diff --git a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
index 4b880eeb1..7bebce8eb 100644
--- a/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses/notcurses.h
@@ -2859,6 +2859,10 @@ API int ncmenu_prevsection(struct ncmenu* n);
 API int ncmenu_nextitem(struct ncmenu* n);
 API int ncmenu_previtem(struct ncmenu* n);
 
+// Disable or enable a menu item. Returns 0 if the item was found.
+API int ncmenu_item_set_status(struct ncmenu* n, const char* section,
+                               const char* item, bool enabled);
+
 // Return the selected item description, or NULL if no section is unrolled. If
 // 'ni' is not NULL, and the selected item has a shortcut, 'ni' will be filled
 // in with that shortcut--this can allow faster matching.
diff --git a/src/lib/menu.c b/src/lib/menu.c
index 34f968ea7..894d00e58 100644
--- a/src/lib/menu.c
+++ b/src/lib/menu.c
@@ -604,6 +604,29 @@ bool ncmenu_offer_input(ncmenu* n, const ncinput* nc){
   return false;
 }
 
+// FIXME we probably ought implement this with a trie or something
+int ncmenu_item_set_status(ncmenu* n, const char* section, const char* item,
+                           bool enabled){
+  for(int si = 0 ; si < n->sectioncount ; ++si){
+    const struct ncmenu_int_section* sec = &n->sections[si];
+    if(strcmp(sec->name, section) == 0){
+      for(int ii = 0 ; ii < sec->itemcount ; ++ii){
+        struct ncmenu_int_item* i = &sec->items[ii];
+        if(strcmp(i->desc, item) == 0){
+          const bool changed = i->disabled != enabled;
+          i->disabled = !enabled;
+          if(changed && n->unrolledsection == si){
+            ncmenu_unroll(n, n->unrolledsection);
+          }
+          return 0;
+        }
+      }
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  return -1;
+}
+
 ncplane* ncmenu_plane(ncmenu* menu){
   return menu->ncp;
 }
diff --git a/src/poc/menu.c b/src/poc/menu.c
index e4494f02d..bd5e8e2a0 100644
--- a/src/poc/menu.c
+++ b/src/poc/menu.c
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ int main(void){
   notcurses_mouse_enable(nc);
   struct ncmenu_item demo_items[] = {
     { .desc = "Restart", .shortcut = { .id = 'r', .ctrl = true, }, },
+    { .desc = "Disabled", .shortcut = { .id = 'd', .ctrl = false, }, },
   };
   struct ncmenu_item file_items[] = {
     { .desc = "New", .shortcut = { .id = 'n', .ctrl = true, }, },
@@ -125,6 +126,9 @@ int main(void){
   if(top == NULL){
     goto err;
   }
+  if(ncmenu_item_set_status(top, "Schwarzgerät", "Disabled", false)){
+    goto err;
+  }
   uint64_t channels = 0;
   channels_set_fg_rgb(&channels, 0x88aa00);
   channels_set_bg_rgb(&channels, 0x000088);