diff --git a/paragraphs.module b/paragraphs.module
index 0371aec..b67b31e 100644
--- a/paragraphs.module
+++ b/paragraphs.module
@@ -566,6 +566,21 @@ function paragraphs_field_instance_settings_form($field, $instance) {
     '#required' => TRUE,
   );
 
+  $element['add_mode_instructions'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'textarea',
+    '#title' => t('Paragraph Instructions'),
+    '#rows' => 3,
+    '#description' => t('When there are no existing paragraphs, this text is displayed above the select list or buttons. e.g., "No Paragraphs added yet, press a button below to add one."'),
+    '#default_value' => isset($settings['add_mode_instructions']) ? $settings['add_mode_instructions'] : '',
+  );
+
+  $element['hide_instructions'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#title' => t('Hide paragraph instructions'),
+    '#description' => t('Do not display paragraph instructions.'),
+    '#default_value' => $settings['hide_instructions'],
+  );
+
   if (!count($bundles)) {
     $element['allowed_bundles_explain'] = array(
       '#type' => 'markup',
@@ -1176,12 +1191,22 @@ function theme_paragraphs_field_multiple_value_form($variables) {
     $output .= theme('table', array('header' => $header, 'rows' => $rows, 'attributes' => array('id' => $table_id, 'class' => array('field-multiple-table'))));
   }
   else {
-    $add_text = 'No @title_multiple added yet. Select a @title type and press the button below to add one.';
-    if ($add_mode == 'button') {
-      $add_text = 'No @title_multiple added yet. Select a @title type and press a button below to add one.';
+    $output .= (!empty($element['#title'])) ? '<label>' . t('!title !required', array('!title' => $element['#title'], '!required' => $required)) . "</label>" : '';
+    // Make sure we aren't supposed to just hide the instructions.
+    if (empty($instance['settings']['hide_instructions'])) {
+      // Check for custom instructions.
+      if (!empty($instance['settings']['add_mode_instructions'])) {
+        $instructions = check_plain(rtrim($instance['settings']['add_mode_instructions']));
+        $output .= '<p><em>' . t($instructions) . '</em></p>';
+      }
+      else {
+        $add_text = 'No @title_multiple added yet. Select a @title type and press the button below to add one.';
+        if ($add_mode == 'button') {
+          $add_text = 'No @title_multiple added yet. Select a @title type and press a button below to add one.';
+        }
+        $output .= '<p><em>' . t($add_text, array('@title_multiple' => t($instance['settings']['title_multiple']), '@title' => t($instance['settings']['title']))) . '</em></p>';
+      }
     }
-    $output .= '<label>' . t('!title !required', array('!title' => $element['#title'], '!required' => $required)) . "</label>";
-    $output .= '<p><em>' . t($add_text, array('@title_multiple' => t($instance['settings']['title_multiple']), '@title' => t($instance['settings']['title']))) . '</em></p>';
   }
   $output .= $element['#description'] ? '<div class="description">' . $element['#description'] . '</div>' : '';
   $output .= '<div class="clearfix">' . drupal_render($add_more_button_type) . drupal_render($add_more_button) . '</div>';