diff --git a/bifrost/cli.py b/bifrost/cli.py
index cd7677ee6..006c5210a 100644
--- a/bifrost/cli.py
+++ b/bifrost/cli.py
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ def cmd_install(args):
             enable_prometheus_exporter=args.enable_prometheus_exporter,
             default_boot_mode=args.boot_mode or 'uefi',
             enable_dhcp=not args.disable_dhcp,
+            enable_registry=not args.disable_registry,
             extra_vars=args.extra_vars,
             params_output_file=args.output,
             **kwargs)
@@ -336,6 +337,8 @@ def parse_args():
                            help='use legacy boot (BIOS) by default')
     install.add_argument('--disable-dhcp', action='store_true',
                          help='Disable integrated dhcp server')
+    install.add_argument('--disable-registry', action='store_true',
+                         help='Disable OCI image registry installation')
     install.add_argument('-e', '--extra-vars', action='append',
                          help='additional vars to pass to ansible')
     install.add_argument('-o', '--output',
diff --git a/playbooks/install.yaml b/playbooks/install.yaml
index 2edfb63fb..18623f687 100644
--- a/playbooks/install.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/install.yaml
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@
     - bifrost-keystone-install
     - bifrost-ironic-install
     - bifrost-logrotate-install
-    - bifrost-registry-install
+    - role: bifrost-registry-install
+      when: enable_registry | default(true) | bool
     - role: bifrost-keystone-client-config
       user: "{{ ansible_env.SUDO_USER | default(ansible_user_id) }}"
       clouds:
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-registry-install/defaults/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-registry-install/defaults/main.yml
index 25431bec6..766db5954 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-registry-install/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-registry-install/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 ---
+# Enable/disable registry installation (can be overridden)
+enable_registry: true
+
 # Registry service configuration
 registry_image: "quay.io/opendevmirror/registry:2"
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/optional-registry-install-95b69d1e03337b9e.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/optional-registry-install-95b69d1e03337b9e.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7e4a7993a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/optional-registry-install-95b69d1e03337b9e.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    The OCI image registry installation can now be disabled using the
+    ``enable_registry`` variable or the ``--disable-registry`` CLI flag.
+    The registry remains enabled by default to maintain backward
+    compatibility.
+
+    To disable during installation:
+
+    * CLI: ``bifrost-cli install --disable-registry``
+    * Ansible: ``-e enable_registry=false``