diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f303f167..0ff7d577 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -115,6 +115,11 @@ This module supports a wide range of drawer styles, and hence has *a lot* of pro
 - `useInteractionManager` (Boolean) `false` - if true will run InteractionManager for open/close animations.
 - `elevation` (Number) `0` - (Android-only) Sets the elevation of the drawer using Android's underlying [elevation API](https://developer.android.com/training/material/shadows-clipping.html#Elevation)
 
+### External Functions
+- `open()` (Function) - Trigger drawer open.
+- `close()` (Function) - Trigger drawer close.
+- `disableDrawer(disabled: Boolean)` (Function) - Disable or Enable the drawer.
+
 ### Tween Handler
 You can achieve pretty much any animation you want using the tween handler with the transformMatrix property. E.G.
 ```js
@@ -162,6 +167,7 @@ Three options:
     contextTypes = {drawer: React.PropTypes.object}
     // later...
     this.context.drawer.open()
+    this.context.drawer.disableDrawer(true)
     ```
 
 ### Demo
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 6f5dca3d..c508c4ef 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -30,10 +30,6 @@ export default class Drawer extends Component {
     }
   };
 
-  state = {
-    viewport: deviceScreen
-  };
-
   static propTypes = {
     acceptDoubleTap: PropTypes.bool,
     acceptPan: PropTypes.bool,
@@ -107,6 +103,15 @@ export default class Drawer extends Component {
   getChildContext = () => ({ drawer: this });
   /*** END CONTEXT ***/
 
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props);
+
+    this.state = {
+      viewport: deviceScreen,
+      disabled: props.disabled,
+    };
+  }
+
   _registerChildDrawer(drawer) {
     // Store child drawer for gesture disambiguation with multi drawer
     // @TODO make cleaner, generalize to work with 3+ drawers, prop to disable/configure
@@ -234,6 +239,12 @@ export default class Drawer extends Component {
     }
   };
 
+  disableDrawer(disabled) {
+    this.setState({
+      disabled,
+    });
+  }
+
   shouldOpenDrawer(dx) {
     let hasActiveHeading = this._open ^ dx > 0 ^ this.props.side === 'right'
     if (!hasActiveHeading) return this._open
@@ -244,7 +255,7 @@ export default class Drawer extends Component {
     this._panning = false
     this.shouldOpenDrawer(gestureState.dx) ? this.open() : this.close()
   };
-    
+
   onStartShouldSetPanResponderCapture = (e, gestureState) => {
     if (this.shouldCaptureGestures()) return this.processShouldSet(e, gestureState)
     return false
@@ -307,7 +318,7 @@ export default class Drawer extends Component {
     if (!inMask) return false
     if (!this.props.acceptPan) return false
 
-    if (!this.props.negotiatePan || this.props.disabled || !this.props.acceptPan || this._panning) return false
+    if (!this.props.negotiatePan || this.state.disabled || !this.props.acceptPan || this._panning) return false
     let swipeToLeft = (gestureState.dx < 0) ? true : false
     let swipeToRight = (gestureState.dx > 0) ? true : false
     let swipeUpDown = (Math.abs(gestureState.dy) >= Math.abs(gestureState.dx)) ? true : false
@@ -346,7 +357,7 @@ export default class Drawer extends Component {
   }
 
   testPanResponderMask = (e, gestureState) => {
-    if (this.props.disabled) return false
+    if (this.state.disabled) return false
 
     // Disable if parent or child drawer exist and are open
     // @TODO make cleaner, generalize to work with 3+ drawers, prop to disable/configure
@@ -398,7 +409,7 @@ export default class Drawer extends Component {
         if(typeof type === 'function') {
           type() // this is actually a callback
         } else cb && cb()
-        
+
       }
     })
   };