diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8937c4c4..56c9a9a2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ docker: docker-build docker-push
 
 export KUBECONFIG=${HOME}/admin.conf
 
+OVNDB_ETCD_TCPDUMP ?= 'true'
 .PHONY: ovnk-deploy
 ovnk-deploy:
 	@echo "checking for OVN_KUBERNETES_ROOT" && [ -n "${OVN_KUBERNETES_ROOT}" ]
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ ovnk-deploy:
 		--master-loglevel 7 \
 		--node-loglevel 7 \
 		--dbchecker-loglevel 7 \
+		--ovndb-etcd-tcpdump ${OVNDB_ETCD_TCPDUMP} \
 		--ovn-loglevel-northd '-vconsole:dbg -vfile:dbg' \
 		--ovn-loglevel-nbctld '-vconsole:dbg -vfile:dbg' \
 		--ovn-loglevel-controller '-vconsole:dbg -vfile:dbg'
diff --git a/dist/README.md b/dist/README.md
index 0f27b155..3040b662 100644
--- a/dist/README.md
+++ b/dist/README.md
@@ -32,6 +32,20 @@ export CR_REPO=docker.io
 export OVSDB_ETCD_REPOSITORY=$CR_USERNAME
 ```
 
+## turn off tcpdump logging (optional)
+
+tcpdump logging is turned on by deafult. one can turn it off using:
+
+```
+export OVNDB_ETCD_TCPDUMP='false'
+```
+
+it can be turned back on using:
+
+```
+export OVNDB_ETCD_TCPDUMP='true'
+```
+
 ## Push docker images (optional)
 
 Login to docker and push: