diff --git a/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.ml b/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.ml
index 8ac17e9e..b7beb90e 100644
--- a/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.ml
+++ b/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.ml
@@ -489,10 +489,14 @@ let setup_ ~(config:Config.t) () =
   Opentelemetry.Collector.backend := Some (module B);
   B.cleanup
 
-let setup ?(config=Config.make()) () =
-  let cleanup = setup_ ~config () in
-  at_exit cleanup
+let setup ?(config=Config.make()) ?(enable=true) () =
+  if enable then (
+    let cleanup = setup_ ~config () in
+    at_exit cleanup
+  )
 
-let with_setup ?(config=Config.make()) () f =
-  let cleanup = setup_ ~config () in
-  Fun.protect ~finally:cleanup f
+let with_setup ?(config=Config.make()) ?(enable=true) () f =
+  if enable then (
+    let cleanup = setup_ ~config () in
+    Fun.protect ~finally:cleanup f
+  ) else f()
diff --git a/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.mli b/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.mli
index 29a14538..e8ac12d9 100644
--- a/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.mli
+++ b/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.mli
@@ -60,10 +60,13 @@ module Config : sig
   val pp : Format.formatter -> t -> unit
 end
 
-val setup : ?config:Config.t -> unit -> unit
+val setup : ?config:Config.t -> ?enable:bool -> unit -> unit
 (** Setup endpoint. This modifies {!Opentelemetry.Collector.backend}.
+    @param enable actually setup the backend (default true). This can
+      be used to enable/disable the setup depending on CLI arguments
+      or environment.
     @param config configuration to use *)
 
-val with_setup : ?config:Config.t -> unit -> (unit -> 'a) -> 'a
+val with_setup : ?config:Config.t -> ?enable:bool -> unit -> (unit -> 'a) -> 'a
 (** [with_setup () f] is like [setup(); f()] but takes care of cleaning up
     after [f()] returns. *)