diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index 4154ae71..35226f56 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -31,10 +31,12 @@ package main
 import (
 	"github.com/nvidia/sandbox-device-plugin/pkg/device_plugin"
 	"os"
+	"strconv"
 )
 
 func main() {
 	var ok bool
+	var enableGFDFlag string
 	device_plugin.PGPUAlias, ok = os.LookupEnv("P_GPU_ALIAS")
 	if !ok {
 		device_plugin.PGPUAlias = "pgpu"
@@ -43,5 +45,10 @@ func main() {
 	if !ok {
 		device_plugin.NVSwitchAlias = "nvswitch"
 	}
+	enableGFDFlag, ok = os.LookupEnv("ENABLE_GFD")
+	// default is false
+	if ok {
+		device_plugin.EnableGFD, _ = strconv.ParseBool(enableGFDFlag)
+	}
 	device_plugin.InitiateDevicePlugin()
 }
diff --git a/pkg/device_plugin/constants.go b/pkg/device_plugin/constants.go
index 5c6694fd..970522c5 100644
--- a/pkg/device_plugin/constants.go
+++ b/pkg/device_plugin/constants.go
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ var (
 	rootPath = "/"
 	// cdiRoot can be set for testing to redirect CDI spec output
 	cdiRoot = "/var/run/cdi"
+	// Flag to allow running GFD pod
+	EnableGFD = false
 )
 
 func setCdiRoot(path string) {
diff --git a/pkg/device_plugin/device_plugin.go b/pkg/device_plugin/device_plugin.go
index 99cdbbb9..98a84785 100644
--- a/pkg/device_plugin/device_plugin.go
+++ b/pkg/device_plugin/device_plugin.go
@@ -133,7 +133,9 @@ func createDevicePlugins() {
 	}
 
 	// run GFD job
-	go runGFD()
+	if EnableGFD {
+		go runGFD()
+	}
 
 	<-stop