diff --git a/autoload/youcompleteme.vim b/autoload/youcompleteme.vim
index 6471b44b..d4f2d8e7 100644
--- a/autoload/youcompleteme.vim
+++ b/autoload/youcompleteme.vim
@@ -22,10 +22,14 @@ set cpo&vim
 " This needs to be called outside of a function
 let s:script_folder_path = escape( expand( '<sfile>:p:h' ), '\' )
 let s:old_cursor_text = ''
-let g:ycm_min_num_of_chars_for_completion = 2
 
 " Set up the plugin, load all our modules, bind our keys etc.
 function! youcompleteme#Enable()
+  " If the user set the current filetype as a filetype that YCM should ignore,
+  " then we don't do anything
+  if get( g:ycm_filetypes_to_ignore, &filetype, 0 )
+    return
+  endif
 
   augroup youcompleteme
     autocmd!
diff --git a/plugin/youcompleteme.vim b/plugin/youcompleteme.vim
index fd16f466..370bd6c7 100644
--- a/plugin/youcompleteme.vim
+++ b/plugin/youcompleteme.vim
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@ if exists("g:loaded_youcompleteme")
 endif
 let g:loaded_youcompleteme = 1
 
+if !exists( 'g:ycm_min_num_of_chars_for_completion' )
+  let g:ycm_min_num_of_chars_for_completion = 2
+endif
+
+if !exists( 'g:ycm_filetypes_to_ignore' )
+  let g:ycm_filetypes_to_ignore = { 'notes' : 1 }
+endif
+
 " This is basic vim plugin boilerplate
 let s:save_cpo = &cpo
 set cpo&vim