diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index 8aeedce..6bda838 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ func pageForReq(app *App, r *http.Request) page.StaticPage {
 			p.Username = u.Username
 		}
 	}
+	p.CanViewReader = !app.cfg.App.Private || u != nil
 
 	return p
 }
diff --git a/page/page.go b/page/page.go
index 4560382..2af5322 100644
--- a/page/page.go
+++ b/page/page.go
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ type StaticPage struct {
 	HeaderNav bool
 
 	// Request values
-	Path     string
-	Username string
-	Values   map[string]string
-	Flashes  []string
+	Path          string
+	Username      string
+	Values        map[string]string
+	Flashes       []string
+	CanViewReader bool
 }
 
 // SanitizeHost alters the StaticPage to contain a real hostname. This is
diff --git a/templates/base.tmpl b/templates/base.tmpl
index 01ead5b..775dac9 100644
--- a/templates/base.tmpl
+++ b/templates/base.tmpl
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 			<nav id="user-nav">
 				<nav class="tabs">
 					<a href="/about"{{if eq .Path "/about"}} class="selected"{{end}}>About</a>
-					{{if and (not .SingleUser) .LocalTimeline}}<a href="/read"{{if eq .Path "/read"}} class="selected"{{end}}>Reader</a>{{end}}
+					{{if and (and (not .SingleUser) .LocalTimeline) .CanViewReader}}<a href="/read"{{if eq .Path "/read"}} class="selected"{{end}}>Reader</a>{{end}}
 					{{if and (not .SingleUser) (not .Username)}}<a href="/login"{{if eq .Path "/login"}} class="selected"{{end}}>Log in</a>{{end}}
 				</nav>
 			</nav>
diff --git a/templates/include/footer.tmpl b/templates/include/footer.tmpl
index 252699d..32a7e68 100644
--- a/templates/include/footer.tmpl
+++ b/templates/include/footer.tmpl
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 						<h3><a class="home" href="/">{{.SiteName}}</a></h3>
 						<ul>
 							<li><a href="/about">about</a></li>
-							{{if and (not .SingleUser) .LocalTimeline}}<a href="/read">reader</a>{{end}}
+							{{if and (and (not .SingleUser) .LocalTimeline) .CanViewReader}}<a href="/read">reader</a>{{end}}
 							<li><a href="/privacy">privacy</a></li>
 						</ul>
 					</div>