diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/starlette.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/starlette.py
index 3f78dc4c43..c417b834be 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/integrations/starlette.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/starlette.py
@@ -73,14 +73,20 @@ class StarletteIntegration(Integration):
 
     transaction_style = ""
 
-    def __init__(self, transaction_style="url", failed_request_status_codes=None):
-        # type: (str, Optional[list[HttpStatusCodeRange]]) -> None
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        transaction_style="url",
+        failed_request_status_codes=None,
+        middleware_spans=True,
+    ):
+        # type: (str, Optional[list[HttpStatusCodeRange]], bool) -> None
         if transaction_style not in TRANSACTION_STYLE_VALUES:
             raise ValueError(
                 "Invalid value for transaction_style: %s (must be in %s)"
                 % (transaction_style, TRANSACTION_STYLE_VALUES)
             )
         self.transaction_style = transaction_style
+        self.middleware_spans = middleware_spans
         self.failed_request_status_codes = failed_request_status_codes or [
             range(500, 599)
         ]
@@ -110,7 +116,7 @@ def _enable_span_for_middleware(middleware_class):
     async def _create_span_call(app, scope, receive, send, **kwargs):
         # type: (Any, Dict[str, Any], Callable[[], Awaitable[Dict[str, Any]]], Callable[[Dict[str, Any]], Awaitable[None]], Any) -> None
         integration = sentry_sdk.get_client().get_integration(StarletteIntegration)
-        if integration is None:
+        if integration is None or not integration.middleware_spans:
             return await old_call(app, scope, receive, send, **kwargs)
 
         middleware_name = app.__class__.__name__
diff --git a/tests/integrations/starlette/test_starlette.py b/tests/integrations/starlette/test_starlette.py
index 411be72f6f..918ad1185e 100644
--- a/tests/integrations/starlette/test_starlette.py
+++ b/tests/integrations/starlette/test_starlette.py
@@ -637,20 +637,49 @@ def test_middleware_spans(sentry_init, capture_events):
 
     (_, transaction_event) = events
 
-    expected = [
+    expected_middleware_spans = [
         "ServerErrorMiddleware",
         "AuthenticationMiddleware",
         "ExceptionMiddleware",
+        "AuthenticationMiddleware",  # 'op': 'middleware.starlette.send'
+        "ServerErrorMiddleware",  # 'op': 'middleware.starlette.send'
+        "AuthenticationMiddleware",  # 'op': 'middleware.starlette.send'
+        "ServerErrorMiddleware",  # 'op': 'middleware.starlette.send'
     ]
 
+    assert len(transaction_event["spans"]) == len(expected_middleware_spans)
+
     idx = 0
     for span in transaction_event["spans"]:
-        if span["op"] == "middleware.starlette":
-            assert span["description"] == expected[idx]
-            assert span["tags"]["starlette.middleware_name"] == expected[idx]
+        if span["op"].startswith("middleware.starlette"):
+            assert (
+                span["tags"]["starlette.middleware_name"]
+                == expected_middleware_spans[idx]
+            )
             idx += 1
 
 
+def test_middleware_spans_disabled(sentry_init, capture_events):
+    sentry_init(
+        traces_sample_rate=1.0,
+        integrations=[StarletteIntegration(middleware_spans=False)],
+    )
+    starlette_app = starlette_app_factory(
+        middleware=[Middleware(AuthenticationMiddleware, backend=BasicAuthBackend())]
+    )
+    events = capture_events()
+
+    client = TestClient(starlette_app, raise_server_exceptions=False)
+    try:
+        client.get("/message", auth=("Gabriela", "hello123"))
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+    (_, transaction_event) = events
+
+    assert len(transaction_event["spans"]) == 0
+
+
 def test_middleware_callback_spans(sentry_init, capture_events):
     sentry_init(
         traces_sample_rate=1.0,