diff --git a/.github/ci_config.yml b/.github/ci_config.yml
index e372bff0..fe99f0a7 100644
--- a/.github/ci_config.yml
+++ b/.github/ci_config.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ experiments:
   # contacting the Scheduler for the 'new experiments'. This setting is only used the
   # first time that experiments are being populated into the database
   first_scheduler_contact_start_date: 2019-01-02T00:00:00Z
+  # Flag to enable/disable the background task to contact the Scheduler
+  scheduler_background_task_enabled: false
   # Cron job string format. Every Monday at 9:00am - 0 9 * * 1
   scheduler_background_frequency: 0 9 * * 1
   # Timezones as per dateutil.tz. https://stackoverflow.com/a/15454186 provides a way of
diff --git a/operationsgateway_api/config.yml.example b/operationsgateway_api/config.yml.example
index f02102e3..46c6a638 100644
--- a/operationsgateway_api/config.yml.example
+++ b/operationsgateway_api/config.yml.example
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ experiments:
   # contacting the Scheduler for the 'new experiments'. This setting is only used the
   # first time that experiments are being populated into the database
   first_scheduler_contact_start_date: 2019-01-02T00:00:00Z
+  # Flag to enable/disable the background task to contact the Scheduler
+  scheduler_background_task_enabled: false
   # Cron job string format. Every Monday at 9:00am - 0 9 * * 1
   scheduler_background_frequency: 0 9 * * 1
   # Timezones as per dateutil.tz. https://stackoverflow.com/a/15454186 provides a way of
diff --git a/operationsgateway_api/src/config.py b/operationsgateway_api/src/config.py
index bacbae34..9453d630 100644
--- a/operationsgateway_api/src/config.py
+++ b/operationsgateway_api/src/config.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ class ExperimentsConfig(BaseModel):
     """Configuration model class to store experiment configuration details"""
 
     first_scheduler_contact_start_date: datetime
+    scheduler_background_task_enabled: StrictBool
     scheduler_background_frequency: StrictStr
     scheduler_background_timezone: StrictStr
     scheduler_background_retry_mins: float
diff --git a/operationsgateway_api/src/main.py b/operationsgateway_api/src/main.py
index 712b3066..12f6d078 100644
--- a/operationsgateway_api/src/main.py
+++ b/operationsgateway_api/src/main.py
@@ -67,10 +67,13 @@ def setup_logger():
 
 @app.on_event("startup")
 async def get_experiments_on_startup():
-    log.info(
-        "Creating task for Scheduler system to be contacted for experiment details",
-    )
-    asyncio.create_task(runners.scheduler_runner.start_task())
+    if Config.config.experiments.scheduler_background_task_enabled:
+        log.info(
+            "Creating task for Scheduler system to be contacted for experiment details",
+        )
+        asyncio.create_task(runners.scheduler_runner.start_task())
+    else:
+        log.info("Scheduler background task has not been enabled")
 
 
 @app.on_event("startup")