diff --git a/homeassistant/__init__.py b/homeassistant/__init__.py
index 5e54cbd5d0a..80916011d55 100644
--- a/homeassistant/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/__init__.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from homeassistant.const import (
     SERVICE_HOMEASSISTANT_STOP, EVENT_TIME_CHANGED, EVENT_STATE_CHANGED,
     EVENT_CALL_SERVICE, ATTR_NOW, ATTR_DOMAIN, ATTR_SERVICE, MATCH_ALL,
     EVENT_SERVICE_EXECUTED, ATTR_SERVICE_CALL_ID, EVENT_SERVICE_REGISTERED,
-    TEMP_CELCIUS, TEMP_FAHRENHEIT, ATTR_FRIENDLY_NAME)
+    TEMP_CELCIUS, TEMP_FAHRENHEIT, ATTR_FRIENDLY_NAME, ATTR_HIDDEN)
 import homeassistant.util as util
 
 DOMAIN = "homeassistant"
@@ -621,6 +621,16 @@ class StateMachine(object):
         new_state = str(new_state)
         attributes = attributes or {}
 
+        # Last chance to enforce the visibility property. This is required for
+        # components that don't use the Entity base class for their entities.
+        # The sun component is an example of this. The Entity class cannot be
+        # imported cleanly, so assume the state is shown. This means that for
+        # visibility to be supported, the state must originate from a class that
+        # uses the base class Entity or it must manually put the hidden
+        # attribute in its attributes dictionary.
+        if ATTR_HIDDEN not in attributes:
+            attributes[ATTR_HIDDEN] = False
+
         with self._lock:
             old_state = self._states.get(entity_id)
 
diff --git a/homeassistant/bootstrap.py b/homeassistant/bootstrap.py
index 4a6aab53483..c0b8fe09af3 100644
--- a/homeassistant/bootstrap.py
+++ b/homeassistant/bootstrap.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import homeassistant
 import homeassistant.loader as loader
 import homeassistant.components as core_components
 import homeassistant.components.group as group
+from homeassistant.helpers.entity import Entity
 from homeassistant.const import (
     EVENT_COMPONENT_LOADED, CONF_LATITUDE, CONF_LONGITUDE,
     CONF_TEMPERATURE_UNIT, CONF_NAME, CONF_TIME_ZONE, TEMP_CELCIUS,
@@ -207,6 +208,8 @@ def process_ha_core_config(hass, config):
         if key in config:
             setattr(hass.config, attr, config[key])
 
+    Entity._visibility.update(config.get('visibility', [{}])[0])
+
     if CONF_TEMPERATURE_UNIT in config:
         unit = config[CONF_TEMPERATURE_UNIT]
 
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/isy994.py b/homeassistant/components/isy994.py
index 7fa0524d32f..d364007d12c 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/isy994.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/isy994.py
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ def setup(hass, config):
     # pull and parse optional configuration
     global SENSOR_STRING
     global HIDDEN_STRING
-    SENSOR_STRING = config[DOMAIN].get('sensor_string', SENSOR_STRING)
-    HIDDEN_STRING = config[DOMAIN].get('hidden_string', HIDDEN_STRING)
+    SENSOR_STRING = str(config[DOMAIN].get('sensor_string', SENSOR_STRING))
+    HIDDEN_STRING = str(config[DOMAIN].get('hidden_string', HIDDEN_STRING))
 
     # connect to ISY controller
     global ISY
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ class ISYDeviceABC(ToggleEntity):
     def __init__(self, node):
         # setup properties
         self.node = node
+        self.hidden = HIDDEN_STRING in self.raw_name
 
         # track changes
         self._changeHandler = self.node.status. \
@@ -135,13 +136,17 @@ class ISYDeviceABC(ToggleEntity):
         """ Returns the id of this isy sensor """
         return self.node._id
 
