diff --git a/config_example.conf b/config_example.conf
index ae1cb5c..ce758b8 100644
--- a/config_example.conf
+++ b/config_example.conf
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+ENABLED=true
 API_URL=${CROWDSEC_LAPI_URL}
 API_KEY=${API_KEY}
 CACHE_EXPIRATION=1
diff --git a/lib/crowdsec.lua b/lib/crowdsec.lua
index 0b47fad..c788543 100644
--- a/lib/crowdsec.lua
+++ b/lib/crowdsec.lua
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ function csmod.init(configFile, userAgent)
   runtime.cache = ngx.shared.crowdsec_cache
   runtime.fallback = runtime.conf["FALLBACK_REMEDIATION"]
 
+  if runtime.conf["ENABLED"] == "false" then
+    return "Disabled", nil
+  end
 
   if runtime.conf["REDIRECT_LOCATION"] == "/" then
     ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "redirect location is set to '/' this will lead into infinite redirection")
@@ -382,6 +385,11 @@ end
 
 
 function csmod.Allow(ip)
+  
+  if runtime.conf["ENABLED"] == "false" then
+    return "Disabled", nil
+  end
+
   if utils.table_len(runtime.conf["EXCLUDE_LOCATION"]) > 0 then
     for k, v in pairs(runtime.conf["EXCLUDE_LOCATION"]) do
       if ngx.var.uri == v then
diff --git a/lib/plugins/crowdsec/config.lua b/lib/plugins/crowdsec/config.lua
index 0837f7c..e3b458c 100644
--- a/lib/plugins/crowdsec/config.lua
+++ b/lib/plugins/crowdsec/config.lua
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ function config.loadConfig(file)
         return nil, "File ".. file .." doesn't exist"
     end
     local conf = {}
-    local valid_params = {'API_URL', 'API_KEY', 'BOUNCING_ON_TYPE', 'MODE', 'SECRET_KEY', 'SITE_KEY', 'BAN_TEMPLATE_PATH' ,'CAPTCHA_TEMPLATE_PATH', 'REDIRECT_LOCATION', 'RET_CODE', 'EXCLUDE_LOCATION', 'FALLBACK_REMEDIATION'}
+    local valid_params = {'ENABLED','API_URL', 'API_KEY', 'BOUNCING_ON_TYPE', 'MODE', 'SECRET_KEY', 'SITE_KEY', 'BAN_TEMPLATE_PATH' ,'CAPTCHA_TEMPLATE_PATH', 'REDIRECT_LOCATION', 'RET_CODE', 'EXCLUDE_LOCATION', 'FALLBACK_REMEDIATION'}
     local valid_int_params = {'CACHE_EXPIRATION', 'CACHE_SIZE', 'REQUEST_TIMEOUT', 'UPDATE_FREQUENCY', 'CAPTCHA_EXPIRATION'}
     local valid_bouncing_on_type_values = {'ban', 'captcha', 'all'}
     local default_values = {
+        ['ENABLED'] = "true",
         ['REQUEST_TIMEOUT'] = 0.2,
         ['BOUNCING_ON_TYPE'] = "ban",
         ['MODE'] = "stream",