diff --git a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/LearnerDashboardMenu.jsx b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/LearnerDashboardMenu.jsx
index 092bcfe7..05470194 100644
--- a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/LearnerDashboardMenu.jsx
+++ b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/LearnerDashboardMenu.jsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const getLearnerHeaderMenu = (
   courseSearchUrl,
   authenticatedUser,
   exploreCoursesClick,
+  programsEnabled = false,
 ) => ({
   mainMenu: [
     {
@@ -17,11 +18,11 @@ const getLearnerHeaderMenu = (
       content: formatMessage(messages.course),
       isActive: true,
     },
-    {
+    ...(programsEnabled ? [{
       type: 'item',
       href: `${urls.programsUrl()}`,
       content: formatMessage(messages.program),
-    },
+    }] : []),
     {
       type: 'item',
       href: `${urls.baseAppUrl(courseSearchUrl)}`,
diff --git a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/__snapshots__/index.test.jsx.snap b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/__snapshots__/index.test.jsx.snap
index 80d09001..34bcdc1f 100644
--- a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/__snapshots__/index.test.jsx.snap
+++ b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/__snapshots__/index.test.jsx.snap
@@ -12,11 +12,6 @@ exports[`LearnerDashboardHeader render 1`] = `
           "isActive": true,
           "type": "item",
         },
-        {
-          "content": "Programs",
-          "href": "http://localhost:18000/dashboard/programs",
-          "type": "item",
-        },
         {
           "content": "Discover New",
           "href": "http://localhost:18000/course-search-url",
diff --git a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/hooks.js b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/hooks.js
index 115322c1..e3eecf8a 100644
--- a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/hooks.js
+++ b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/hooks.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import track from 'tracking';
 import { StrictDict } from 'utils';
 import { linkNames } from 'tracking/constants';
 
+import { apiHooks } from 'hooks';
 import getLearnerHeaderMenu from './LearnerDashboardMenu';
 
 import * as module from './hooks';
@@ -30,8 +31,9 @@ export const findCoursesNavDropdownClicked = (href) => track.findCourses.findCou
 export const useLearnerDashboardHeaderMenu = ({
   courseSearchUrl, authenticatedUser, exploreCoursesClick,
 }) => {
+  const { enabled: programsEnabled } = apiHooks.useProgramsConfig();
   const { formatMessage } = useIntl();
-  return getLearnerHeaderMenu(formatMessage, courseSearchUrl, authenticatedUser, exploreCoursesClick);
+  return getLearnerHeaderMenu(formatMessage, courseSearchUrl, authenticatedUser, exploreCoursesClick, programsEnabled);
 };
 
 export const useLearnerDashboardHeaderData = () => {
diff --git a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/hooks.test.js b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/hooks.test.js
index c9bac080..e724c491 100644
--- a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/hooks.test.js
+++ b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/hooks.test.js
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ jest.mock('tracking', () => ({
     findCoursesClicked: jest.fn(),
   },
 }));
+jest.mock('hooks', () => ({
+  apiHooks: {
+    useProgramsConfig: jest.fn(() => ({})),
+  },
+}));
 
 const url = 'http://example.com';
 
@@ -56,7 +61,7 @@ describe('LearnerDashboardHeader hooks', () => {
         username: 'test',
       };
       const learnerHomeHeaderMenu = useLearnerDashboardHeaderMenu({ courseSearchUrl, authenticatedUser });
-      expect(learnerHomeHeaderMenu.mainMenu.length).toBe(3);
+      expect(learnerHomeHeaderMenu.mainMenu.length).toBe(2);
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/index.test.jsx b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/index.test.jsx
index 4e552925..4c455eea 100644
--- a/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/index.test.jsx
+++ b/src/containers/LearnerDashboardHeader/index.test.jsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { shallow } from '@edx/react-unit-test-utils';
 import Header from '@edx/frontend-component-header';
 
 import urls from 'data/services/lms/urls';
+import { apiHooks } from 'hooks';
 import LearnerDashboardHeader from '.';
 import { findCoursesNavClicked } from './hooks';
 
@@ -12,6 +13,9 @@ jest.mock('hooks', () => ({
       courseSearchUrl: '/course-search-url',
     })),
   },
+  apiHooks: {
+    useProgramsConfig: jest.fn(() => ({})),
+  },
 }));
 jest.mock('./hooks', () => ({
   ...jest.requireActual('./hooks'),
@@ -29,7 +33,7 @@ describe('LearnerDashboardHeader', () => {
     expect(wrapper.instance.findByType('ConfirmEmailBanner')).toHaveLength(1);
     expect(wrapper.instance.findByType('MasqueradeBar')).toHaveLength(1);
     expect(wrapper.instance.findByType(Header)).toHaveLength(1);
-    wrapper.instance.findByType(Header)[0].props.mainMenuItems[2].onClick();
+    wrapper.instance.findByType(Header)[0].props.mainMenuItems[1].onClick();
     expect(findCoursesNavClicked).toHaveBeenCalledWith(urls.baseAppUrl('/course-search-url'));
     expect(wrapper.instance.findByType(Header)[0].props.secondaryMenuItems.length).toBe(0);
   });
@@ -38,5 +42,11 @@ describe('LearnerDashboardHeader', () => {
     mergeConfig({ SUPPORT_URL: 'http://localhost:18000/support' });
     const wrapper = shallow(<LearnerDashboardHeader />);
     expect(wrapper.instance.findByType(Header)[0].props.secondaryMenuItems.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(wrapper.instance.findByType(Header)[0].props.mainMenuItems.length).toBe(2);
+  });
+  test('should display Programs link if the service is configured in the backend', () => {
+    apiHooks.useProgramsConfig.mockReturnValue({ enabled: true });
+    const wrapper = shallow(<LearnerDashboardHeader />);
+    expect(wrapper.instance.findByType(Header)[0].props.mainMenuItems.length).toBe(3);
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/data/services/lms/api.js b/src/data/services/lms/api.js
index 6f9acd56..915b52a9 100644
--- a/src/data/services/lms/api.js
+++ b/src/data/services/lms/api.js
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ export const initializeList = ({ user } = {}) => get(
   stringifyUrl(urls.getInitApiUrl(), { [apiKeys.user]: user }),
 );
 
