diff --git a/UI/obs-app.cpp b/UI/obs-app.cpp
index 6ccf2a46c043ede176af60243211c481406631cb..c33afa3deb1e96e008997687d0a811f3e643b62e 100644
--- a/UI/obs-app.cpp
+++ b/UI/obs-app.cpp
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ bool opt_start_virtualcam = false;
 bool opt_minimize_tray = false;
 bool opt_allow_opengl = false;
 bool opt_always_on_top = false;
+bool opt_disable_updater = false;
 string opt_starting_collection;
 string opt_starting_profile;
 string opt_starting_scene;
@@ -1424,6 +1425,11 @@ bool OBSApp::IsPortableMode()
 	return portable_mode;
 }
 
+bool OBSApp::IsUpdaterDisabled()
+{
+	return opt_disable_updater;
+}
+
 #ifdef __APPLE__
 #define INPUT_AUDIO_SOURCE "coreaudio_input_capture"
 #define OUTPUT_AUDIO_SOURCE "coreaudio_output_capture"
@@ -2450,6 +2456,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		} else if (arg_is(argv[i], "--allow-opengl", nullptr)) {
 			opt_allow_opengl = true;
 
+		} else if (arg_is(argv[i], "--disable-updater", nullptr)) {
+			opt_disable_updater = true;
+
 		} else if (arg_is(argv[i], "--help", "-h")) {
 			std::string help =
 				"--help, -h: Get list of available commands.\n\n"
@@ -2467,7 +2476,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				"--multi, -m: Don't warn when launching multiple instances.\n\n"
 				"--verbose: Make log more verbose.\n"
 				"--always-on-top: Start in 'always on top' mode.\n\n"
-				"--unfiltered_log: Make log unfiltered.\n\n";
+				"--unfiltered_log: Make log unfiltered.\n\n"
+				"--disable-updater: Disable built-in updater (Windows/Mac only)\n\n";
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 			MessageBoxA(NULL, help.c_str(), "Help",
@@ -2493,6 +2503,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			os_file_exists(BASE_PATH "/portable_mode.txt") ||
 			os_file_exists(BASE_PATH "/obs_portable_mode.txt");
 	}
+
+	if (!opt_disable_updater) {
+		opt_disable_updater =
+			os_file_exists(BASE_PATH "/disable_updater") ||
+			os_file_exists(BASE_PATH "/disable_updater.txt");
+	}
 #endif
 
 	upgrade_settings();
diff --git a/UI/obs-app.hpp b/UI/obs-app.hpp
index 506a154c4ea9c787b23509da4a1091e98e0b307a..3fbff32a1f0b4887bdd30daebbb1c113563d26d5 100644
--- a/UI/obs-app.hpp
+++ b/UI/obs-app.hpp
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ public:
 
 	std::string GetVersionString() const;
 	bool IsPortableMode();
+	bool IsUpdaterDisabled();
 
 	const char *InputAudioSource() const;
 	const char *OutputAudioSource() const;
diff --git a/UI/window-basic-main.cpp b/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
index bb123166471482dff6e9e9071b17387b630b9768..d8ff95b3920b4ba4e53a6070b6fe57b76e2ff56e 100644
--- a/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
+++ b/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
@@ -1894,6 +1894,9 @@ void OBSBasic::OBSInit()
 	ui->actionUploadLastCrashLog = nullptr;
 	ui->menuCrashLogs = nullptr;
 	ui->actionCheckForUpdates = nullptr;
+#elif _WIN32 || __APPLE__
+	if (App()->IsUpdaterDisabled())
+		ui->actionCheckForUpdates->setEnabled(false);
 #endif
 
 	OnFirstLoad();
@@ -3248,6 +3251,8 @@ void trigger_sparkle_update();
 
 void OBSBasic::TimedCheckForUpdates()
 {
+	if (App()->IsUpdaterDisabled())
+		return;
 	if (!config_get_bool(App()->GlobalConfig(), "General",
 			     "EnableAutoUpdates"))
 		return;