diff --git a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategorySidebar.vue b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategorySidebar.vue
index 0b0fb7aa4..fad96faf6 100644
--- a/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategorySidebar.vue
+++ b/src/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategorySidebar.vue
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ import NodeSearchCategoryTreeNode, {
   CATEGORY_UNSELECTED_CLASS
 } from '@/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategoryTreeNode.vue'
 import type { CategoryNode } from '@/components/searchbox/v2/NodeSearchCategoryTreeNode.vue'
+import { useFeatureFlags } from '@/composables/useFeatureFlags'
 import { nodeOrganizationService } from '@/services/nodeOrganizationService'
 import { useNodeDefStore } from '@/stores/nodeDefStore'
 import { NodeSourceType } from '@/types/nodeSource'
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ const selectedCategory = defineModel<string>('selectedCategory', {
 })
 
 const { t } = useI18n()
+const { flags } = useFeatureFlags()
 const nodeDefStore = useNodeDefStore()
 
 const topCategories = computed(() => [
@@ -79,7 +81,7 @@ const hasEssentialNodes = computed(() =>
 
 const sourceCategories = computed(() => {
   const categories = []
-  if (hasEssentialNodes.value) {
+  if (flags.nodeLibraryEssentialsEnabled && hasEssentialNodes.value) {
     categories.push({ id: 'essentials', label: t('g.essentials') })
   }
   categories.push({ id: 'custom', label: t('g.custom') })
diff --git a/src/components/sidebar/tabs/NodeLibrarySidebarTabV2.vue b/src/components/sidebar/tabs/NodeLibrarySidebarTabV2.vue
index ec521103e..a86947df6 100644
--- a/src/components/sidebar/tabs/NodeLibrarySidebarTabV2.vue
+++ b/src/components/sidebar/tabs/NodeLibrarySidebarTabV2.vue
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
             :value="tab.value"
             :class="
               cn(
-                'select-none border-none outline-none px-3 py-2 rounded-lg cursor-pointer',
+                'flex-1 text-center select-none border-none outline-none px-3 py-2 rounded-lg cursor-pointer',
                 'text-sm text-foreground transition-colors',
                 selectedTab === tab.value
                   ? 'bg-comfy-input font-bold'
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@
       <!-- Tab content (scrollable) -->
       <TabsRoot v-model="selectedTab" class="h-full">
         <EssentialNodesPanel
-          v-if="selectedTab === 'essentials'"
+          v-if="
+            flags.nodeLibraryEssentialsEnabled && selectedTab === 'essentials'
+          "
           v-model:expanded-keys="expandedKeys"
           :root="renderedEssentialRoot"
           @node-click="handleNodeClick"
@@ -109,10 +111,11 @@ import {
   TabsRoot,
   TabsTrigger
 } from 'reka-ui'
-import { computed, nextTick, onMounted, ref } from 'vue'
+import { computed, nextTick, onMounted, ref, watchEffect } from 'vue'
 import { useI18n } from 'vue-i18n'
 
 import SearchBox from '@/components/common/SearchBoxV2.vue'
+import { useFeatureFlags } from '@/composables/useFeatureFlags'
 import { useNodeDragToCanvas } from '@/composables/node/useNodeDragToCanvas'
 import { usePerTabState } from '@/composables/usePerTabState'
 import {
@@ -136,11 +139,22 @@ import EssentialNodesPanel from './nodeLibrary/EssentialNodesPanel.vue'
 import NodeDragPreview from './nodeLibrary/NodeDragPreview.vue'
 import SidebarTabTemplate from './SidebarTabTemplate.vue'
 
+const { flags } = useFeatureFlags()
+
 const selectedTab = useLocalStorage<TabId>(
   'Comfy.NodeLibrary.Tab',
   DEFAULT_TAB_ID
 )
 
+watchEffect(() => {
+  if (
+    !flags.nodeLibraryEssentialsEnabled &&
+    selectedTab.value === 'essentials'
+  ) {
+    selectedTab.value = DEFAULT_TAB_ID
+  }
+})
+
 const sortOrderByTab = useLocalStorage<Record<TabId, SortingStrategyId>>(
   'Comfy.NodeLibrary.SortByTab',
   {
@@ -324,11 +338,21 @@ async function handleSearch() {
   expandedKeys.value = allKeys
 }
 
-const tabs = computed(() => [
-  { value: 'essentials', label: t('sideToolbar.nodeLibraryTab.essentials') },
-  { value: 'all', label: t('sideToolbar.nodeLibraryTab.allNodes') },
-  { value: 'custom', label: t('sideToolbar.nodeLibraryTab.custom') }
-])
+const tabs = computed(() => {
+  const baseTabs: Array<{ value: TabId; label: string }> = [
+    { value: 'all', label: t('sideToolbar.nodeLibraryTab.allNodes') },
+    { value: 'custom', label: t('sideToolbar.nodeLibraryTab.custom') }
+  ]
+  return flags.nodeLibraryEssentialsEnabled
+    ? [
+        {
+          value: 'essentials' as TabId,
+          label: t('sideToolbar.nodeLibraryTab.essentials')
+        },
+        ...baseTabs
+      ]
+    : baseTabs
+})
 
 onMounted(() => {
   searchBoxRef.value?.focus()
diff --git a/src/composables/useFeatureFlags.ts b/src/composables/useFeatureFlags.ts
index 2f2d7059f..88e48a9b2 100644
--- a/src/composables/useFeatureFlags.ts
+++ b/src/composables/useFeatureFlags.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ export enum ServerFeatureFlag {
   LINEAR_TOGGLE_ENABLED = 'linear_toggle_enabled',
   TEAM_WORKSPACES_ENABLED = 'team_workspaces_enabled',
   USER_SECRETS_ENABLED = 'user_secrets_enabled',
-  NODE_REPLACEMENTS = 'node_replacements'
+  NODE_REPLACEMENTS = 'node_replacements',
+  NODE_LIBRARY_ESSENTIALS_ENABLED = 'node_library_essentials_enabled'
 }
 
 /**
@@ -118,6 +119,17 @@ export function useFeatureFlags() {
     },
     get nodeReplacementsEnabled() {
       return api.getServerFeature(ServerFeatureFlag.NODE_REPLACEMENTS, false)
+    },
+    get nodeLibraryEssentialsEnabled() {
+      if (isNightly || import.meta.env.DEV) return true
+
+      return (
+        remoteConfig.value.node_library_essentials_enabled ??
+        api.getServerFeature(
+          ServerFeatureFlag.NODE_LIBRARY_ESSENTIALS_ENABLED,
+          false
+        )
+      )
     }
   })
 
diff --git a/src/platform/remoteConfig/types.ts b/src/platform/remoteConfig/types.ts
index 28316cf0c..6dd64feb3 100644
--- a/src/platform/remoteConfig/types.ts
+++ b/src/platform/remoteConfig/types.ts
@@ -43,4 +43,5 @@ export type RemoteConfig = {
   linear_toggle_enabled?: boolean
   team_workspaces_enabled?: boolean
   user_secrets_enabled?: boolean
+  node_library_essentials_enabled?: boolean
 }