diff --git a/ckan/lib/activity_streams_session_extension.py b/ckan/lib/activity_streams_session_extension.py
index 08a6e37756c..e1945657462 100644
--- a/ckan/lib/activity_streams_session_extension.py
+++ b/ckan/lib/activity_streams_session_extension.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
+from pylons import config
 from sqlalchemy.orm.session import SessionExtension
+from paste.deploy.converters import asbool
 import logging
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+
 def activity_stream_item(obj, activity_type, revision, user_id):
     method = getattr(obj, "activity_stream_item", None)
     if callable(method):
@@ -11,6 +15,7 @@ def activity_stream_item(obj, activity_type, revision, user_id):
             "activity_stream_item() method, it must not be a package.")
         return None
 
+
 def activity_stream_detail(obj, activity_id, activity_type):
     method = getattr(obj, "activity_stream_detail",
             None)
@@ -21,6 +26,7 @@ def activity_stream_detail(obj, activity_id, activity_type):
             "activity_stream_detail() method.")
         return None
 
+
 class DatasetActivitySessionExtension(SessionExtension):
     """Session extension that emits activity stream activities for packages
     and related objects.
@@ -36,6 +42,8 @@ class DatasetActivitySessionExtension(SessionExtension):
 
     """
     def before_commit(self, session):
+        if not asbool(config.get('ckan.activity_streams_enabled', 'true')):
+            return
 
         session.flush()
 
diff --git a/ckan/logic/action/create.py b/ckan/logic/action/create.py
index c6fbfcb99d7..df259500790 100644
--- a/ckan/logic/action/create.py
+++ b/ckan/logic/action/create.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import logging
+from pylons import config
 from pylons.i18n import _
+from paste.deploy.converters import asbool
 
 import ckan.new_authz as new_authz
 import ckan.lib.plugins as lib_plugins
@@ -889,6 +891,9 @@ def activity_create(context, activity_dict, ignore_auth=False):
     :rtype: dictionary
 
     '''
+    if not asbool(config.get('ckan.activity_streams_enabled', 'true')):
+        return
+
     model = context['model']
 
     # Any revision_id that the caller attempts to pass in the activity_dict is
diff --git a/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_activity.py b/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_activity.py
index e317d58940c..479e344fa8e 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_activity.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_activity.py
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 import pylons.test
+from pylons import config
+from paste.deploy.converters import asbool
 import paste.fixture
+from nose import SkipTest
 from ckan.common import json
 
 
@@ -170,9 +173,10 @@ def find_new_activities(before, after):
 
 
 class TestActivity:
-
     @classmethod
     def setup_class(self):
+        if not asbool(config.get('ckan.activity_streams_enabled', 'true')):
+            raise SkipTest('Activity streams not enabled')
         import ckan
         import ckan.model as model
         ckan.tests.CreateTestData.create()
diff --git a/ckan/tests/functional/test_activity.py b/ckan/tests/functional/test_activity.py
index 02d56252871..fa4b80423c0 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/functional/test_activity.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/functional/test_activity.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
+from pylons import config
 from pylons.test import pylonsapp
+from paste.deploy.converters import asbool
 import paste.fixture
-import ckan
 from routes import url_for
+from nose import SkipTest
+
+import ckan
 from ckan.logic.action.create import package_create, user_create, group_create
 from ckan.logic.action.create import follow_dataset, follow_user
 from ckan.logic.action.update import package_update, resource_update
@@ -18,6 +22,8 @@ class TestActivity(HtmlCheckMethods):
     """
     @classmethod
     def setup(cls):
+        if not asbool(config.get('ckan.activity_streams_enabled', 'true')):
+            raise SkipTest('Activity streams not enabled')
         ckan.tests.CreateTestData.create()
         cls.sysadmin_user = ckan.model.User.get('testsysadmin')
         cls.app = paste.fixture.TestApp(pylonsapp)
diff --git a/doc/configuration.rst b/doc/configuration.rst
index 7dbc7a4c7f8..6e9bae57393 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.rst
+++ b/doc/configuration.rst
@@ -233,6 +233,23 @@ CKAN operates a delegated authentication model based on `OpenID <http://openid.n
 
 Setting this option to False turns off OpenID for login.
 
+Activity Streams Settings
+-----------------------
+
+.. index::
+   single: ckan.activity_streams_enabled
+
+ckan.activity_streams_enabled
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Example::
+
+ ckan.activity_streams_enabled = False
+
+Default value:  ``True``
+
+Turns on and off the activity streams used to track changes on datasets, groups, users, etc
+
 
 .. _config-i18n: