings-cache/public.js
@@ -36,5 +36,6 @@ module.exports = {
     portal_button_icon: 'portal_button_icon',
     portal_plans: 'portal_plans',
     portal_name: 'portal_name',
-    portal_button: 'portal_button'
+    portal_button: 'portal_button',
+    comments_enabled: 'comments_enabled'
 };
diff --git a/test/e2e-api/content/__snapshots__/settings.test.js.snap b/test/e2e-api/content/__snapshots__/settings.test.js.snap
index 0f1c0703e4..ab7e70cb15 100644
--- a/test/e2e-api/content/__snapshots__/settings.test.js.snap
+++ b/test/e2e-api/content/__snapshots__/settings.test.js.snap
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Object {
     "accent_color": "#FF1A75",
     "codeinjection_foot": null,
     "codeinjection_head": null,
+    "comments_enabled": null,
     "cover_image": "https://static.ghost.org/v4.0.0/images/publication-cover.jpg",
     "description": "Thoughts, stories and ideas",
     "facebook": "ghost",
diff --git a/test/e2e-api/shared/__snapshots__/version.test.js.snap b/test/e2e-api/shared/__snapshots__/version.test.js.snap
index 4607d4eb95..f9b91d5872 100644
--- a/test/e2e-api/shared/__snapshots__/version.test.js.snap
+++ b/test/e2e-api/shared/__snapshots__/version.test.js.snap
@@ -485,6 +485,7 @@ Object {
     "accent_color": "#FF1A75",
     "codeinjection_foot": null,
     "codeinjection_head": null,
+    "comments_enabled": null,
     "cover_image": "https://static.ghost.org/v4.0.0/images/publication-cover.jpg",
     "description": "Thoughts, stories and ideas",
     "facebook": "ghost",
@@ -578,6 +579,7 @@ Object {
     "accent_color": "#FF1A75",
     "codeinjection_foot": null,
     "codeinjection_head": null,
+    "comments_enabled": null,
     "cover_image": "https://static.ghost.org/v4.0.0/images/publication-cover.jpg",
     "description": "Thoughts, stories and ideas",
     "facebook": "ghost",
diff --git a/test/unit/frontend/services/theme-engine/middleware.test.js b/test/unit/frontend/services/theme-engine/middleware.test.js
index c547d77ae3..8ad30304c3 100644
--- a/test/unit/frontend/services/theme-engine/middleware.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/frontend/services/theme-engine/middleware.test.js
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@ describe('Themes middleware', function () {
 
         fakeActiveThemeName = 'bacon-sensation';
 
-        fakeSiteData = {};
+        fakeSiteData = {
+            comments_enabled: 'all'
+        };
 
         fakeLabsData = {
             // labs data is deep cloned,
@@ -159,9 +161,16 @@ describe('Themes middleware', function () {
                     // Check labs config
                     should.deepEqual(data.labs, fakeLabsData);
 
-                    should.equal(data.site, fakeSiteData);
-                    should.exist(data.site.signup_url);
-                    data.site.signup_url.should.equal('#/portal');
+                    should.deepEqual(data.site, {
+                        ...fakeSiteData,
+
+                        // signup_url should get added
+                        signup_url: '#/portal',
+                        
+                        // the comments_enabled setting should be mapped to comments_access, and comments_enabled should be a boolean
+                        comments_enabled: true,
+                        comments_access: 'all'
+                    });
 
                     should.deepEqual(data.custom, fakeCustomThemeSettingsData);