diff --git a/readthedocs/doc_builder/backends/mkdocs.py b/readthedocs/doc_builder/backends/mkdocs.py
index 31040229bb6..de7037dc47d 100644
--- a/readthedocs/doc_builder/backends/mkdocs.py
+++ b/readthedocs/doc_builder/backends/mkdocs.py
@@ -100,11 +100,6 @@ def append_conf(self, **__):
         if 'theme_dir' not in user_config and self.use_theme:
             user_config['theme_dir'] = TEMPLATE_DIR
 
-        yaml.safe_dump(
-            user_config,
-            open(os.path.join(self.root_path, 'mkdocs.yml'), 'w')
-        )
-
         docs_path = os.path.join(self.root_path, docs_dir)
 
         # RTD javascript writing
@@ -112,6 +107,16 @@ def append_conf(self, **__):
         with open(os.path.join(docs_path, 'readthedocs-data.js'), 'w') as f:
             f.write(rtd_data)
 
+        # Use Read the Docs' analytics setup rather than mkdocs'
+        # This supports using RTD's privacy improvements around analytics
+        user_config['google_analytics'] = None
+
+        # Write the mkdocs configuration
+        yaml.safe_dump(
+            user_config,
+            open(os.path.join(self.root_path, 'mkdocs.yml'), 'w')
+        )
+
     def generate_rtd_data(self, docs_dir, mkdocs_config):
         """Generate template properties and render readthedocs-data.js."""
         # Get the theme name
@@ -120,6 +125,12 @@ def generate_rtd_data(self, docs_dir, mkdocs_config):
         if theme_dir:
             theme_name = theme_dir.rstrip('/').split('/')[-1]
 
+        # Use the analytics code from mkdocs.yml if it isn't set already by Read the Docs
+        analytics_code = self.version.project.analytics_code
+        if not analytics_code and mkdocs_config.get('google_analytics'):
+            # http://www.mkdocs.org/user-guide/configuration/#google_analytics
+            analytics_code = mkdocs_config['google_analytics'][0]
+
         # Will be available in the JavaScript as READTHEDOCS_DATA.
         readthedocs_data = {
             'project': self.version.project.slug,
@@ -134,7 +145,7 @@ def generate_rtd_data(self, docs_dir, mkdocs_config):
             'api_host': getattr(settings, 'PUBLIC_API_URL', 'https://readthedocs.org'),
             'commit': self.version.project.vcs_repo(self.version.slug).commit,
             'global_analytics_code': getattr(settings, 'GLOBAL_ANALYTICS_CODE', 'UA-17997319-1'),
-            'user_analytics_code': self.version.project.analytics_code,
+            'user_analytics_code': analytics_code,
         }
         data_json = json.dumps(readthedocs_data, indent=4)
         data_ctx = {