Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/plugins/index/lucene/ActiveDeletedBlobCollectorMBean.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/plugins/index/lucene/ActiveDeletedBlobCollectorMBean.java	(revision 1850224)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/plugins/index/lucene/ActiveDeletedBlobCollectorMBean.java	(working copy)
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 package org.apache.jackrabbit.oak.plugins.index.lucene;
 
 import javax.management.openmbean.CompositeData;
-import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 
@@ -79,4 +78,12 @@
      * would get marked for active deletion when active deletion is active.
      */
     void flagActiveDeletionSafe();
+
+    /**
+     * Whether active deletion is disabled.
+     *
+     * @return true if disabled
+     */
+    boolean isDisabled();
+
 }
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/plugins/index/lucene/ActiveDeletedBlobCollectorMBeanImpl.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/plugins/index/lucene/ActiveDeletedBlobCollectorMBeanImpl.java	(revision 1850224)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/plugins/index/lucene/ActiveDeletedBlobCollectorMBeanImpl.java	(working copy)
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@
     private final long MIN_BLOB_AGE_TO_ACTIVELY_DELETE = Long.getLong("oak.active.deletion.minAge",
             TimeUnit.HOURS.toSeconds(24));
 
+    private final boolean ACTIVE_DELETION_DISABLED = Boolean.getBoolean("oak.active.deletion.disabled");
+
     Clock clock = Clock.SIMPLE; // package private for tests
 
     @NotNull
@@ -128,9 +130,17 @@
         LOG.info("Active blob collector initialized with minAge: {}", MIN_BLOB_AGE_TO_ACTIVELY_DELETE);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean isDisabled() {
+        return ACTIVE_DELETION_DISABLED;
+    }
+
     @NotNull
     @Override
     public CompositeData startActiveCollection() {
+        if (isDisabled()) {
+            return ManagementOperation.Status.none(gcOp, "Active deletion is disabled").toCompositeData();
+        }
         if (gcOp.isDone()) {
             long safeTimestampForDeletedBlobs = getSafeTimestampForDeletedBlobs();
             if (safeTimestampForDeletedBlobs == -1) {