diff --git a/src/bin_node/node_config_file.ml b/src/bin_node/node_config_file.ml
index ca35f30b4..a8aedc750 100644
--- a/src/bin_node/node_config_file.ml
+++ b/src/bin_node/node_config_file.ml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ and p2p = {
   listen_addr : string option ;
   closed : bool ;
   limits : P2p.limits ;
+  disable_mempool : bool ;
 }
 
 and rpc = {
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ let default_p2p = {
   listen_addr  = Some ("[::]:" ^ string_of_int default_p2p_port) ;
   closed  = false ;
   limits = default_p2p_limits ;
+  disable_mempool = false ;
 }
 
 let default_rpc = {
@@ -274,14 +276,14 @@ let p2p =
   let open Data_encoding in
   conv
     (fun { expected_pow ; bootstrap_peers ;
-           listen_addr ; closed ; limits } ->
+           listen_addr ; closed ; limits ; disable_mempool } ->
       ( expected_pow, bootstrap_peers,
-        listen_addr, closed, limits ))
+        listen_addr, closed, limits, disable_mempool ))
     (fun ( expected_pow, bootstrap_peers,
-           listen_addr, closed, limits ) ->
+           listen_addr, closed, limits, disable_mempool ) ->
       { expected_pow ; bootstrap_peers ;
-        listen_addr ; closed ; limits })
-    (obj5
+        listen_addr ; closed ; limits ; disable_mempool })
+    (obj6
        (dft "expected-proof-of-work"
           ~description: "Floating point number between 0 and 256 that represents a \
                          difficulty, 24 signifies for example that at least 24 leading \
@@ -303,6 +305,13 @@ let p2p =
        (dft "limits"
           ~description: "Network limits"
           limit default_p2p_limits)
+       (dft "disable_mempool"
+          ~description: "If set to [true], the node will not participate in \
+                         the propagation of pending operations (mempool). \
+                         Default value is [false]. \
+                         It can be used to decrease the memory and \
+                         computation footprints of the node."
+          bool false)
     )
 
 let rpc : rpc Data_encoding.t =
@@ -566,6 +575,7 @@ let update
     ?listen_addr
     ?rpc_listen_addr
     ?(closed = false)
+    ?(disable_mempool = false)
     ?(cors_origins = [])
     ?(cors_headers = [])
     ?rpc_tls
@@ -616,6 +626,7 @@ let update
       Option.first_some listen_addr cfg.p2p.listen_addr ;
     closed = cfg.p2p.closed || closed ;
     limits ;
+    disable_mempool = cfg.p2p.disable_mempool || disable_mempool ;
   }
   and rpc : rpc = {
     listen_addr =
diff --git a/src/bin_node/node_config_file.mli b/src/bin_node/node_config_file.mli
index eca1a5334..3553b5a55 100644
--- a/src/bin_node/node_config_file.mli
+++ b/src/bin_node/node_config_file.mli
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ and p2p = {
   listen_addr : string option ;
   closed : bool ;
   limits : P2p.limits ;
+  disable_mempool : bool ;
 }
 
 and rpc = {
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ val update:
   ?listen_addr:string ->
   ?rpc_listen_addr:string ->
   ?closed:bool ->
+  ?disable_mempool:bool ->
   ?cors_origins:string list ->
   ?cors_headers:string list ->
   ?rpc_tls:tls ->
diff --git a/src/bin_node/node_run_command.ml b/src/bin_node/node_run_command.ml
index 60f97e7cf..cea7924c7 100644
--- a/src/bin_node/node_run_command.ml
+++ b/src/bin_node/node_run_command.ml
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ let init_node ?sandbox (config : Node_config_file.t) =
             identity ;
             proof_of_work_target =
               Crypto_box.make_target config.p2p.expected_pow ;
+            disable_mempool = config.p2p.disable_mempool ;
           }
         in
         return (Some (p2p_config, config.p2p.limits))
diff --git a/src/bin_node/node_shared_arg.ml b/src/bin_node/node_shared_arg.ml
index 1a16dca0b..5e0a095ba 100644
--- a/src/bin_node/node_shared_arg.ml
+++ b/src/bin_node/node_shared_arg.ml
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ type t = {
   listen_addr: string option ;
   rpc_listen_addr: string option ;
   closed: bool ;
+  disable_mempool: bool ;
   cors_origins: string list ;
   cors_headers: string list ;
   rpc_tls: Node_config_file.tls option ;
@@ -39,8 +40,8 @@ let wrap
     data_dir config_file
     connections max_download_speed max_upload_speed binary_chunks_size
     peer_table_size
-    listen_addr peers no_bootstrap_peers bootstrap_threshold closed expected_pow
-    rpc_listen_addr rpc_tls
+    listen_addr peers no_bootstrap_peers bootstrap_threshold closed disable_mempool
+    expected_pow rpc_listen_addr rpc_tls
     cors_origins cors_headers log_output =
 
