diff --git a/Snakefile b/Snakefile
index f22546ba..254b1cb1 100644
--- a/Snakefile
+++ b/Snakefile
@@ -500,9 +500,9 @@ rule prepare_sector_network:
         cop_air_total="resources/cop_air_total_elec_s{simpl}_{clusters}.nc",
         cop_air_rural="resources/cop_air_rural_elec_s{simpl}_{clusters}.nc",
         cop_air_urban="resources/cop_air_urban_elec_s{simpl}_{clusters}.nc",
-        solar_thermal_total="resources/solar_thermal_total_elec_s{simpl}_{clusters}.nc",
-        solar_thermal_urban="resources/solar_thermal_urban_elec_s{simpl}_{clusters}.nc",
-        solar_thermal_rural="resources/solar_thermal_rural_elec_s{simpl}_{clusters}.nc",
+        solar_thermal_total="resources/solar_thermal_total_elec_s{simpl}_{clusters}.nc" if config["sector"]["solar_thermal"] else [],
+        solar_thermal_urban="resources/solar_thermal_urban_elec_s{simpl}_{clusters}.nc" if config["sector"]["solar_thermal"] else [],
+        solar_thermal_rural="resources/solar_thermal_rural_elec_s{simpl}_{clusters}.nc" if config["sector"]["solar_thermal"] else [],
         **build_retro_cost_output,
         **build_biomass_transport_costs_output,
         **gas_infrastructure
diff --git a/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py b/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py
index f16c26db..d41bb184 100644
--- a/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py
+++ b/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py
@@ -1462,9 +1462,10 @@ def add_heat(n, costs):
         "ground": xr.open_dataarray(snakemake.input.cop_soil_total).to_pandas().reindex(index=n.snapshots)
     }
 
-    solar_thermal = xr.open_dataarray(snakemake.input.solar_thermal_total).to_pandas().reindex(index=n.snapshots)
-    # 1e3 converts from W/m^2 to MW/(1000m^2) = kW/m^2
-    solar_thermal = options['solar_cf_correction'] * solar_thermal / 1e3
+    if options["solar_thermal"]:
+        solar_thermal = xr.open_dataarray(snakemake.input.solar_thermal_total).to_pandas().reindex(index=n.snapshots)
+        # 1e3 converts from W/m^2 to MW/(1000m^2) = kW/m^2
+        solar_thermal = options['solar_cf_correction'] * solar_thermal / 1e3
 
     for name in heat_systems: