diff --git a/doozerlib/cli/__init__.py b/doozerlib/cli/__init__.py
index 6274acb3e..dcee86e33 100644
--- a/doozerlib/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/doozerlib/cli/__init__.py
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ def print_version(ctx, param, value):
               help='If a base image is not included, lookup latest FROM tag for parent. Implies --ignore-missing-base')
 @click.option("--quiet", "-q", default=False, is_flag=True, help="Suppress non-critical output")
 @click.option('--debug', default=False, is_flag=True, help='Show debug output on console.')
+@click.option('--disable-gssapi', default=False, is_flag=True, help='Disable gssapi for requests that do not require keytab')
 @click.option("--stream", metavar="STREAM_NAME PULLSPEC", nargs=2, multiple=True,
               help="Override a stream.yml entry with a specific pullspec.  [multiple]")
 @click.option("--lock-upstream", "upstreams", metavar="DISTGIT_KEY COMMIT-ISH", multiple=True, nargs=2,
diff --git a/doozerlib/runtime.py b/doozerlib/runtime.py
index e59fbcb05..5bf02ebbd 100644
--- a/doozerlib/runtime.py
+++ b/doozerlib/runtime.py
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         self.releases_config = None
         self.assembly = 'test'
         self._build_status_detector = None
+        self.disable_gssapi = False
 
         self.stream: List[str] = []  # Click option. A list of image stream overrides from the command line.
         self.stream_overrides: Dict[str, str] = {}  # Dict of stream name -> pullspec from command line.
@@ -739,7 +740,8 @@ def shared_koji_client_session(self):
         with self.koji_lock:
             if self._koji_client_session is None:
                 self._koji_client_session = self.build_retrying_koji_client()
-                self._koji_client_session.gssapi_login()
+                if not self.disable_gssapi:
+                    self._koji_client_session.gssapi_login()
             yield self._koji_client_session
 
     @contextmanager