diff --git a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py
index babdda2676..f5bebaee5b 100644
--- a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py
+++ b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py
@@ -1901,7 +1901,11 @@ def robot_find_easyconfig(name, version):
 
     res = None
     for path in paths:
-        if path in _path_indexes:
+
+        if build_option('ignore_index'):
+            _log.info("Ignoring index for %s...", path)
+            path_index = []
+        elif path in _path_indexes:
             path_index = _path_indexes[path]
             _log.info("Found loaded index for %s", path)
         elif os.path.exists(path):
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/config.py b/easybuild/tools/config.py
index 51ff946f21..1c16245e21 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/config.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/config.py
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ def mk_full_default_path(name, prefix=DEFAULT_PREFIX):
         'group_writable_installdir',
         'hidden',
         'ignore_checksums',
+        'ignore_index',
         'install_latest_eb_release',
         'lib64_fallback_sanity_check',
         'logtostdout',
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/filetools.py b/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
index 4645e37041..d651ab2b6b 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/filetools.py
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ def search_file(paths, query, short=False, ignore_dirs=None, silent=False, filen
             print_msg("Searching (case-insensitive) for '%s' in %s " % (query.pattern, path), log=_log, silent=silent)
 
         path_index = load_index(path, ignore_dirs=ignore_dirs)
-        if path_index is None:
+        if path_index is None or build_option('ignore_index'):
             if os.path.exists(path):
                 _log.info("No index found for %s, creating one...", path)
                 path_index = create_index(path, ignore_dirs=ignore_dirs)
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/options.py b/easybuild/tools/options.py
index 22d7299f7f..1540bb18c5 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/options.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/options.py
@@ -684,6 +684,7 @@ def easyconfig_options(self):
             'create-index': ("Create index for files in specified directory", None, 'store', None),
             'fix-deprecated-easyconfigs': ("Fix use of deprecated functionality in specified easyconfig files.",
                                            None, 'store_true', False),
+            'ignore-index': ("Ignore index when searching for files", None, 'store_true', False),
             'index-max-age': ("Maximum age for index before it is considered stale (in seconds)",
                               int, 'store', DEFAULT_INDEX_MAX_AGE),
             'inject-checksums': ("Inject checksums of specified type for sources/patches into easyconfig file(s)",
diff --git a/test/framework/options.py b/test/framework/options.py
index 52103c0000..3b9fc440fc 100644
--- a/test/framework/options.py
+++ b/test/framework/options.py
@@ -776,6 +776,49 @@ def test_search(self):
                 args = [opt, pattern, '--robot', test_easyconfigs_dir]
                 self.assertErrorRegex(EasyBuildError, "Invalid search query", self.eb_main, args, raise_error=True)
 
+    def test_ignore_index(self):
+        """
+        Test use of --ignore-index.
+        """
+
+        test_ecs_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs')
+        toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'test_ecs', 't', 'toy', 'toy-0.0.eb')
+        copy_file(toy_ec, self.test_prefix)
+
+        # install index that list more files than are actually available,
+        # so we can check whether it's used
+        index_txt = '\n'.join([
+            'toy-0.0.eb',
+            'toy-1.2.3.eb',
+            'toy-4.5.6.eb',
+        ])
+        write_file(os.path.join(self.test_prefix, '.eb-path-index'), index_txt)
+
+        args = [
+            '--search=toy',
+            '--robot-paths=%s' % self.test_prefix,
+        ]
+        self.mock_stdout(True)
+        self.eb_main(args, testing=False, raise_error=True)
+        stdout = self.get_stdout()
+        self.mock_stdout(False)
+
+        for toy_ec_fn in ['toy-0.0.eb', 'toy-1.2.3.eb', 'toy-4.5.6.eb']:
+            regex = re.compile(re.escape(os.path.join(self.test_prefix, toy_ec_fn)), re.M)
+            self.assertTrue(regex.search(stdout), "Pattern '%s' should be found in: %s" % (regex.pattern, stdout))
+
+        args.append('--ignore-index')
+        self.mock_stdout(True)
+        self.eb_main(args, testing=False, raise_error=True)
+        stdout = self.get_stdout()
+        self.mock_stdout(False)
+
+        regex = re.compile(re.escape(os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy-0.0.eb')), re.M)
+        self.assertTrue(regex.search(stdout), "Pattern '%s' should be found in: %s" % (regex.pattern, stdout))
+        for toy_ec_fn in ['toy-1.2.3.eb', 'toy-4.5.6.eb']:
+            regex = re.compile(re.escape(os.path.join(self.test_prefix, toy_ec_fn)), re.M)
+            self.assertFalse(regex.search(stdout), "Pattern '%s' should not be found in: %s" % (regex.pattern, stdout))
+
     def test_search_archived(self):
         "Test searching for archived easyconfigs"
         args = ['--search-filename=^intel']