diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4727133f..da339afc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 ## untagged
 
+- Make www upload path configurable
+  ([#618](https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/618))
+
 - Check whether GCC is installed in initenv.sh
   ([#608](https://github.com/chatmail/relay/pull/608))
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7ba08fdb..9f60d113 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -255,6 +255,18 @@ This starts a local live development cycle for chatmail web pages:
 
 - Starts a browser window automatically where you can "refresh" as needed.
 
+#### Custom web pages
+
+You can skip uploading a web page
+by setting `www_folder=disabled` in `chatmail.ini`.
+
+If you want to manage your web pages outside this git repository,
+you can set `www_folder` in `chatmail.ini` to a custom directory on your computer.
+`cmdeploy run` will upload it as the server's home page,
+and if it contains a `src/index.md` file,
+will build it with hugo.
+
+
 ## Mailbox directory layout
 
 Fresh chatmail addresses have a mailbox directory that contains: 
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py
index 0cac3ea4..ae5f4423 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ def __init__(self, inipath, params):
         self.password_min_length = int(params["password_min_length"])
         self.passthrough_senders = params["passthrough_senders"].split()
         self.passthrough_recipients = params["passthrough_recipients"].split()
+        self.www_folder = params.get("www_folder", "")
         self.filtermail_smtp_port = int(params["filtermail_smtp_port"])
         self.filtermail_smtp_port_incoming = int(
             params["filtermail_smtp_port_incoming"]
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py
index 9a4e4229..4523be1d 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from chatmaild.config import Config, read_config
-from pyinfra import facts, host
+from pyinfra import facts, host, logger
 from pyinfra.api import FactBase
 from pyinfra.facts.files import File
 from pyinfra.facts.server import Sysctl
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ def deploy_chatmail(config_path: Path, disable_mail: bool) -> None:
     check_config(config)
     mail_domain = config.mail_domain
 
-    from .www import build_webpages
+    from .www import build_webpages, get_paths
 
     server.group(name="Create vmail group", group="vmail", system=True)
     server.user(name="Create vmail user", user="vmail", group="vmail", system=True)
@@ -751,12 +751,16 @@ def deploy_chatmail(config_path: Path, disable_mail: bool) -> None:
         packages=["fcgiwrap"],
     )
 
-    www_path = importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath("../../../www").resolve()
-
-    build_dir = www_path.joinpath("build")
-    src_dir = www_path.joinpath("src")
-    build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config)
-    files.rsync(f"{build_dir}/", "/var/www/html", flags=["-avz"])
+    www_path, src_dir, build_dir = get_paths(config)
+    # if www_folder was set to a non-existing folder, skip upload
+    if not www_path.is_dir():
+        logger.warning("Building web pages is disabled in chatmail.ini, skipping")
+    else:
+        # if www_folder is a hugo page, build it
+        if build_dir:
+            www_path = build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config)
+        # if it is not a hugo page, upload it as is
+        files.rsync(f"{www_path}/", "/var/www/html", flags=["-avz"])
 
     _install_remote_venv_with_chatmaild(config)
     debug = False
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_cmdeploy.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_cmdeploy.py
index 3084c8ec..bdbc3db0 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_cmdeploy.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/tests/test_cmdeploy.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+import importlib
 import os
 
 import pytest
 
 from cmdeploy.cmdeploy import get_parser, main
+from cmdeploy.www import get_paths
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
@@ -27,3 +29,28 @@ def test_init_not_overwrite(self, capsys):
         assert main(["init", "chat.example.org"]) == 1
         out, err = capsys.readouterr()
         assert "path exists" in out.lower()
+
+
+def test_www_folder(example_config, tmp_path):
+    reporoot = importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath("../../../../").resolve()
+    assert not example_config.www_folder
+    www_path, src_dir, build_dir = get_paths(example_config)
+    assert www_path.absolute() == reporoot.joinpath("www").absolute()
+    assert src_dir == reporoot.joinpath("www").joinpath("src")
+    assert build_dir == reporoot.joinpath("www").joinpath("build")
+    example_config.www_folder = "disabled"
+    www_path, _, _ = get_paths(example_config)
+    assert not www_path.is_dir()
+    example_config.www_folder = str(tmp_path)
+    www_path, src_dir, build_dir = get_paths(example_config)
+    assert www_path == tmp_path
+    assert not src_dir.exists()
+    assert not build_dir
+    src_path = tmp_path.joinpath("src")
+    os.mkdir(src_path)
+    with open(src_path / "index.md", "w") as f:
+        f.write("# Test")
+    www_path, src_dir, build_dir = get_paths(example_config)
+    assert www_path == tmp_path
+    assert src_dir == src_path
+    assert build_dir == tmp_path.joinpath("build")
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/www.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/www.py
index 9dd404ba..c013d741 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/www.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/www.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import time
 import traceback
 import webbrowser
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import markdown
 from chatmaild.config import read_config
@@ -30,9 +31,25 @@ def prepare_template(source):
     return render_vars, page_layout
 
 
-def build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config):
+def get_paths(config) -> (Path, Path, Path):
+    reporoot = importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath("../../../").resolve()
+    www_path = Path(config.www_folder)
+    # if www_folder was not set, use default directory
+    if config.www_folder == "":
+        www_path = reporoot.joinpath("www")
+    src_dir = www_path.joinpath("src")
+    # if www_folder is a hugo page, build it
+    if src_dir.joinpath("index.md").is_file():
+        build_dir = www_path.joinpath("build")
+    # if it is not a hugo page, upload it as is
+    else:
+        build_dir = None
+    return www_path, src_dir, build_dir
+
+
+def build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config) -> Path:
     try:
-        _build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config)
+        return _build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config)
     except Exception:
         print(traceback.format_exc())
 
@@ -106,15 +123,11 @@ def main():
     config = read_config(inipath)
     config.webdev = True
     assert config.mail_domain
-    www_path = reporoot.joinpath("www")
-    src_path = www_path.joinpath("src")
-    stats = None
-    build_dir = www_path.joinpath("build")
-    src_dir = www_path.joinpath("src")
-    index_path = build_dir.joinpath("index.html")
 
     # start web page generation, open a browser and wait for changes
-    build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config)
+    www_path, src_path, build_dir = get_paths(config)
+    build_dir = build_webpages(src_path, build_dir, config)
+    index_path = build_dir.joinpath("index.html")
     webbrowser.open(str(index_path))
     stats = snapshot_dir_stats(src_path)
     print(f"\nOpened URL: file://{index_path.resolve()}\n")
@@ -135,7 +148,7 @@ def main():
                 changenum += 1
 
         stats = newstats
-        build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config)
+        build_webpages(src_path, build_dir, config)
         print(f"[{changenum}] regenerated web pages at: {index_path}")
         print(f"URL: file://{index_path.resolve()}\n\n")
         count = 0