+export const getProgramsConfig = () => get(urls.programsConfigUrl());
+
 export const updateEntitlementEnrollment = ({ uuid, courseId }) => post(
   urls.entitlementEnrollment(uuid),
   { [apiKeys.courseRunId]: courseId },
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ export const createCreditRequest = ({ providerId, courseId, username }) => post(
 
 export default {
   initializeList,
+  getProgramsConfig,
   unenrollFromCourse,
   updateEmailSettings,
   updateEntitlementEnrollment,
diff --git a/src/data/services/lms/urls.js b/src/data/services/lms/urls.js
index 30c2bbf1..789d614c 100644
--- a/src/data/services/lms/urls.js
+++ b/src/data/services/lms/urls.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export const baseAppUrl = (url) => updateUrl(getBaseUrl(), url);
 export const learningMfeUrl = (url) => updateUrl(getConfig().LEARNING_BASE_URL, url);
 
 // static view url
+const programsConfigUrl = () => baseAppUrl('/config/programs');
 const programsUrl = () => baseAppUrl('/dashboard/programs');
 
 export const creditPurchaseUrl = (courseId) => `${getEcommerceUrl()}/credit/checkout/${courseId}/`;
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ export default StrictDict({
   event,
   getInitApiUrl,
   learningMfeUrl,
+  programsConfigUrl,
   programsUrl,
   updateEmailSettings,
 });
diff --git a/src/hooks/api.js b/src/hooks/api.js
index d64a1185..24a844f8 100644
--- a/src/hooks/api.js
+++ b/src/hooks/api.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import React from 'react';
 
+import { logError } from '@edx/frontend-platform/logging';
 import { AppContext } from '@edx/frontend-platform/react';
 
 import { RequestKeys } from 'data/constants/requests';
@@ -31,6 +32,25 @@ export const useInitializeApp = () => {
   });
 };
 
+export const useProgramsConfig = () => {
+  const [config, setConfig] = React.useState({});
+
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    const fetchProgramsConfig = async () => {
+      try {
+        const { data } = await api.getProgramsConfig();
+        setConfig(data);
+      } catch (error) {
+        logError(`Error accessing programs configuration ${error}`);
+      }
+    };
+
+    fetchProgramsConfig();
+  }, []);
+
+  return config;
+};
+
 export const useNewEntitlementEnrollment = (cardId) => {
   const { uuid } = reduxHooks.useCardEntitlementData(cardId);
   const onSuccess = module.useInitializeApp();
diff --git a/src/hooks/api.test.js b/src/hooks/api.test.js
index cd1a5b6b..ab18a6df 100644
--- a/src/hooks/api.test.js
+++ b/src/hooks/api.test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import React from 'react';
+import { logError } from '@edx/frontend-platform/logging';
 import { AppContext } from '@edx/frontend-platform/react';
 import { keyStore } from 'utils';
 import { RequestKeys } from 'data/constants/requests';
@@ -10,9 +11,14 @@ import * as apiHooks from './api';
 
 const reduxKeys = keyStore(reduxHooks);
 
+jest.mock('@edx/frontend-platform/logging', () => ({
+  logError: jest.fn(),
+}));
+
 jest.mock('data/services/lms/utils', () => ({
   post: jest.fn((...args) => ({ post: args })),
 }));
+
 jest.mock('data/services/lms/api', () => ({
   initializeList: jest.fn(),
   updateEntitlementEnrollment: jest.fn(),
@@ -20,7 +26,9 @@ jest.mock('data/services/lms/api', () => ({
   deleteEntitlementEnrollment: jest.fn(),
   updateEmailSettings: jest.fn(),
   createCreditRequest: jest.fn(),
+  getProgramsConfig: jest.fn(),
 }));
+
 jest.mock('data/redux/hooks', () => ({
   useCardCourseRunData: jest.fn(),
   useCardCreditData: jest.fn(),
@@ -110,6 +118,34 @@ describe('api hooks', () => {
       });
     });
 
+    describe('useProgramsConfig', () => {
+      let mockState;
+      const setState = jest.fn((newState) => { Object.assign(mockState, newState); });
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        mockState = {};
+        React.useState.mockReturnValue([mockState, setState]);
+      });
+
+      it('should return the programs configuration when the API call is successful', async () => {
+        api.getProgramsConfig.mockResolvedValue({ data: { enabled: true } });
+        const config = apiHooks.useProgramsConfig();
+        const [cb] = React.useEffect.mock.calls[0];
+        await cb();
+        expect(setState).toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(config).toEqual({ enabled: true });
+      });
+
+      it('should return an empty object if the api call fails', async () => {
+        mockState = {};
+        api.getProgramsConfig.mockRejectedValue(new Error('error test'));
+        const config = apiHooks.useProgramsConfig();
+        const [cb] = React.useEffect.mock.calls[0];
+        await cb();
+        expect(config).toEqual({});
+        expect(logError).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+    });
+
     describe('entitlement enrollment hooks', () => {
       beforeEach(() => {
         jest.spyOn(apiHooks, moduleKeys.useInitializeApp).mockReturnValue(initializeApp);