diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_shieldcoinbase.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_shieldcoinbase.py
index 7d2d63e62..e4990cd9f 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_shieldcoinbase.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_shieldcoinbase.py
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ class WalletShieldCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         initialize_chain_clean(self.options.tmpdir, 4)
 
     def setup_network(self, split=False):
-        args = ['-regtestprotectcoinbase', '-debug=zrpcunsafe']
+        args = ['-regtestprotectcoinbase', '-debug=zrpcunsafe', '-experimentalfeatures', '-zshieldcoinbase']
         self.nodes = []
         self.nodes.append(start_node(0, self.options.tmpdir, args))
         self.nodes.append(start_node(1, self.options.tmpdir, args))
-        args2 = ['-regtestprotectcoinbase', '-debug=zrpcunsafe', "-mempooltxinputlimit=7"]
+        args2 = ['-regtestprotectcoinbase', '-debug=zrpcunsafe', '-experimentalfeatures', '-zshieldcoinbase', "-mempooltxinputlimit=7"]
         self.nodes.append(start_node(2, self.options.tmpdir, args2))
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,0,1)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,1,2)
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 84f64dc07..3797e806d 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -790,6 +790,8 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler)
     if (!fExperimentalMode) {
         if (mapArgs.count("-developerencryptwallet")) {
             return InitError(_("Wallet encryption requires -experimentalfeatures."));
+        } else if (mapArgs.count("-zshieldcoinbase")) {
+            return InitError(_("RPC call z_shieldcoinbase requires -experimentalfeatures."));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
index 38bf7a274..55669f74f 100644
--- a/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp
@@ -3525,9 +3525,16 @@ UniValue z_shieldcoinbase(const UniValue& params, bool fHelp)
     if (!EnsureWalletIsAvailable(fHelp))
         return NullUniValue;
 
+    bool fEnableShieldCoinbase = fExperimentalMode && GetBoolArg("-zshieldcoinbase", false);
+    std::string strDisabledMsg = "";
+    if (!fEnableShieldCoinbase) {
+        strDisabledMsg = "\nWARNING: z_shieldcoinbase is DISABLED but can be enabled as an experimental feature.\n";
+    }
+
     if (fHelp || params.size() < 2 || params.size() > 3)
         throw runtime_error(
             "z_shieldcoinbase \"fromaddress\" \"tozaddress\" ( fee )\n"
+            + strDisabledMsg +
             "\nShield transparent coinbase funds by sending to a shielded zaddr.  This is an asynchronous operation and utxos"
             "\nselected for shielding will be locked.  If there is an error, they are unlocked.  The RPC call `listlockunspent`"
             "\ncan be used to return a list of locked utxos.  The number of coinbase utxos selected for shielding is limited by"
@@ -3549,6 +3556,10 @@ UniValue z_shieldcoinbase(const UniValue& params, bool fHelp)
             "}\n"
         );
 
+    if (!fEnableShieldCoinbase) {
+        throw JSONRPCError(RPC_WALLET_ERROR, "Error: z_shieldcoinbase is disabled.");
+    }
+
     LOCK2(cs_main, pwalletMain->cs_wallet);
 
     // Validate the from address