diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/course_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/course_module.py
index 3896affca1..e9ec4518c8 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/course_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/course_module.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import time
 import logging
 import requests
 from lxml import etree
+from path import path # NOTE (THK): Only used for detecting presence of syllabus
 
 from xmodule.util.decorators import lazyproperty
 from xmodule.graders import load_grading_policy
@@ -77,6 +78,10 @@ class CourseDescriptor(SequenceDescriptor):
         # NOTE: relies on the modulestore to call set_grading_policy() right after
         # init.  (Modulestore is in charge of figuring out where to load the policy from)
 
+        # NOTE (THK): This is a last-minute addition for Fall 2012 launch to dynamically
+        #   disable the syllabus content for courses that do not provide a syllabus
+        self.syllabus_present = self.system.resources_fs.exists(path('syllabus'))
+
 
     def set_grading_policy(self, policy_str):
         """Parse the policy specified in policy_str, and save it"""
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 9de942dac2..0ec11de557 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -60,10 +60,6 @@ MITX_FEATURES = {
     # university to use for branding purposes
     'SUBDOMAIN_BRANDING': False,
 
-    # TODO: This will be removed once course-specific tabs are in place. see
-    # courseware/courses.py
-    'ENABLE_SYLLABUS' : True,
-
     'ENABLE_TEXTBOOK' : True,
     'ENABLE_DISCUSSION' : False,
     'ENABLE_DISCUSSION_SERVICE': True,
diff --git a/lms/templates/courseware/course_navigation.html b/lms/templates/courseware/course_navigation.html
index 63fec53c4c..af2100f042 100644
--- a/lms/templates/courseware/course_navigation.html
+++ b/lms/templates/courseware/course_navigation.html
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def url_class(url):
     <ol class="course-tabs">
       <li class="courseware"><a href="${reverse('courseware', args=[course.id])}" class="${url_class('courseware')}">Courseware</a></li>
       <li class="info"><a href="${reverse('info', args=[course.id])}" class="${url_class('info')}">Course Info</a></li>
-% if settings.MITX_FEATURES.get('ENABLE_SYLLABUS'):
+% if course.syllabus_present:
       <li class="syllabus"><a href="${reverse('syllabus', args=[course.id])}" class="${url_class('syllabus')}">Syllabus</a></li>
 % endif
 % if user.is_authenticated():