diff --git a/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js b/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js
index 8bad39d79..3fd204112 100644
--- a/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js
+++ b/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js
@@ -174,10 +174,6 @@ class BaseViewer extends EventEmitter {
             const fileExt = this.options.file.extension;
             this.fileLoadingIcon = getIconFromExtension(fileExt);
             this.startAt = getProp(this.options, `fileOptions.${this.options.file.id}.${FILE_OPTION_START}`, {});
-
-            if (EXCEL_EXTENSIONS.includes(fileExt) || IWORK_EXTENSIONS.includes(fileExt)) {
-                this.options.showAnnotationsControls = false;
-            }
         }
 
         this.finishLoadingSetup();
@@ -1011,7 +1007,7 @@ class BaseViewer extends EventEmitter {
      */
     areAnnotationsEnabled() {
         // Do not attempt to fetch annotations if the user cannot create or view annotations
-        const { permissions } = this.options.file;
+        const { extension, permissions } = this.options.file;
         if (!this.hasAnnotationPermissions(permissions)) {
             return false;
         }
@@ -1035,6 +1031,11 @@ class BaseViewer extends EventEmitter {
             return this.viewerConfig.enabled;
         }
 
+        // Disable new annotations for Excel and iWork formats
+        if (EXCEL_EXTENSIONS.includes(extension) || IWORK_EXTENSIONS.includes(extension)) {
+            this.options.showAnnotationsControls = false;
+        }
+
         // Ignore viewer config if BoxAnnotations was pass into Preview as an option
         // Otherwise, use global preview annotation option
         return !!this.options.showAnnotations;
diff --git a/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js b/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js
index f9547a00a..b0e897c98 100644
--- a/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js
+++ b/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js
@@ -88,22 +88,6 @@ describe('lib/viewers/BaseViewer', () => {
             expect(base.annotatorPromiseResolver).to.not.be.undefined;
         });
 
-        it('should not show annotations in toolbar if the file is excel or iWork formats', () => {
-            base.addCommonListeners = () => {};
-            base.finishLoadingSetup = () => {};
-
-            base.options.file.extension = 'xlsx';
-            base.options.showAnnotationsControls = true;
-            base.setup();
-            expect(base.options.showAnnotationsControls).to.equal(false);
-
-            base.isSetup = false;
-            base.options.file.extension = 'numbers';
-            base.options.showAnnotationsControls = true;
-            base.setup();
-            expect(base.options.showAnnotationsControls).to.equal(false);
-        });
-
         it('should add a mobile class to the container if on mobile', () => {
             base.isMobile = true;
             sandbox.stub(base, 'loadBoxAnnotations').returns(Promise.resolve());
@@ -1231,6 +1215,20 @@ describe('lib/viewers/BaseViewer', () => {
             expect(base.areAnnotationsEnabled()).to.be.false;
         });
 
+        it('should not show annotations in toolbar if the file is excel or iWork formats', () => {
+            stubs.getViewerOption.withArgs('annotations').returns(null);
+
+            base.options.file.extension = 'xlsx';
+            base.options.showAnnotationsControls = true;
+            base.areAnnotationsEnabled();
+            expect(base.options.showAnnotationsControls).to.equal(false);
+
+            base.options.file.extension = 'numbers';
+            base.options.showAnnotationsControls = true;
+            base.areAnnotationsEnabled();
+            expect(base.options.showAnnotationsControls).to.equal(false);
+        });
+
         it('should use BoxAnnotations options if an instance of BoxAnnotations is passed into Preview', () => {
             stubs.getViewerOption.withArgs('annotations').returns(null);
             base.options.showAnnotations = false;