   let actual_data_dir =
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ let wrap
     listen_addr ;
     rpc_listen_addr ;
     closed ;
+    disable_mempool ;
     cors_origins ;
     cors_headers ;
     rpc_tls ;
@@ -212,6 +214,15 @@ module Term = struct
       "Only accept connections from the configured bootstrap peers." in
     Arg.(value & flag & info ~docs ~doc ["closed"])
 
+  let disable_mempool =
+    let doc =
+      "If set to [true], the node will not participate in the propagation \
+       of pending operations (mempool). \
+       Default value is [false]. \
+       It can be used to decrease the memory and computation footprints \
+       of the node." in
+    Arg.(value & flag & info ~docs ~doc ["disable-mempool"])
+
   (* rpc args *)
   let docs = Manpage.rpc_section
 
@@ -249,8 +260,8 @@ module Term = struct
     $ connections
     $ max_download_speed $ max_upload_speed $ binary_chunks_size
     $ peer_table_size
-    $ listen_addr $ peers $ no_bootstrap_peers $ bootstrap_threshold $ closed $ expected_pow
-    $ rpc_listen_addr $ rpc_tls
+    $ listen_addr $ peers $ no_bootstrap_peers $ bootstrap_threshold $ closed $ disable_mempool
+    $ expected_pow $ rpc_listen_addr $ rpc_tls
     $ cors_origins $ cors_headers
     $ log_output
 
@@ -270,6 +281,7 @@ let read_and_patch_config_file ?(ignore_bootstrap_peers=false) args =
         expected_pow ;
         peers ; no_bootstrap_peers ;
         listen_addr ; closed ;
+        disable_mempool ;
         rpc_listen_addr ; rpc_tls ;
         cors_origins ; cors_headers ;
         log_output ;
@@ -287,5 +299,5 @@ let read_and_patch_config_file ?(ignore_bootstrap_peers=false) args =
     ?max_download_speed ?max_upload_speed ?binary_chunks_size
     ?peer_table_size ?expected_pow
     ~bootstrap_peers ?listen_addr ?rpc_listen_addr
-    ~closed ~cors_origins ~cors_headers ?rpc_tls ?log_output
+    ~closed ~disable_mempool ~cors_origins ~cors_headers ?rpc_tls ?log_output
     ?bootstrap_threshold cfg
diff --git a/src/bin_node/node_shared_arg.mli b/src/bin_node/node_shared_arg.mli
index b5f2f0322..c40af19ab 100644
--- a/src/bin_node/node_shared_arg.mli
+++ b/src/bin_node/node_shared_arg.mli
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ type t = {
   listen_addr: string option ;
   rpc_listen_addr: string option ;
   closed: bool ;
+  disable_mempool: bool ;
   cors_origins: string list ;
   cors_headers: string list ;
   rpc_tls: Node_config_file.tls option ;
diff --git a/src/lib_p2p/p2p.ml b/src/lib_p2p/p2p.ml
index bb006c66b..c44362046 100644
--- a/src/lib_p2p/p2p.ml
+++ b/src/lib_p2p/p2p.ml
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ type config = {
   closed_network : bool ;
   identity : P2p_identity.t ;
   proof_of_work_target : Crypto_box.target ;
+  disable_mempool : bool ;
 }
 
 type limits = {
diff --git a/src/lib_p2p/p2p.mli b/src/lib_p2p/p2p.mli
index 342c8b7aa..2313fdcdf 100644
--- a/src/lib_p2p/p2p.mli
+++ b/src/lib_p2p/p2p.mli
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ type config = {
   proof_of_work_target : Crypto_box.target ;
   (** Expected level of proof of work of peers' identity. *)
 
