diff --git a/pkg/annotations/ingress_annotations.go b/pkg/annotations/ingress_annotations.go
index 20198d7c8..aba1360ae 100644
--- a/pkg/annotations/ingress_annotations.go
+++ b/pkg/annotations/ingress_annotations.go
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ const (
 	// Null means Host specified in the request to Application Gateway is used to connect to the backend.
 	BackendHostNameKey = ApplicationGatewayPrefix + "/backend-hostname"
 
+	// OverrideBackendHostNameKey defines the key to enable/disable host name overriding.
+	OverrideBackendHostNameKey = ApplicationGatewayPrefix + "/override-backend-host"
+
 	// HealthProbeHostKey defines the key for Host which should be used as a target for health probe.
 	HealthProbeHostKey = ApplicationGatewayPrefix + "/health-probe-hostname"
 
@@ -158,11 +161,16 @@ func BackendPathPrefix(ing *networking.Ingress) (string, error) {
 	return parseString(ing, BackendPathPrefixKey)
 }
 
-// BackendHostName override hostname
+// BackendHostName specific domain name to override the backend hostname with
 func BackendHostName(ing *networking.Ingress) (string, error) {
 	return parseString(ing, BackendHostNameKey)
 }
 
+// OverrideBackendHostName whether to override the backend hostname or not
+func OverrideBackendHostName(ing *networking.Ingress) (string, error) {
+	return parseBool(ing, OverrideBackendHostNameKey)
+}
+
 // HealthProbeHostName probe hostname override
 func HealthProbeHostName(ing *networking.Ingress) (string, error) {
 	return parseString(ing, HealthProbeHostKey)
diff --git a/pkg/annotations/ingress_annotations_test.go b/pkg/annotations/ingress_annotations_test.go
index 9c2afdbba..179c0ed10 100644
--- a/pkg/annotations/ingress_annotations_test.go
+++ b/pkg/annotations/ingress_annotations_test.go
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Test ingress annotation functions", func() {
 		"appgw.ingress.kubernetes.io/connection-draining-timeout":         "3456",
 		"appgw.ingress.kubernetes.io/backend-path-prefix":                 "prefix-here",
 		"appgw.ingress.kubernetes.io/backend-hostname":                    "www.backend.com",
+		"appgw.ingress.kubernetes.io/overrride-backend-hostname":          "true",
 		"appgw.ingress.kubernetes.io/hostname-extension":                  "www.bye.com, www.b*.com",
 		"appgw.ingress.kubernetes.io/appgw-ssl-certificate":               "appgw-cert",
 		"appgw.ingress.kubernetes.io/appgw-ssl-profile":                   "legacy-tls",
@@ -340,6 +341,20 @@ var _ = Describe("Test ingress annotation functions", func() {
 		})
 	})
 
+	Context("test OverrideBackendHostName", func() {
+		It("returns error when ingress has no annotations", func() {
+			ing := &networking.Ingress{}
+			actual, err := OverrideBackendHostName(ing)
+			Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(actual).To(Equal(""))
+		})
+		It("returns true with correct annotation", func() {
+			actual, err := OverrideBackendHostName(ing)
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(actual).To(Equal(true))
+		})
+	})
+
 	Context("test IsSslRedirect", func() {
 		It("returns error when ingress has no annotations", func() {
 			ing := &networking.Ingress{}
diff --git a/pkg/appgw/backendhttpsettings.go b/pkg/appgw/backendhttpsettings.go
index 247ccb847..86ffcf7a5 100644
--- a/pkg/appgw/backendhttpsettings.go
+++ b/pkg/appgw/backendhttpsettings.go
@@ -321,16 +321,29 @@ func (c *appGwConfigBuilder) generateHTTPSettings(backendID backendIdentifier, p
 		c.recorder.Event(backendID.Ingress, v1.EventTypeWarning, events.ReasonInvalidAnnotation, err.Error())
 	}
 
-	// To use an HTTP setting with a trusted root certificate, we must either override with a specific domain name or choose "Pick host name from backend target".
-	if httpSettings.TrustedRootCertificates != nil {
-		if httpSettings.Protocol == n.ApplicationGatewayProtocolHTTPS && len(*httpSettings.TrustedRootCertificates) > 0 {
-			if httpSettings.HostName != nil && len(*httpSettings.HostName) > 0 {
-				httpSettings.PickHostNameFromBackendAddress = to.BoolPtr(false)
-			} else {
-				httpSettings.PickHostNameFromBackendAddress = to.BoolPtr(true)
+	if overrideBackendHostName, err := annotations.OverrideBackendHostName(backendID.Ingress); err == nil {
+		if httpSettings.HostName != nil && !overrideBackendHostName {
+			// TODO Warn about pointless setting of hostname
+		} else if httpSettings.HostName != nil && overrideBackendHostName {
+			httpSettings.PickHostNameFromBackendAddress = to.BoolPtr(false)
+		} else if httpSettings.HostName == nil && overrideBackendHostName {
+			httpSettings.PickHostNameFromBackendAddress = to.BoolPtr(true)
+		}
+	} else if err != nil && !controllererrors.IsErrorCode(err, controllererrors.ErrorMissingAnnotation) {
+		c.recorder.Event(backendID.Ingress, v1.EventTypeWarning, events.ReasonInvalidAnnotation, err.Error())
+	} else if err != nil && controllererrors.IsErrorCode(err, controllererrors.ErrorMissingAnnotation) {
+		// When overrideBackendHostName is unset, fallback to original behaviour:
+
+		// To use an HTTP setting with a trusted root certificate, we must either override with a specific domain name or choose "Pick host name from backend target".
+		if httpSettings.TrustedRootCertificates != nil {
+			if httpSettings.Protocol == n.ApplicationGatewayProtocolHTTPS && len(*httpSettings.TrustedRootCertificates) > 0 {
+				if httpSettings.HostName != nil && len(*httpSettings.HostName) > 0 {
+					httpSettings.PickHostNameFromBackendAddress = to.BoolPtr(false)
+				} else {
+					httpSettings.PickHostNameFromBackendAddress = to.BoolPtr(true)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
-
 	return httpSettings
 }