diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index fc1f2af7200..d39fe306c59 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -38,4 +38,4 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: pip install absl-py mistune gftools
     - name: Check Knowledge graph
-      run: python3 .github/workflows/knowledge_graph.py
+      run: python3 .github/workflows/knowledge_graph.py --check_outbound_links
diff --git a/.github/workflows/knowledge_graph.py b/.github/workflows/knowledge_graph.py
index 9ee755dbf70..c89cb4fa382 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/knowledge_graph.py
+++ b/.github/workflows/knowledge_graph.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ def _any_unique_name_to_path(names: Mapping[str, str], target: str) -> str:
 
 
 flags.DEFINE_bool("print_valid", False, "Whether to print valid links")
+flags.DEFINE_bool("check_outbound_links", False, "Check outbound urls")
 
 
 MdValue = Union[Mapping[str, "MdValue"]]
@@ -222,7 +223,8 @@ def _check_md_files(knowledge: KnowledgeContent) -> bool:
             if not target:
                 continue  # TODO: are empty links bad
             if re.search("^http(s)?://", target.lower()):
-                result = _check_outbound_link(target) and result
+                if FLAGS.check_outbound_links:
+                    result = _check_outbound_link(target) and result
             else:
                 target_path = knowledge.link_target_to_path(target)
                 result = _check_file_present(knowledge.repo_root, md_file, target, target_path) and result