diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8b3e579..76f9513 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -233,3 +233,9 @@ dokku mysql:backup-auth lolipop AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY AWS_REGI
 # more specific example for minio auth
 dokku mysql:backup-auth lolipop MINIO_ACCESS_KEY_ID MINIO_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY us-east-1 s3v4 https://YOURMINIOSERVICE
 ```
+
+## Disabling `docker pull` calls
+
+If you wish to disable the `docker pull` calls that the plugin triggers, you may set the `MYSQL_DISABLE_PULL` environment variable to `true`. Once disabled, you will need to pull the service image you wish to deploy as shown in the `stderr` output.
+
+Please ensure the proper images are in place when `docker pull` is disabled.
diff --git a/functions b/functions
index b2134d8..d17cf4d 100755
--- a/functions
+++ b/functions
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ service_create() {
   service_parse_args "${@:2}"
 
   if ! docker images | grep -e "^$PLUGIN_IMAGE " | grep -q " $PLUGIN_IMAGE_VERSION " ; then
+    if [[ "$MYSQL_DISABLE_PULL" == "true" ]]; then
+      dokku_log_warn "MYSQL_DISABLE_PULL environment variable detected. Not running pull command." 1>&2
+      dokku_log_warn "   docker pull ${IMAGE}" 1>&2
+      dokku_log_warn "$PLUGIN_SERVICE service creation failed"
+      exit 1
+    fi
     docker pull "$PLUGIN_IMAGE:$PLUGIN_IMAGE_VERSION" || dokku_log_fail "$PLUGIN_SERVICE image $PLUGIN_IMAGE:$PLUGIN_IMAGE_VERSION pull failed"
   fi
 
diff --git a/install b/install
index 57f8833..58804b7 100755
--- a/install
+++ b/install
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ set -eo pipefail; [[ $DOKKU_TRACE ]] && set -x
 plugin-install() {
   pull-docker-image() {
     declare IMAGE="$1"
+    if [[ "$MYSQL_DISABLE_PULL" == "true" ]]; then
+      echo " !     MYSQL_DISABLE_PULL environment variable detected. Not running pull command." 1>&2
+      echo " !        docker pull ${IMAGE}" 1>&2
+      return
+    fi
     if [[ "$(docker images -q "${IMAGE}" 2> /dev/null)" == "" ]]; then
       docker pull "${IMAGE}"
     fi