--- a/browser/app/profile/firefox.js
+++ b/browser/app/profile/firefox.js
@@ -1672,16 +1672,19 @@ pref("browser.newtab.preload", true);
 pref("browser.newtabpage.introShown", false);
 
 // Remembers if the about:newtab update intro has been shown
 pref("browser.newtabpage.updateIntroShown", false);
 
 // Toggles the content of 'about:newtab'. Shows the grid when enabled.
 pref("browser.newtabpage.enabled", true);
 
+// Toggles the enhanced content of 'about:newtab'. Shows sponsored tiles.
+sticky_pref("browser.newtabpage.enhanced", true);
+
 // number of rows of newtab grid
 pref("browser.newtabpage.rows", 3);
 
 // number of columns of newtab grid
 pref("browser.newtabpage.columns", 5);
 
 // directory tiles download URL
 pref("browser.newtabpage.directory.source", "https://tiles.services.mozilla.com/v3/links/fetch/%LOCALE%/%CHANNEL%");

--- a/browser/base/content/newtab/intro.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/newtab/intro.js
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 #ifdef 0
 /* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
  * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file,
  * You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
 #endif
 
 const PREF_INTRO_SHOWN = "browser.newtabpage.introShown";
 const PREF_UPDATE_INTRO_SHOWN = "browser.newtabpage.updateIntroShown";
+const PREF_NEWTAB_ENHANCED = "browser.newtabpage.enhanced";
 
 // These consts indicate the type of intro/onboarding we show.
 const WELCOME = "welcome";
 const UPDATE = "update";
 
 // The maximum paragraph ID listed for 'newtab.intro.paragraph'
 // strings in newTab.properties
 const MAX_PARAGRAPH_ID = 9;
@@ -200,16 +201,19 @@ let gIntro = {
         this._paragraphs.push(newTabString(name, substringMappings[i]));
       } catch (ex) {
         // Paragraph with this ID doesn't exist so continue
       }
     }
   },
 
   showIfNecessary: function() {
+    if (!Services.prefs.getBoolPref(PREF_NEWTAB_ENHANCED)) {
+      return;
+    }
     if (!Services.prefs.getBoolPref(PREF_INTRO_SHOWN)) {
       this._onboardingType = WELCOME;
       this.showPanel();
     } else if (!Services.prefs.getBoolPref(PREF_UPDATE_INTRO_SHOWN)) {
       this._onboardingType = UPDATE;
       this.showPanel();
     }
     Services.prefs.setBoolPref(PREF_INTRO_SHOWN, true);

--- a/browser/base/content/newtab/page.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/newtab/page.js
@@ -49,16 +49,17 @@ let gPage = {
       gCustomize.updateSelected();
 
       let enabled = gAllPages.enabled;
       this._updateAttributes(enabled);
 
       // Update thumbnails to the new enhanced setting
       if (aData == "browser.newtabpage.enhanced") {
         this.update();
+        gIntro.showIfNecessary();
       }
 
       // Initialize the whole page if we haven't done that, yet.
       if (enabled) {
         this._init();
       } else {
         gUndoDialog.hide();
       }

--- a/browser/modules/DirectoryLinksProvider.jsm
+++ b/browser/modules/DirectoryLinksProvider.jsm
@@ -383,17 +383,17 @@ let DirectoryLinksProvider = {
     return "en-US";
   },
 
   /**
    * Set appropriate default ping behavior controlled by enhanced pref
    */
   _setDefaultEnhanced: function DirectoryLinksProvider_setDefaultEnhanced() {
     if (!Services.prefs.prefHasUserValue(PREF_NEWTAB_ENHANCED)) {
-      let enhanced = true;
+      let enhanced = Services.prefs.getBoolPref(PREF_NEWTAB_ENHANCED);
       try {
         // Default to not enhanced if DNT is set to tell websites to not track
         if (Services.prefs.getBoolPref("privacy.donottrackheader.enabled")) {
           enhanced = false;
         }
       }
       catch(ex) {}
       Services.prefs.setBoolPref(PREF_NEWTAB_ENHANCED, enhanced);