diff --git a/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/keeper/relay.go b/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/keeper/relay.go
index 54fce59e4fe..f728455e646 100644
--- a/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/keeper/relay.go
+++ b/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/keeper/relay.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 
 	capabilitytypes "github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/modules/capability/types"
+	"github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/v8/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/types"
 	icatypes "github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/v8/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/types"
 	clienttypes "github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/v8/modules/core/02-client/types"
 	channeltypes "github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/v8/modules/core/04-channel/types"
@@ -27,6 +28,10 @@ func (k Keeper) SendTx(ctx sdk.Context, _ *capabilitytypes.Capability, connectio
 }
 
 func (k Keeper) sendTx(ctx sdk.Context, connectionID, portID string, icaPacketData icatypes.InterchainAccountPacketData, timeoutTimestamp uint64) (uint64, error) {
+	if !k.GetParams(ctx).ControllerEnabled {
+		return 0, types.ErrControllerSubModuleDisabled
+	}
+
 	activeChannelID, found := k.GetOpenActiveChannel(ctx, connectionID, portID)
 	if !found {
 		return 0, errorsmod.Wrapf(icatypes.ErrActiveChannelNotFound, "failed to retrieve active channel on connection %s for port %s", connectionID, portID)
diff --git a/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/keeper/relay_test.go b/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/keeper/relay_test.go
index 872c041b4c4..f1fe089bb57 100644
--- a/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/keeper/relay_test.go
+++ b/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/keeper/relay_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	banktypes "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/bank/types"
 
+	"github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/v8/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/controller/types"
 	icatypes "github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/v8/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/types"
 	clienttypes "github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/v8/modules/core/02-client/types"
 	channeltypes "github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/v8/modules/core/04-channel/types"
@@ -113,6 +114,13 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestSendTx() {
 			},
 			false,
 		},
+		{
+			"controller submodule disabled",
+			func() {
+				suite.chainA.GetSimApp().ICAControllerKeeper.SetParams(suite.chainA.GetContext(), types.NewParams(false))
+			},
+			false,
+		},
 		{
 			"timeout timestamp is not in the future",
 			func() {