diff --git a/python/ide/impl/resources/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.xml b/python/ide/impl/resources/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.xml
index 8f2c77aff706..64892a157501 100644
--- a/python/ide/impl/resources/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.xml
+++ b/python/ide/impl/resources/intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.xml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
     <platform.ide.welcomeScreenFeatureBackend implementation="com.intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.newProjectWizard.welcome.PyLearnWelcomeScreenFeature"/>
     <platform.ide.welcomeScreenFeatureBackend implementation="com.intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.newProjectWizard.welcome.PyImportFileWelcomeScreenFeature"/>
     <platform.ide.welcomeScreenFeatureBackend implementation="com.intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.newProjectWizard.welcome.PyPluginsWelcomeScreenFeature"/>
+    <registryKey defaultValue="true" description="Open non-project files in welcome screen" key="welcome.screen.open.files"/>
 
     <statistics.validation.customValidationRule
       implementation="com.intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.miscProject.impl.MiscProjectUsageCollectorValidationRule"/>
diff --git a/python/ide/impl/src/com/intellij/pycharm/community/ide/impl/welcomeScreen/PyCharmWelcomeScreenProjectProvider.kt b/python/ide/impl/src/com/intellij/pycharm/community/ide/impl/welcomeScreen/PyCharmWelcomeScreenProjectProvider.kt
index 903fce568c80..7d13773d7da5 100644
--- a/python/ide/impl/src/com/intellij/pycharm/community/ide/impl/welcomeScreen/PyCharmWelcomeScreenProjectProvider.kt
+++ b/python/ide/impl/src/com/intellij/pycharm/community/ide/impl/welcomeScreen/PyCharmWelcomeScreenProjectProvider.kt
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.application.EDT
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.ex.ProjectEx
 import com.intellij.openapi.ui.MessageDialogBuilder
+import com.intellij.openapi.util.registry.Registry
 import com.intellij.openapi.wm.ex.WelcomeScreenProjectProvider
 import com.intellij.platform.PlatformProjectOpenProcessor
 import com.intellij.pycharm.community.ide.impl.PyCharmCommunityCustomizationBundle
@@ -34,6 +35,10 @@ internal class PyCharmWelcomeScreenProjectProvider : WelcomeScreenProjectProvide
 
   override fun doGetCreateNewFileProjectPrefix(): String = "awesomeProject"
 
+  override fun canOpenFilesFromSystemFileManager(): Boolean {
+    return Registry.`is`("welcome.screen.open.files", false)
+  }
+
   override suspend fun doCreateOrOpenWelcomeScreenProject(path: Path): Project {
     val project = super.doCreateOrOpenWelcomeScreenProject(path)
     // The name might be a MiscProject, since we are reusing that project.