diff --git a/settings.json.docker b/settings.json.docker
index 7bb2917c2..228c70d2a 100644
--- a/settings.json.docker
+++ b/settings.json.docker
@@ -463,6 +463,11 @@
    */
   "loadTest": "${LOAD_TEST:false}",
 
+  /**
+  * Disable dump of objects preventing a clean exit
+  */
+  "dumpOnUncleanExit": false,
+
   /*
    * Disable indentation on new line when previous line ends with some special
    * chars (':', '[', '(', '{')
diff --git a/settings.json.template b/settings.json.template
index b8722fbdc..8a676b56d 100644
--- a/settings.json.template
+++ b/settings.json.template
@@ -468,6 +468,11 @@
    */
   "loadTest": false,
 
+  /**
+  * Disable dump of objects preventing a clean exit
+  */
+  "dumpOnUncleanExit": false,
+
   /*
    * Disable indentation on new line when previous line ends with some special
    * chars (':', '[', '(', '{')
diff --git a/src/node/server.js b/src/node/server.js
index a574116eb..f895df2af 100755
--- a/src/node/server.js
+++ b/src/node/server.js
@@ -27,9 +27,14 @@
 const log4js = require('log4js');
 log4js.replaceConsole();
 
-// wtfnode should be loaded after log4js.replaceConsole() so that it uses log4js for logging, and it
-// should be above everything else so that it can hook in before resources are used.
-const wtfnode = require('wtfnode');
+const settings = require('./utils/Settings');
+
+let wtfnode;
+if (settings.dumpOnUncleanExit) {
+  // wtfnode should be loaded after log4js.replaceConsole() so that it uses log4js for logging, and
+  // it should be above everything else so that it can hook in before resources are used.
+  wtfnode = require('wtfnode');
+}
 
 /*
  * early check for version compatibility before calling
@@ -45,7 +50,6 @@ const express = require('./hooks/express');
 const hooks = require('../static/js/pluginfw/hooks');
 const pluginDefs = require('../static/js/pluginfw/plugin_defs');
 const plugins = require('../static/js/pluginfw/plugins');
-const settings = require('./utils/Settings');
 const stats = require('./stats');
 
 const logger = log4js.getLogger('server');
@@ -248,16 +252,25 @@ exports.exit = async (err = null) => {
   exitGate = new Gate();
   state = State.EXITING;
   exitGate.resolve();
+
   // Node.js should exit on its own without further action. Add a timeout to force Node.js to exit
-  // just in case something failed to get cleaned up during the shutdown hook. unref() is called on
-  // the timeout so that the timeout itself does not prevent Node.js from exiting.
+  // just in case something failed to get cleaned up during the shutdown hook. unref() is called
+  // on the timeout so that the timeout itself does not prevent Node.js from exiting.
   setTimeout(() => {
     logger.error('Something that should have been cleaned up during the shutdown hook (such as ' +
-                 'a timer, worker thread, or open connection) is preventing Node.js from exiting');
-    wtfnode.dump();
+                'a timer, worker thread, or open connection) is preventing Node.js from exiting');
+
+    if (settings.dumpOnUncleanExit) {
+      wtfnode.dump();
+    } else {
+      logger.error('Enable `dumpOnUncleanExit` setting to get a dump of objects preventing a ' +
+                  'clean exit');
+    }
+
     logger.error('Forcing an unclean exit...');
     process.exit(1);
   }, 5000).unref();
+
   logger.info('Waiting for Node.js to exit...');
   state = State.WAITING_FOR_EXIT;
   /* eslint-enable no-process-exit */
diff --git a/src/node/utils/Settings.js b/src/node/utils/Settings.js
index 0333f7972..60f4e6442 100644
--- a/src/node/utils/Settings.js
+++ b/src/node/utils/Settings.js
@@ -250,6 +250,11 @@ exports.automaticReconnectionTimeout = 0;
  */
 exports.loadTest = false;
 
+/**
+ * Disable dump of objects preventing a clean exit
+ */
+exports.dumpOnUncleanExit = false;
+
 /**
  * Enable indentation on new lines
  */