diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/ironic_types.go b/api/v1alpha1/ironic_types.go
index 9447140..0183970 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/ironic_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/ironic_types.go
@@ -144,6 +144,11 @@ type Images struct {
 	// +kubebuilder:default=quay.io/metal3-io/ironic-ipa-downloader
 	// +optional
 	RamdiskDownloader string `json:"ramdiskDownloader,omitempty"`
+
+	// DisableRamdiskDownloader turns off the ramdisk downloader.
+	// +kubebuilder:default=false
+	// +optional
+	DisableRamdiskDownloader bool `json:"disableRamdiskDownloader,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // IronicSpec defines the desired state of Ironic
diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/ironic_webhook.go b/api/v1alpha1/ironic_webhook.go
index 1142eef..76898a7 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/ironic_webhook.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/ironic_webhook.go
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func validateIronic(ironic *IronicSpec, old *IronicSpec) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if ironic.Images.AgentDownloadURL != "" {
+	if !ironic.Images.DisableRamdiskDownloader && ironic.Images.AgentDownloadURL != "" {
 		if _, err := url.Parse(ironic.Images.AgentDownloadURL); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("images.agentDownloadURL is not a valid URL: %w", err)
 		}
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/metal3.io_ironics.yaml b/config/crd/bases/metal3.io_ironics.yaml
index 57d1357..3ca14d6 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/metal3.io_ironics.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/metal3.io_ironics.yaml
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ spec:
                       AgentDownloadURL is the base URL from which IPA should be downloaded.
                       The default value should be good for most users.
                     type: string
+                  disableRamdiskDownloader:
+                    default: false
+                    description: DisableRamdiskDownloader turns off the ramdisk downloader.
+                    type: boolean
                   ironic:
                     default: quay.io/metal3-io/ironic
                     description: Ironic is the Ironic image (including httpd).
diff --git a/pkg/ironic/containers.go b/pkg/ironic/containers.go
index 0ff51e6..f555611 100644
--- a/pkg/ironic/containers.go
+++ b/pkg/ironic/containers.go
@@ -417,32 +417,15 @@ func newIronicPodTemplate(ironic *metal3api.Ironic, db *metal3api.IronicDatabase
 		htpasswd = apiSecret.Name
 	}
 
-	var ipaDownloaderVars []corev1.EnvVar
-	ipaDownloaderVars = appendStringEnv(ipaDownloaderVars,
-		"IPA_BASEURI", ironic.Spec.Images.AgentDownloadURL)
-	ipaDownloaderVars = appendStringEnv(ipaDownloaderVars,
-		"IPA_BRANCH", ironic.Spec.Images.AgentBranch)
-
 	volumes, mounts := buildIronicVolumesAndMounts(ironic, db)
 	sharedVolumeMount := mounts[0]
-	initContainers := []corev1.Container{
-		{
-			Name:         "ipa-downloader",
-			Image:        ironic.Spec.Images.RamdiskDownloader,
-			Env:          ipaDownloaderVars,
-			VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{sharedVolumeMount},
-			SecurityContext: &corev1.SecurityContext{
-				RunAsUser:  ptr.To(ironicUser),
-				RunAsGroup: ptr.To(ironicGroup),
-				Capabilities: &corev1.Capabilities{
-					Drop: []corev1.Capability{"ALL"},
-				},
-			},
-		},
+
+	var initContainers []corev1.Container
+	if !ironic.Spec.Images.DisableRamdiskDownloader {
+		initContainers = newInitContainers(ironic, sharedVolumeMount)
 	}
 
 	ironicPorts, httpdPorts := buildIronicHttpdPorts(ironic)
-
 	ironicHandler := newURLProbeHandler(ironic, ironic.Spec.TLSRef.Name != "", int(ironic.Spec.Networking.APIPort), "/v1")
 	httpdHandler := newURLProbeHandler(ironic, false, int(ironic.Spec.Networking.ImageServerPort), "/images")
 
@@ -519,3 +502,25 @@ func newIronicPodTemplate(ironic *metal3api.Ironic, db *metal3api.IronicDatabase
 		},
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func newInitContainers(ironic *metal3api.Ironic, sharedVolumeMount corev1.VolumeMount) []corev1.Container {
+	var ipaDownloaderVars []corev1.EnvVar
+	ipaDownloaderVars = appendStringEnv(ipaDownloaderVars, "IPA_BASEURI", ironic.Spec.Images.AgentDownloadURL)
+	ipaDownloaderVars = appendStringEnv(ipaDownloaderVars, "IPA_BRANCH", ironic.Spec.Images.AgentBranch)
+
+	return []corev1.Container{
+		{
+			Name:         "ipa-downloader",
+			Image:        ironic.Spec.Images.RamdiskDownloader,
+			Env:          ipaDownloaderVars,
+			VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{sharedVolumeMount},
+			SecurityContext: &corev1.SecurityContext{
+				RunAsUser:  ptr.To(ironicUser),
+				RunAsGroup: ptr.To(ironicGroup),
+				Capabilities: &corev1.Capabilities{
+					Drop: []corev1.Capability{"ALL"},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}