diff --git a/packages/approval-controller/src/ApprovalController.test.ts b/packages/approval-controller/src/ApprovalController.test.ts
index 1967f46a3b..0e1be2cebf 100644
--- a/packages/approval-controller/src/ApprovalController.test.ts
+++ b/packages/approval-controller/src/ApprovalController.test.ts
@@ -1220,6 +1220,23 @@ describe('approval controller', () => {
         ).toStrictEqual(expectedFlow);
       },
     );
+
+    it('does not call showApprovalRequest if show is false', () => {
+      const result = approvalController.startFlow({ show: false });
+
+      const expectedFlow = {
+        id: expect.any(String),
+        loadingText: null,
+      };
+      expect(result).toStrictEqual(expectedFlow);
+      expect(showApprovalRequest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+      expect(approvalController.state[APPROVAL_FLOWS_STORE_KEY]).toHaveLength(
+        1,
+      );
+      expect(
+        approvalController.state[APPROVAL_FLOWS_STORE_KEY][0],
+      ).toStrictEqual(expectedFlow);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('endFlow', () => {
diff --git a/packages/approval-controller/src/ApprovalController.ts b/packages/approval-controller/src/ApprovalController.ts
index ac53772619..90994575b1 100644
--- a/packages/approval-controller/src/ApprovalController.ts
+++ b/packages/approval-controller/src/ApprovalController.ts
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ export type AcceptOptions = {
 export type StartFlowOptions = OptionalField<
   ApprovalFlow,
   'id' | 'loadingText'
->;
+> & { show?: boolean };
 
 export type EndFlowOptions = Pick<ApprovalFlow, 'id'>;
 
@@ -758,6 +758,7 @@ export class ApprovalController extends BaseControllerV2<
    * @param opts - Options bag.
    * @param opts.id - The id of the approval flow.
    * @param opts.loadingText - The loading text that will be associated to the approval flow.
+   * @param opts.show - A flag to determine whether the approval should show to the user.
    * @returns The object containing the approval flow id.
    */
   startFlow(opts: StartFlowOptions = {}): ApprovalFlowStartResult {
@@ -768,7 +769,10 @@ export class ApprovalController extends BaseControllerV2<
       draftState.approvalFlows.push({ id, loadingText });
     });
 
-    this.#showApprovalRequest();
+    // By default, if nothing else is specified, we always show the approval.
+    if (opts.show !== false) {
+      this.#showApprovalRequest();
+    }
 
     return { id, loadingText };
   }