diff --git a/engine/src/flutter/common/settings.h b/engine/src/flutter/common/settings.h
index e3901b92cd3..7fe3f9b8bd3 100644
--- a/engine/src/flutter/common/settings.h
+++ b/engine/src/flutter/common/settings.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 namespace blink {
 
 struct Settings {
+  bool enable_observatory = false;
   // Port on target will be auto selected by the OS. A message will be printed
   // on the target with the port after it has been selected.
   uint32_t observatory_port = 0;
diff --git a/engine/src/flutter/runtime/dart_init.cc b/engine/src/flutter/runtime/dart_init.cc
index 2546b37cc2b..e14970ececc 100644
--- a/engine/src/flutter/runtime/dart_init.cc
+++ b/engine/src/flutter/runtime/dart_init.cc
@@ -203,14 +203,15 @@ Dart_Isolate ServiceIsolateCreateCallback(const char* script_uri,
     DartMojoInternal::InitForIsolate();
     DartRuntimeHooks::Install(DartRuntimeHooks::SecondaryIsolate, script_uri);
     const Settings& settings = Settings::Get();
-
-    std::string ip = "127.0.0.1";
-    const intptr_t port = settings.observatory_port;
-    const bool disable_websocket_origin_check = false;
-    const bool service_isolate_booted = DartServiceIsolate::Startup(
-        ip, port, tonic::DartState::HandleLibraryTag,
-        IsRunningPrecompiledCode(), disable_websocket_origin_check, error);
-    FTL_CHECK(service_isolate_booted) << error;
+    if (settings.enable_observatory) {
+      std::string ip = "127.0.0.1";
+      const intptr_t port = settings.observatory_port;
+      const bool disable_websocket_origin_check = false;
+      const bool service_isolate_booted = DartServiceIsolate::Startup(
+          ip, port, tonic::DartState::HandleLibraryTag,
+          IsRunningPrecompiledCode(), disable_websocket_origin_check, error);
+      FTL_CHECK(service_isolate_booted) << error;
+    }
 
     if (g_service_isolate_hook)
       g_service_isolate_hook(IsRunningPrecompiledCode());