diff --git a/combo/data/models.py b/combo/data/models.py
index 25d5e3aa..025346b1 100644
--- a/combo/data/models.py
+++ b/combo/data/models.py
@@ -84,11 +84,12 @@ def element_is_visible(element, user=None):
 
 
 class Placeholder(object):
-    def __init__(self, key, name=None, acquired=False, render=True, cell=None,
-                 force_synchronous=False):
+    def __init__(self, key, name=None, acquired=False, optional=False,
+                 render=True, cell=None, force_synchronous=False):
         self.key = key
         self.name = name
         self.acquired = acquired
+        self.optional = optional
         self.render = render
         self.cell = cell
         self.force_synchronous = force_synchronous
diff --git a/combo/manager/templates/combo/page_view.html b/combo/manager/templates/combo/page_view.html
index 76232102..b9c8f0d7 100644
--- a/combo/manager/templates/combo/page_view.html
+++ b/combo/manager/templates/combo/page_view.html
@@ -106,6 +106,20 @@
 </div>
 {% endif %}
 
+{% if optional_placeholders %}
+<div class="page-options">
+<h3>{% trans 'Optional sections' %}</h3>
+<ul>
+{% for placeholder in optional_placeholders %}
+  <li>
+    {{ placeholder.name }} ({% if placeholder.is_empty %}{% trans "empty" %}{% else %}{% trans "like parent" %}{% endif %})
+    (<a href="{% url 'combo-manager-page-view' pk=object.id %}?include-section={{ placeholder.key }}">{% trans 'change' %}</a>)
+  </li>
+{% endfor %}
+</ul>
+</div>
+{% endif %}
+
 </aside>
 {% endblock %} {# sidebar #}
 
diff --git a/combo/manager/views.py b/combo/manager/views.py
index 8977bc95..5d28d239 100644
--- a/combo/manager/views.py
+++ b/combo/manager/views.py
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ class PageView(DetailView):
         cells = CellBase.get_cells(page_id=self.object.id)
         template = self.object.template_name
         placeholders = []
+        optional_placeholders = []
         combo_template = settings.COMBO_PUBLIC_TEMPLATES.get(template)
 
         for placeholder in self.object.get_placeholders(request=self.request, traverse_cells=True):
@@ -272,9 +273,39 @@ class PageView(DetailView):
                 'name': placeholder.get_name(),
             }
             placeholder_dict['cells'] = [x for x in cells if x.placeholder == placeholder.key]
+
+            # not optional placeholder
+            if not placeholder.optional:
+                placeholders.append(placeholder_dict)
+                continue
+
+            # optional placeholder, but requested for edition
+            if self.request.GET.get('include-section') == placeholder.key:
+                placeholders.append(placeholder_dict)
+                continue
+
+            # empty optional placeholder: in optional sections
+            if not placeholder_dict['cells']:
+                placeholder_dict['is_empty'] = True
+                optional_placeholders.append(placeholder_dict)
+                continue
+
+            # optional placeholder with at least 2 cells: in page edition
+            if len(placeholder_dict['cells']) > 1:
+                placeholders.append(placeholder_dict)
+                continue
+
+            # optional placeholder with only one ParentContentCell: in optional sections
+            if isinstance(placeholder_dict['cells'][0], ParentContentCell):
+                placeholder_dict['is_empty'] = False
+                optional_placeholders.append(placeholder_dict)
+                continue
+
+            # other cases: in page edition
             placeholders.append(placeholder_dict)
 
         context['placeholders'] = placeholders
+        context['optional_placeholders'] = optional_placeholders
 
         context.update({
             'previous_page': self.object.get_previous_page(check_visibility=False),
diff --git a/combo/public/templates/combo/page_template.html b/combo/public/templates/combo/page_template.html
index 5d830adf..f3c481e2 100644
--- a/combo/public/templates/combo/page_template.html
+++ b/combo/public/templates/combo/page_template.html
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
  <div id="footer">
   {% block footer %}
     {% trans "Footer" as name %}
-    {% placeholder "footer" name=name acquired=True %}
+    {% placeholder "footer" name=name acquired=True optional=True %}
     {% skeleton_extra_placeholder footer %}
     <span style="display: none">{% now "Y-m-d H:i:s" %}</span> {# generation time #}
     {% end_skeleton_extra_placeholder %}
diff --git a/tests/test_lingo_manager.py b/tests/test_lingo_manager.py
index 43fefa9a..0c692a79 100644
--- a/tests/test_lingo_manager.py
+++ b/tests/test_lingo_manager.py
@@ -534,9 +534,9 @@ def test_configure_invoices_cell(app, admin_user, payment_backend):
     app = login(app)
     resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/' % page.id, status=200)
 
-    # 2 occurences of tipi payment form should be present, and no other cells
-    assert resp.text.count('lingo') == 2
-    assert resp.text.count('lingo_tipipaymentformcell') == 2
+    # 1 occurence of tipi payment form should be present, and no other cells
+    assert resp.text.count('lingo') == 1
+    assert resp.text.count('lingo_tipipaymentformcell') == 1
 
     regie = Regie()
     regie.label = 'Test'
diff --git a/tests/test_manager.py b/tests/test_manager.py
index 58ad4db7..69ebc46d 100644
--- a/tests/test_manager.py
+++ b/tests/test_manager.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from webtest import TestApp
 from webtest import Upload
 
 from combo.wsgi import application
-from combo.data.models import Page, CellBase, TextCell, LinkCell, ConfigJsonCell, JsonCell, PageSnapshot, LinkListCell
+from combo.data.models import Page, CellBase, TextCell, LinkCell, ConfigJsonCell, JsonCell, PageSnapshot, LinkListCell, ParentContentCell
 from combo.apps.assets.models import Asset
 from combo.apps.family.models import FamilyInfosCell
 from combo.apps.search.models import SearchCell
@@ -139,6 +139,57 @@ def test_edit_page(app, admin_user):
     resp = resp.follow()
     assert Page.objects.all()[0].exclude_from_navigation is True
 
+
+def test_edit_page_optional_placeholder(app, admin_user):
+    Page.objects.all().delete()
+    page = Page.objects.create(title='One', slug='one', template_name='standard')
+    app = login(app)
+
+    # empty placeholder footer
+    resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/' % page.pk)
+    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content']
+    assert len(resp.context['optional_placeholders']) == 1
+    assert resp.context['optional_placeholders'][0]['key'] == 'footer'
+    assert resp.context['optional_placeholders'][0]['name'] == 'Footer'
+    assert resp.context['optional_placeholders'][0]['is_empty'] is True
+    assert '/manage/pages/%s/?include-section=footer' % page.pk in resp.text
+    assert 'Footer (empty)' in resp.text
+    assert '<div class="placeholder" data-placeholder-key="footer">' not in resp.text
+
+    # add a ParentContentCell
+    like_parent_cell = ParentContentCell.objects.create(page=page, placeholder='footer', order=0)
+    resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/' % page.pk)
+    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content']
+    assert len(resp.context['optional_placeholders']) == 1
+    assert resp.context['optional_placeholders'][0]['key'] == 'footer'
+    assert resp.context['optional_placeholders'][0]['name'] == 'Footer'
+    assert resp.context['optional_placeholders'][0]['is_empty'] is False
+    assert '/manage/pages/%s/?include-section=footer' % page.pk in resp.text
+    assert 'Footer (like parent)' in resp.text
+    assert '<div class="placeholder" data-placeholder-key="footer">' not in resp.text
+
+    # click on the edit link
+    resp = resp.click(href='.*?include-section=footer')
+    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content', 'footer']
+    assert len(resp.context['optional_placeholders']) == 0
+    assert '<div class="placeholder" data-placeholder-key="footer">' in resp.text
+    assert '<option data-add-url="/manage/pages/%s/add-cell-to-footer/data_textcell/default/"' % page.pk in resp.text
+
+    # add a cell (so there is 2 cells)
+    resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/add-cell-to-footer/data_textcell/default/' % page.pk)
+    resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/' % page.pk)
+    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content', 'footer']
+    assert len(resp.context['optional_placeholders']) == 0
+    assert '<div class="placeholder" data-placeholder-key="footer">' in resp.text
+
+    # remove parent content cell
+    like_parent_cell.delete()
+    resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/' % page.pk)
+    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content', 'footer']
+    assert len(resp.context['optional_placeholders']) == 0
+    assert '<div class="placeholder" data-placeholder-key="footer">' in resp.text
+
+
 def test_edit_page_unknown_template(app, admin_user):
     Page.objects.all().delete()
     page = Page(title='One', slug='one', template_name='broken')
@@ -1185,15 +1236,15 @@ def test_page_cell_placeholder(app, admin_user):
 
     app = login(app)
     resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/' % page.id)
-    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content', 'footer']
+    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content']
 
     # check a placeholder within a cell is included
     cell.template_string = '{% placeholder "foobar" name="Foobar" %}'
     cell.save()
     resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/' % page.id)
-    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content', 'foobar', 'footer']
-    assert re.findall('<h2>(.*)</h2>', resp.text) == [
-            'Page - One', 'Content', 'JSON Prototype / Foobar', 'Footer']
+    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content', 'foobar']
+    assert re.findall('<h2>(.*)</h2>', resp.text) == ['Page - One', 'Content', 'JSON Prototype / Foobar']
+
 
 def test_page_familycell_placeholder(app, admin_user):
     page = Page(title='My family', slug='my-family', template_name='standard')
@@ -1203,10 +1254,11 @@ def test_page_familycell_placeholder(app, admin_user):
 
     app = login(app)
     resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/' % page.id)
-    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content', "family_unlinked_user", "footer"]
+    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content', "family_unlinked_user"]
     assert re.findall('<h2>(.*)</h2>', resp.text) == [
         'Page - My family', 'Content',
-        'Family Information Cell / Top content for unlinked users', 'Footer']
+        'Family Information Cell / Top content for unlinked users']
+
 
 def test_page_discover_placeholder_with_error_cells(app, admin_user):
     page = Page(title='One', slug='one', template_name='standard')
@@ -1223,7 +1275,8 @@ def test_page_discover_placeholder_with_error_cells(app, admin_user):
             cell.render({})
 
     resp = app.get('/manage/pages/%s/' % page.id)
-    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content', 'footer']
+    assert re.findall('data-placeholder-key="(.*)">', resp.text) == ['content']
+
 
 def test_page_versionning(app, admin_user):
     Page.objects.all().delete()