+  disable_mempool : bool ;
+  (** If [true], all non-empty mempools will be ignored. *)
 }
 
 (** Network capacities *)
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/distributed_db.ml b/src/lib_shell/distributed_db.ml
index 44ce85558..b68781523 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/distributed_db.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell/distributed_db.ml
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ type db = {
   protocol_db: Raw_protocol.t ;
   block_input: (Block_hash.t * Block_header.t) Lwt_watcher.input ;
   operation_input: (Operation_hash.t * Operation.t) Lwt_watcher.input ;
+  connection_metadata_value: (P2p_peer.Id.t -> Connection_metadata.t)
 }
 
 and chain_db = {
@@ -497,7 +498,15 @@ module P2p_reader = struct
 
     | Get_current_head chain_id ->
         may_handle state chain_id @@ fun chain_db ->
-        State.Current_mempool.get chain_db.chain_state >>= fun (head, mempool) ->
+        let { Connection_metadata.disable_mempool } =
+          P2p.connection_metadata chain_db.global_db.p2p state.conn in
+        begin
+          if disable_mempool then
+            Chain.head chain_db.chain_state >>= fun head ->
+            Lwt.return (State.Block.header head, Mempool.empty)
+          else
+            State.Current_mempool.get chain_db.chain_state
+        end >>= fun (head, mempool) ->
         (* TODO bound the sent mempool size *)
         ignore
         @@ P2p.try_send global_db.p2p state.conn
@@ -508,6 +517,15 @@ module P2p_reader = struct
         may_handle state chain_id @@ fun chain_db ->
         let head = Block_header.hash header in
         State.Block.known_invalid chain_db.chain_state head >>= fun known_invalid ->
+        let { Connection_metadata.disable_mempool } =
+          chain_db.global_db.connection_metadata_value state.gid in
+        let known_invalid =
+          known_invalid ||
+          (disable_mempool && mempool <> Mempool.empty)
+          (* A non-empty mempool was received while mempool is desactivated,
+               so the message is ignored.
+               This should probably warrant a reduction of the sender's score. *)
+        in
         if not known_invalid then
           chain_db.callback.notify_head state.gid header mempool
         else
@@ -690,7 +708,7 @@ let raw_try_send p2p peer_id msg =
   | Some conn -> ignore (P2p.try_send p2p conn msg : bool)
 
 
-let create disk p2p =
+let create disk p2p connection_metadata_value =
   let global_request =
     { data = () ;
       active = active_peer_ids p2p ;
@@ -704,7 +722,8 @@ let create disk p2p =
   let db =
     { p2p ; p2p_readers ; disk ;
       active_chains ; protocol_db ;
-      block_input ; operation_input } in
+      block_input ; operation_input ;
+      connection_metadata_value } in
   P2p.on_new_connection p2p (P2p_reader.run db) ;
   P2p.iter_connections p2p (P2p_reader.run db) ;
   db
@@ -935,8 +954,26 @@ module Advertise = struct
   let current_head chain_db ?peer ?(mempool = Mempool.empty) head =
     let chain_id = State.Chain.id chain_db.chain_state in
     assert (Chain_id.equal chain_id (State.Block.chain_id head)) ;
-    send chain_db ?peer @@
-    Current_head (chain_id, State.Block.header head, mempool)
+    let msg_mempool =
+      Message.Current_head (chain_id, State.Block.header head, mempool) in
+    if mempool = Mempool.empty then
+      send chain_db ?peer msg_mempool
+    else
+      let msg_disable_mempool =
+        Message.Current_head (chain_id, State.Block.header head, Mempool.empty) in
+      let send_mempool state =
+        let { Connection_metadata.disable_mempool } =
+          P2p.connection_metadata chain_db.global_db.p2p state.conn in
+        let msg = if disable_mempool then msg_disable_mempool else msg_mempool in
+        ignore @@ P2p.try_send chain_db.global_db.p2p state.conn msg
+      in
+      match peer with
+      | Some receiver_id ->
+          let state = P2p_peer.Table.find chain_db.active_connections receiver_id in
+          send_mempool state
+      | None ->
+          List.iter (fun (_receiver_id, state) -> send_mempool state)
+            (P2p_peer.Table.fold (fun k v acc -> (k,v)::acc) chain_db.active_connections [])
 
