diff --git a/auditlog/conf.py b/auditlog/conf.py
index 9046669a..c7f93f5b 100644
--- a/auditlog/conf.py
+++ b/auditlog/conf.py
@@ -40,3 +40,6 @@
 settings.AUDITLOG_USE_TEXT_CHANGES_IF_JSON_IS_NOT_PRESENT = getattr(
     settings, "AUDITLOG_USE_TEXT_CHANGES_IF_JSON_IS_NOT_PRESENT", False
 )
+
+# Custom
+settings.AUDITLOG_DISABLE_AUDITLOG = getattr(settings, "AUDITLOG", {}).get("disable_auditlog", False)
diff --git a/auditlog/migrations/0010_alter_logentry_timestamp.py b/auditlog/migrations/0010_alter_logentry_timestamp.py
index d18bf484..ad560a2c 100644
--- a/auditlog/migrations/0010_alter_logentry_timestamp.py
+++ b/auditlog/migrations/0010_alter_logentry_timestamp.py
@@ -9,11 +9,25 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
     ]
 
     operations = [
-        migrations.AlterField(
-            model_name="logentry",
-            name="timestamp",
-            field=models.DateTimeField(
-                auto_now_add=True, db_index=True, verbose_name="timestamp"
-            ),
+        migrations.SeparateDatabaseAndState(
+            database_operations=[
+                migrations.RunSQL(
+                sql="""
+                CREATE INDEX "auditlog_logentry_v2_timestamp_37867bb0" ON "auditlog_logentry" ("timestamp");
+                """,
+                reverse_sql="""
+                DROP INDEX CONCURRENTLY IF EXISTS "auditlog_logentry_v2_timestamp_37867bb0";
+                """
+                ),
+            ],
+            state_operations=[
+                migrations.AlterField(
+                    model_name="logentry",
+                    name="timestamp",
+                    field=models.DateTimeField(
+                        auto_now_add=True, db_index=True, verbose_name="timestamp"
+                    ),
+                ),
+            ],
         ),
     ]
diff --git a/auditlog/receivers.py b/auditlog/receivers.py
index a0675808..67c8042a 100644
--- a/auditlog/receivers.py
+++ b/auditlog/receivers.py
@@ -152,11 +152,17 @@ def make_log_m2m_changes(field_name):
     @check_disable
     def log_m2m_changes(signal, action, **kwargs):
         """Handle m2m_changed and call LogEntry.objects.log_m2m_changes as needed."""
-        if action not in ["post_add", "post_clear", "post_remove"]:
+        if action not in ["post_add", "pre_clear", "post_remove"]:
             return
 
-        if action == "post_clear":
-            changed_queryset = kwargs["model"].objects.all()
+        if action == "pre_clear":
+            # UPDATE: This is making the log for all existing rows in the M2M model,
+            # resulting to low performance. Instead we will,
+            # 1. Catch pre-clear signal
+            # 2. Record M2M associated rows before clearing
+            # See known issue: https://github.com/jazzband/django-auditlog/issues/539
+            # changed_queryset = kwargs["model"].objects.all()
+            changed_queryset = getattr(kwargs["instance"], field_name).all()
         else:
             changed_queryset = kwargs["model"].objects.filter(pk__in=kwargs["pk_set"])
 
@@ -167,7 +173,7 @@ def log_m2m_changes(signal, action, **kwargs):
                 "add",
                 field_name,
             )
-        elif action in ["post_remove", "post_clear"]:
+        elif action in ["post_remove", "pre_clear"]:
             LogEntry.objects.log_m2m_changes(
                 changed_queryset,
                 kwargs["instance"],
diff --git a/auditlog/registry.py b/auditlog/registry.py
index 3f1f8f30..7f9a918d 100644
--- a/auditlog/registry.py
+++ b/auditlog/registry.py
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ def __init__(
         self._signals = {}
         self._m2m_signals = defaultdict(dict)
 
+        if settings.AUDITLOG_DISABLE_AUDITLOG:
+            return
+
         if create:
             self._signals[post_save] = log_create
         if update:
@@ -195,6 +198,9 @@ def _connect_signals(self, model):
         """
         from auditlog.receivers import make_log_m2m_changes
 
+        if settings.AUDITLOG_DISABLE_AUDITLOG:
+            return
+
         for signal, receiver in self._signals.items():
             signal.connect(
                 receiver,