+    @property
+    def raw_name(self):
+        try:
+            return str(self._name)
+        except AttributeError:
+            return str(self.node.name)
+
     @property
     def name(self):
         """ Returns the name of the node if any. """
-        try:
-            return self._name
-        except AttributeError:
-            return self.node.name
+        return self.raw_name.replace(HIDDEN_STRING, '').strip()
 
     def update(self):
         """ Update state of the sensor. """
diff --git a/homeassistant/const.py b/homeassistant/const.py
index 467bb692399..a1aa0df40d1 100644
--- a/homeassistant/const.py
+++ b/homeassistant/const.py
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ ATTR_TRIPPED = "device_tripped"
 # time the device was tripped
 ATTR_LAST_TRIP_TIME = "last_tripped_time"
 
+# For all entity's, this hold whether or not it should be hidden
+ATTR_HIDDEN = "hidden"
+
 # #### SERVICES ####
 SERVICE_HOMEASSISTANT_STOP = "stop"
 
diff --git a/homeassistant/helpers/entity.py b/homeassistant/helpers/entity.py
index a8ee712b0f7..d7599eaf971 100644
--- a/homeassistant/helpers/entity.py
+++ b/homeassistant/helpers/entity.py
@@ -8,16 +8,19 @@ Provides ABC for entities in HA.
 from homeassistant import NoEntitySpecifiedError
 
 from homeassistant.const import (
-    ATTR_FRIENDLY_NAME, ATTR_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT, STATE_ON, STATE_OFF,
-    DEVICE_DEFAULT_NAME, TEMP_CELCIUS, TEMP_FAHRENHEIT)
+    ATTR_FRIENDLY_NAME, ATTR_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT, ATTR_HIDDEN, STATE_ON,
+    STATE_OFF, DEVICE_DEFAULT_NAME, TEMP_CELCIUS, TEMP_FAHRENHEIT)
 
 
 class Entity(object):
     """ ABC for Home Assistant entities. """
     # pylint: disable=no-self-use
 
-    hass = None
-    entity_id = None
+    # SAFE TO OVERWRITE
+    # The properties and methods here are safe to overwrite when inherting this
+    # class. These may be used to customize the behavior of the entity.
+
+    _hidden = False  # suggestion as to whether the entity should be hidden
 
     @property
     def should_poll(self):
@@ -52,6 +55,10 @@ class Entity(object):
         """ Unit of measurement of this entity, if any. """
         return None
 
+    def update(self):
+        """ Retrieve latest state. """
+        pass
+
     # DEPRECATION NOTICE:
     # Device is moving from getters to properties.
     # For now the new properties will call the old functions
@@ -69,9 +76,14 @@ class Entity(object):
         """ Returns optional state attributes. """
         return None
 
-    def update(self):
-        """ Retrieve latest state. """
-        pass
+    # DO NOT OVERWRITE
+    # These properties and methods are either managed by Home Assistant or they
+    # are used to perform a very specific function. Overwriting these may
+    # produce undesirable effects in the entity's operation.
+
+    hass = None
+    entity_id = None
+    _visibility = {}
 
     def update_ha_state(self, force_refresh=False):
         """
@@ -97,6 +109,9 @@ class Entity(object):
         if ATTR_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT not in attr and self.unit_of_measurement:
             attr[ATTR_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT] = self.unit_of_measurement
 
+        if ATTR_HIDDEN not in attr:
+            attr[ATTR_HIDDEN] = bool(self.hidden)
+
         # Convert temperature if we detect one
         if attr.get(ATTR_UNIT_OF_MEASUREMENT) in (TEMP_CELCIUS,
                                                   TEMP_FAHRENHEIT):
@@ -115,6 +130,24 @@ class Entity(object):
     def __repr__(self):
         return "<Entity {}: {}>".format(self.name, self.state)
 
+    @property
+    def hidden(self):
+        """
+        Returns the official decision of whether the entity should be hidden.
+        Any value set by the user in the configuration file will overwrite
+        whatever the component sets for visibility.
+        """
+        if self.entity_id is not None and \
+                self.entity_id.lower() in self._visibility:
+            return self._visibility[self.entity_id.lower()] is 'hide'
+        else:
+            return self._hidden
+
+    @hidden.setter
+    def hidden(self, val):
+        """ Sets the suggestion for visibility. """
+        self._hidden = bool(val)
+
 
 class ToggleEntity(Entity):
     """ ABC for entities that can be turned on and off. """