diff --git a/src/js/config.ts b/src/js/config.ts
index c02ce2e4..f993fb6c 100644
--- a/src/js/config.ts
+++ b/src/js/config.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+import { stringToBoolean } from '@/utils/strings';
+
 interface PublicConfig {
   CLIENT_NAME: string;
   PORTAL_URL: string;
   TRANSLATED: boolean;
   BEACON_URL: string;
-  BEACON_UI_ENABLED: boolean;
+  BEACON_UI_ENABLED: string;
   PUBLIC_URL: string;
   CLIENT_ID: string;
   OPENID_CONFIG_URL: string;
@@ -17,7 +19,9 @@ export const CLIENT_NAME = BENTO_PUBLIC_CONFIG.CLIENT_NAME ?? process.env.BENTO_
 export const PORTAL_URL = BENTO_PUBLIC_CONFIG.PORTAL_URL ?? process.env.BENTO_PUBLIC_PORTAL_URL;
 export const TRANSLATED = BENTO_PUBLIC_CONFIG.TRANSLATED ?? process.env.BENTO_PUBLIC_TRANSLATED;
 export const BEACON_URL = BENTO_PUBLIC_CONFIG.BEACON_URL ?? process.env.BEACON_URL;
-export const BEACON_UI_ENABLED = BENTO_PUBLIC_CONFIG.BEACON_UI_ENABLED ?? process.env.BENTO_BEACON_UI_ENABLED;
+export const BEACON_UI_ENABLED = stringToBoolean(
+  BENTO_PUBLIC_CONFIG.BEACON_UI_ENABLED ?? process.env.BENTO_BEACON_UI_ENABLED
+);
 
 // Authentication
 export const PUBLIC_URL = BENTO_PUBLIC_CONFIG.PUBLIC_URL ?? process.env.BENTO_PUBLIC_URL ?? '';
diff --git a/src/js/utils/strings.ts b/src/js/utils/strings.ts
index a30bd27d..ed81489f 100644
--- a/src/js/utils/strings.ts
+++ b/src/js/utils/strings.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import { DOI_PATTERN, URL_PATTERN } from '@/constants/patterns';
 
+export const stringToBoolean = (s: string) => ['true', 't', '1', 'yes'].includes((s || '').toLocaleLowerCase());
+
 export const stringIsDOI = (s: string) => !!s.match(DOI_PATTERN);
 export const stringIsURL = (s: string) => !!s.match(URL_PATTERN);