diff --git a/js/ui/panel.js b/js/ui/panel.js
index 45aabb218..eb3a9e793 100644
--- a/js/ui/panel.js
+++ b/js/ui/panel.js
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ const Panel = new Lang.Class({
             this._menus.addMenu(this._activitiesButton.menu);
         }
 
-        if (Main.sessionMode.sessionType == Shell.SessionType.USER) {
+        if (Main.sessionMode.hasAppMenu) {
             this._appMenu = new AppMenuButton(this._menus);
             this._leftBox.add(this._appMenu.actor);
         }
diff --git a/js/ui/sessionMode.js b/js/ui/sessionMode.js
index 3ab89c182..3e05400b9 100644
--- a/js/ui/sessionMode.js
+++ b/js/ui/sessionMode.js
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ const DEFAULT_MODE = 'user';
 
 const _modes = {
     'gdm': { hasOverview: false,
+             hasAppMenu: false,
              sessionType: Shell.SessionType.GDM },
 
     'user': { hasOverview: true,
+              hasAppMenu: true,
               sessionType: Shell.SessionType.USER }
 };