diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 55d33eedda..c984dc83e9 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -611,6 +611,7 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
     fPrintToConsole = GetBoolArg("-printtoconsole");
     fPrintToDebugger = GetBoolArg("-printtodebugger");
     fLogTimestamps = GetBoolArg("-logtimestamps", true);
+    bool fDisableWallet = GetBoolArg("-disablewallet", false);
 
     if (mapArgs.count("-timeout"))
     {
@@ -699,7 +700,7 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
 
     // ********************************************************* Step 5: verify wallet database integrity
 
-    if (1) {
+    if (!fDisableWallet) {
         uiInterface.InitMessage(_("Verifying wallet..."));
 
         if (!bitdb.Open(GetDataDir()))
@@ -743,7 +744,7 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
             if (r == CDBEnv::RECOVER_FAIL)
                 return InitError(_("wallet.dat corrupt, salvage failed"));
         }
-    } // (1)
+    } // (!fDisableWallet)
 
     // ********************************************************* Step 6: network initialization
 
@@ -1007,7 +1008,10 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
 
     // ********************************************************* Step 8: load wallet
 
-    if (1) {
+    if (fDisableWallet) {
+        printf("Wallet disabled!\n");
+        pwalletMain = NULL;
+    } else {
         uiInterface.InitMessage(_("Loading wallet..."));
 
         nStart = GetTimeMillis();
@@ -1094,7 +1098,7 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
             pwalletMain->SetBestChain(CBlockLocator(pindexBest));
             nWalletDBUpdated++;
         }
-    } // (1)
+    } // (!fDisableWallet)
 
     // ********************************************************* Step 9: import blocks