diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0dfc7c6..7fb8de3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -435,6 +435,7 @@ return {
   -- so :help works even for plugins that don't have vim docs.
   -- when the readme opens with :help it will be correctly displayed as markdown
   readme = {
+    enabled = true,
     root = vim.fn.stdpath("state") .. "/lazy/readme",
     files = { "README.md", "lua/**/README.md" },
     -- only generate markdown helptags for plugins that dont have docs
diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/config.lua b/lua/lazy/core/config.lua
index db2abd8..bcf1f39 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/config.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/config.lua
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ M.defaults = {
   -- so :help works even for plugins that don't have vim docs.
   -- when the readme opens with :help it will be correctly displayed as markdown
   readme = {
+    enabled = true,
     root = vim.fn.stdpath("state") .. "/lazy/readme",
     files = { "README.md", "lua/**/README.md" },
     -- only generate markdown helptags for plugins that dont have docs
diff --git a/lua/lazy/help.lua b/lua/lazy/help.lua
index 599e2b4..4a289eb 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/help.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/help.lua
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ function M.update()
   if Config.plugins["lazy.nvim"] then
     vim.cmd.helptags(Config.plugins["lazy.nvim"].dir .. "/doc")
   end
+  if Config.options.readme.enabled == false then
+    return
+  end
+
   local docs = Config.options.readme.root .. "/doc"
   vim.fn.mkdir(docs, "p")