diff --git a/code/_globalvars/misc.dm b/code/_globalvars/misc.dm
index f4cdd766cb9..04db7233401 100644
--- a/code/_globalvars/misc.dm
+++ b/code/_globalvars/misc.dm
@@ -90,4 +90,4 @@ GLOBAL_VAR(map_name) // Self explanatory
 
 var/global/datum/datacore/data_core = null // Station datacore, manifest, etc
 
-GLOBAL_VAR_INIT(panic_bunker_enabled, 0) // Is the panic bunker enabled
\ No newline at end of file
+GLOBAL_VAR_INIT(panic_bunker_enabled, FALSE) // Is the panic bunker enabled
diff --git a/code/controllers/configuration.dm b/code/controllers/configuration.dm
index d1a3861676b..cb803e7d52a 100644
--- a/code/controllers/configuration.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/configuration.dm
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
 	var/allow_ai = 1					// allow ai job
 	var/respawn = 0
 	var/guest_jobban = 1
+	var/panic_bunker_threshold = 150	// above this player count threshold, never-before-seen players are blocked from connecting
 	var/usewhitelist = 0
 	var/mods_are_mentors = 0
 	var/load_jobs_from_txt = 0
@@ -503,6 +504,9 @@
 				if("guest_ban")
 					guests_allowed = 0
 
+				if("panic_bunker_threshold")
+					config.panic_bunker_threshold = text2num(value)
+
 				if("usewhitelist")
 					config.usewhitelist = 1
 
diff --git a/code/modules/admin/admin_verbs.dm b/code/modules/admin/admin_verbs.dm
index 12b670ccea9..b77eea08b7b 100644
--- a/code/modules/admin/admin_verbs.dm
+++ b/code/modules/admin/admin_verbs.dm
@@ -78,8 +78,7 @@ var/list/admin_verbs_admin = list(
 	/client/proc/toggle_advanced_interaction, /*toggle admin ability to interact with not only machines, but also atoms such as buttons and doors*/
 	/client/proc/list_ssds_afks,
 	/client/proc/cmd_admin_headset_message,
-	/client/proc/spawn_floor_cluwne,
-	/client/proc/toggle_panic_bunker
+	/client/proc/spawn_floor_cluwne
 )
 var/list/admin_verbs_ban = list(
 	/client/proc/unban_panel,
@@ -1017,16 +1016,3 @@ var/list/admin_verbs_ticket = list(
 
 	log_admin("[key_name(usr)] has [advanced_admin_interaction ? "activated" : "deactivated"] their advanced admin interaction.")
 	message_admins("[key_name_admin(usr)] has [advanced_admin_interaction ? "activated" : "deactivated"] their advanced admin interaction.")
-
-/client/proc/toggle_panic_bunker()
-	set name = "Toggle Panic Bunker"
-	set category = "Admin"
-	set desc = "Disables new players connecting."
-
-	if(!check_rights(R_ADMIN))
-		return
-
-	GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled = !GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled
-
-	log_admin("[key_name(usr)] has [GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled  ? "activated" : "deactivated"] the panic bunker.")
-	message_admins("[key_name_admin(usr)] has [GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled  ? "activated" : "deactivated"] the panic bunker.")
diff --git a/code/modules/client/client procs.dm b/code/modules/client/client procs.dm
index 962be47cae9..e504a796052 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/client procs.dm	
+++ b/code/modules/client/client procs.dm	
@@ -414,9 +414,16 @@
 		if(M.client)
 			playercount += 1
 
-	if(playercount >= 150 && GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled == 0)
-		GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled = 1
-		message_admins("Panic bunker has been automatically enabled due to playercount surpassing 150")
+	// Update the state of the panic bunker based on current playercount
+	var/threshold = config.panic_bunker_threshold
+
+	if((playercount > threshold) && (GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled == FALSE))
+		GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled = TRUE
+		message_admins("Panic bunker has been automatically enabled due to playercount rising above [threshold]")
+
+	if((playercount < threshold) && (GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled == TRUE))
+		GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled = FALSE
+		message_admins("Panic bunker has been automatically disabled due to playercount dropping below [threshold]")
 
 /client/proc/is_connecting_from_localhost()
 	var/localhost_addresses = list("127.0.0.1", "::1") // Adresses
@@ -549,8 +556,8 @@
 
 		// Check new peeps for panic bunker
 		if(GLOB.panic_bunker_enabled)
-			message_admins("<span class='adminnotice'>Failed Login: [key] - New account attempting to connect during panic bunker</span>")
-			src << "Sorry but the server is currently not accepting connections from never before seen players. Please try again later."
+			var/threshold = config.panic_bunker_threshold
+			src << "Server is not accepting connections from never-before-seen players until player count is less than [threshold]. Please try again later."
 			del(src)
 			return // Dont insert or they can just go in again
 
diff --git a/config/example/config.txt b/config/example/config.txt
index 18c280f6141..4fbc5508db3 100644
--- a/config/example/config.txt
+++ b/config/example/config.txt
@@ -190,6 +190,9 @@ GUEST_JOBBAN
 ## Uncomment this to stop people connecting to your server without a registered ckey. (i.e. guest-* are all blocked from connecting)
 GUEST_BAN
 
+## above this player count threshold, never-before-seen players are blocked from connecting
+PANIC_BUNKER_THRESHOLD 150
+
 ### IPINTEL:
 ### This allows you to detect likely proxies by checking ips against getipintel.net
 ## Rating to warn at: (0.90 is good, 1 is 100% likely to be a spammer/proxy, 0.8 is 80%, etc) anything equal to or higher then this number triggers an admin warning