diff --git a/r2/example.ini b/r2/example.ini
index a81257015..42a021741 100755
--- a/r2/example.ini
+++ b/r2/example.ini
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ INDEXTANK_API_URL =
 # -- feature toggles --
 disable_ads = false
 disable_captcha = false
+disable_ratelimit = false
 
 # -- important settings -- 
 # the domain that this app serves itself up as
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py b/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py
index da2fb566b..07b94054e 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py
@@ -1091,6 +1091,8 @@ class VRatelimit(Validator):
         Validator.__init__(self, *a, **kw)
 
     def run (self):
+        if g.disable_ratelimit:
+            return
         to_check = []
         if self.rate_user and c.user_is_loggedin:
             to_check.append('user' + str(c.user._id36))
@@ -1131,6 +1133,8 @@ class VDelay(Validator):
         Validator.__init__(self, *a, **kw)
 
     def run (self):
+        if g.disable_ratelimit:
+            return
         key = "VDelay-%s-%s" % (self.category, request.ip)
         prev_violations = g.cache.get(key)
         if prev_violations:
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/app_globals.py b/r2/r2/lib/app_globals.py
index 7036a9dc2..73b1b0402 100755
--- a/r2/r2/lib/app_globals.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/app_globals.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ class Globals(object):
                   'db_create_tables',
                   'disallow_db_writes',
                   'exception_logging',
+                  'disable_ratelimit',
                   'amqp_logging',
                   'read_only_mode',
                   'frontpage_dart',