diff --git a/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Configuration/POM.hs b/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Configuration/POM.hs
index 7c1c1588782..61f17699c29 100644
--- a/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Configuration/POM.hs
+++ b/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Configuration/POM.hs
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ data NodeConfiguration
        , ncValidateDB      :: !Bool
        , ncShutdownConfig  :: !ShutdownConfig
 
+       , ncStartAsNonProducingNode :: !Bool
+
         -- Protocol-specific parameters:
        , ncProtocolConfig :: !NodeProtocolConfiguration
 
@@ -159,6 +161,8 @@ data PartialNodeConfiguration
        , pncValidateDB      :: !(Last Bool)
        , pncShutdownConfig  :: !(Last ShutdownConfig)
 
+       , pncStartAsNonProducingNode :: !(Last Bool)
+
          -- Protocol-specific parameters:
        , pncProtocolConfig :: !(Last NodeProtocolConfiguration)
 
@@ -309,6 +313,7 @@ instance FromJSON PartialNodeConfiguration where
            , pncProtocolFiles = mempty
            , pncValidateDB = mempty
            , pncShutdownConfig = mempty
+           , pncStartAsNonProducingNode = Last $ Just False
            , pncMaybeMempoolCapacityOverride
            , pncProtocolIdleTimeout
            , pncTimeWaitTimeout
@@ -466,6 +471,7 @@ defaultPartialNodeConfiguration =
     , pncProtocolFiles = mempty
     , pncValidateDB = Last $ Just False
     , pncShutdownConfig = Last . Just $ ShutdownConfig Nothing Nothing
+    , pncStartAsNonProducingNode = Last $ Just False
     , pncProtocolConfig = mempty
     , pncMaxConcurrencyBulkSync = mempty
     , pncMaxConcurrencyDeadline = mempty
@@ -500,6 +506,7 @@ makeNodeConfiguration pnc = do
   topologyFile <- lastToEither "Missing TopologyFile" $ pncTopologyFile pnc
   databaseFile <- lastToEither "Missing DatabaseFile" $ pncDatabaseFile pnc
   validateDB <- lastToEither "Missing ValidateDB" $ pncValidateDB pnc
+  startAsNonProducingNode <- lastToEither "Missing StartAsNonProducingNode" $ pncStartAsNonProducingNode pnc
   protocolConfig <- lastToEither "Missing ProtocolConfig" $ pncProtocolConfig pnc
   loggingSwitch <- lastToEither "Missing LoggingSwitch" $ pncLoggingSwitch pnc
   logMetrics <- lastToEither "Missing LogMetrics" $ pncLogMetrics pnc
@@ -555,6 +562,7 @@ makeNodeConfiguration pnc = do
                    Nothing -> ProtocolFilepaths Nothing Nothing Nothing Nothing Nothing Nothing
              , ncValidateDB = validateDB
              , ncShutdownConfig = shutdownConfig
+             , ncStartAsNonProducingNode = startAsNonProducingNode
              , ncProtocolConfig = protocolConfig
              , ncSocketConfig = socketConfig
              , ncDiffusionMode = diffusionMode
diff --git a/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Parsers.hs b/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Parsers.hs
index 26e227f021a..2c0099ba89f 100644
--- a/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Parsers.hs
+++ b/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Parsers.hs
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ nodeRunParser = do
   shelleyVRFFile  <- optional parseVrfKeyFilePath
   shelleyCertFile <- optional parseOperationalCertFilePath
   shelleyBulkCredsFile <- optional parseBulkCredsFilePath
+  startAsNonProducingNode <- lastOption parseStartAsNonProducingNode
 
   -- Node Address
   nIPv4Address <- lastOption parseHostIPv4Addr
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ nodeRunParser = do
            , pncValidateDB = validate
            , pncShutdownConfig =
                Last . Just $ ShutdownConfig (getLast shutdownIPC) (getLast shutdownOnLimit)
+           , pncStartAsNonProducingNode = startAsNonProducingNode
            , pncProtocolConfig = mempty
            , pncMaxConcurrencyBulkSync = mempty
            , pncMaxConcurrencyDeadline = mempty
@@ -313,6 +315,14 @@ parseVrfKeyFilePath =
         <> completer (bashCompleter "file")
     )
 
+parseStartAsNonProducingNode :: Parser Bool
+parseStartAsNonProducingNode =
+  switch (
+    long "start-as-non-producing-node"
+      <> help ("Start the node as a non block producing node even if "
+            ++ "credentials are specified.")
+  )
+
 -- TODO revisit because it sucks
 parseSnapshotInterval :: Parser SnapshotInterval
 parseSnapshotInterval = fmap (RequestedSnapshotInterval . secondsToDiffTime) parseDifftime
diff --git a/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Run.hs b/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Run.hs
index 3046aca1277..30220a2379a 100644
--- a/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Run.hs
+++ b/cardano-node/src/Cardano/Node/Run.hs
@@ -411,7 +411,8 @@ handleSimpleNode blockType runP p2pMode tracers nc onKernel = do
               -- set the initial block forging
               blockForging <- snd (Api.protocolInfo runP)
 
-              setBlockForging nodeKernel blockForging
+              unless (ncStartAsNonProducingNode nc) $
+                setBlockForging nodeKernel blockForging
 
               maybeSpawnOnSlotSyncedShutdownHandler
                 (ncShutdownConfig nc)
diff --git a/cardano-node/test/Test/Cardano/Node/POM.hs b/cardano-node/test/Test/Cardano/Node/POM.hs
index b23b3c941fe..c54abaee3ba 100644
--- a/cardano-node/test/Test/Cardano/Node/POM.hs
+++ b/cardano-node/test/Test/Cardano/Node/POM.hs
@@ -52,9 +52,10 @@ testPartialYamlConfig =
     { pncProtocolConfig = Last . Just
                         . NodeProtocolConfigurationShelley
                         $ NodeShelleyProtocolConfiguration
-                            (GenesisFile "dummmy-genesis-file") Nothing
+                            (GenesisFile "dummmsy-genesis-file") Nothing
     , pncSocketConfig = Last . Just $ SocketConfig (Last Nothing) mempty mempty mempty
     , pncShutdownConfig = Last Nothing
+    , pncStartAsNonProducingNode = Last $ Just False
     , pncDiffusionMode = Last Nothing
     , pncSnapshotInterval = mempty
     , pncExperimentalProtocolsEnabled = Last Nothing
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ testPartialCliConfig =
   PartialNodeConfiguration
     { pncSocketConfig = Last . Just $ SocketConfig mempty mempty mempty mempty
     , pncShutdownConfig = Last . Just $ ShutdownConfig Nothing (Just . ASlot $ SlotNo 42)
+    , pncStartAsNonProducingNode = Last $ Just $ False
     , pncConfigFile   = mempty
     , pncTopologyFile = mempty
     , pncDatabaseFile = mempty
@@ -123,6 +125,7 @@ eExpectedConfig = do
   return $ NodeConfiguration
     { ncSocketConfig = SocketConfig mempty mempty mempty mempty
     , ncShutdownConfig = ShutdownConfig Nothing (Just . ASlot $ SlotNo 42)
+    , ncStartAsNonProducingNode = False
     , ncConfigFile = ConfigYamlFilePath "configuration/cardano/mainnet-config.json"
     , ncTopologyFile = TopologyFile "configuration/cardano/mainnet-topology.json"
     , ncDatabaseFile = DbFile "mainnet/db/"