   let current_branch ?peer chain_db =
     let chain_id = State.Chain.id chain_db.chain_state in
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/distributed_db.mli b/src/lib_shell/distributed_db.mli
index 429579344..44a5a6e39 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/distributed_db.mli
+++ b/src/lib_shell/distributed_db.mli
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ module Message = Distributed_db_message
 
 type p2p = (Message.t, Peer_metadata.t, Connection_metadata.t) P2p.net
 
-val create: State.t -> p2p -> t
+val create: State.t -> p2p -> (P2p_peer.Id.t -> Connection_metadata.t) -> t
 val state: db -> State.t
 val shutdown: t -> unit Lwt.t
 
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/node.ml b/src/lib_shell/node.ml
index 8379ffeae..44b4d9111 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/node.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell/node.ml
@@ -71,25 +71,37 @@ let peer_metadata_cfg : _ P2p.peer_meta_config = {
   score = fun _ -> 0. ;
 }
 
-let connection_metadata_cfg : _ P2p.conn_meta_config = {
+let connection_metadata_cfg cfg : _ P2p.conn_meta_config = {
   conn_meta_encoding = Connection_metadata.encoding ;
-  conn_meta_value = fun _ -> { disable_mempool = false ; private_node = false} ;
+  conn_meta_value = fun _ -> cfg;
 }
 
 let init_p2p p2p_params =
   match p2p_params with
   | None ->
+      let conn_metadata_cfg =
+        connection_metadata_cfg {
+          Connection_metadata.
+          disable_mempool = false ;
+          private_node = false ;
+        } in
       lwt_log_notice "P2P layer is disabled" >>= fun () ->
-      return (P2p.faked_network peer_metadata_cfg)
+      return (P2p.faked_network peer_metadata_cfg, conn_metadata_cfg)
   | Some (config, limits) ->
+      let conn_metadata_cfg =
+        connection_metadata_cfg {
+          Connection_metadata.
+          disable_mempool = config.P2p.disable_mempool ;
+          private_node = false ;
+        } in
       lwt_log_notice "bootstraping chain..." >>= fun () ->
       P2p.create
         ~config ~limits
         peer_metadata_cfg
-        connection_metadata_cfg
+        conn_metadata_cfg
         Distributed_db_message.cfg >>=? fun p2p ->
       Lwt.async (fun () -> P2p.maintain p2p) ;
-      return p2p
+      return (p2p, conn_metadata_cfg)
 
 type config = {
   genesis: State.Chain.genesis ;
@@ -137,10 +149,11 @@ let create { genesis ; store_root ; context_root ;
     block_validator_limits
     prevalidator_limits
     chain_validator_limits =
-  init_p2p p2p_params >>=? fun p2p ->
+  init_p2p p2p_params >>=? fun (p2p, conn_metadata_cfg) ->
   State.read
     ~store_root ~context_root ?patch_context genesis >>=? fun (state, mainchain_state) ->
-  let distributed_db = Distributed_db.create state p2p in
+  let distributed_db =
+    Distributed_db.create state p2p conn_metadata_cfg.conn_meta_value in
   Validator.create state distributed_db
     peer_validator_limits
     block_validator_limits