diff --git a/app/controllers/media_objects_controller.rb b/app/controllers/media_objects_controller.rb
index 61b3455f70..e4c5cb905d 100644
--- a/app/controllers/media_objects_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/media_objects_controller.rb
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ def show
         end
       end
       format.json do
-        response_json = @media_object.as_json(include_structure: params[:include_structure])
+        response_json = @media_object.as_json(include_structure: params[:include_structure] == "true")
         response_json.except!(:files, :visibility, :read_groups) unless current_ability.can? :edit, @media_object
         render json: response_json.to_json
       end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/media_objects_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/media_objects_controller_spec.rb
index a98e4a62d1..8abafd1019 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/media_objects_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/media_objects_controller_spec.rb
@@ -936,6 +936,11 @@
           get 'show', params: { id: media_object.id, format:'json', include_structure: true }
           expect(json['files'].first['structure']).to eq master_file.structuralMetadata.content
         end
+
+        it "should not return structure inline if requested not to" do
+          get 'show', params: { id: media_object.id, format:'json', include_structure: false }
+          expect(json['files'].first['structure']).not_to eq master_file.structuralMetadata.content
+        end
       end
     end
   end