diff --git a/includes/admin.form.inc b/includes/admin.form.inc
index 69f09fd2..42612ea0 100644
--- a/includes/admin.form.inc
+++ b/includes/admin.form.inc
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ function islandora_repository_admin(array $form, array &$form_state) {
           '#description' => t('HTTP caching can reduce network traffic, by allowing clients to used cached copies.'),
           '#default_value' => variable_get('islandora_use_datastream_cache_headers', TRUE),
         ),
+        'islandora_defer_derivatives_on_ingest' => array(
+          '#type' => 'checkbox',
+          '#title' => t('Defer derivative generation during ingest'),
+          '#description' => t('Prevent derivatives from running during ingest,
+            useful if derivatives are to be created by an external service.'),
+          '#default_value' => variable_get('islandora_defer_derivatives_on_ingest', FALSE),
+        ),
       ),
       'islandora_namespace' => array(
         '#type' => 'fieldset',
diff --git a/includes/derivatives.inc b/includes/derivatives.inc
index 72d61235..7248f03f 100644
--- a/includes/derivatives.inc
+++ b/includes/derivatives.inc
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
  * Defines functions used when constructing derivatives.
  */
 
+// Relations.
+define('ISLANDORA_DEFER_DERIVATIVES_FLAG', 'deferDerivatives');
+
 /**
  * Decides which derivative function to call and runs it.
  *
@@ -245,3 +248,39 @@ function islandora_filter_derivatives($hooks, $options, AbstractObject $object)
   $hooks = array_filter($hooks, $filter_function);
   return $hooks;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Set the defer derivatives flag on an object.
+ */
+function islandora_set_defer_derivatives_flag(AbstractObject $object) {
+  $object->relationships->add(
+    ISLANDORA_RELS_EXT_URI,
+    ISLANDORA_DEFER_DERIVATIVES_FLAG,
+    'true',
+    RELS_TYPE_PLAIN_LITERAL
+  );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get the defer derivatives flag on an object.
+ */
+function islandora_get_defer_derivatives_flag(AbstractObject $object) {
+  return $object->relationships->get(
+    ISLANDORA_RELS_EXT_URI,
+    ISLANDORA_DEFER_DERIVATIVES_FLAG,
+    'true',
+    RELS_TYPE_PLAIN_LITERAL
+  );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Remove the defer derivatives flag on an object.
+ */
+function islandora_remove_defer_derivatives_flag(AbstractObject $object) {
+  $object->relationships->remove(
+    ISLANDORA_RELS_EXT_URI,
+    ISLANDORA_DEFER_DERIVATIVES_FLAG,
+    'true',
+    RELS_TYPE_PLAIN_LITERAL
+  );
+}
diff --git a/includes/regenerate_derivatives.form.inc b/includes/regenerate_derivatives.form.inc
index 9a7a097e..1312bec3 100644
--- a/includes/regenerate_derivatives.form.inc
+++ b/includes/regenerate_derivatives.form.inc
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ function islandora_regenerate_object_derivatives_form_submit(array $form, array
  */
 function islandora_regenerate_object_derivatives_batch(AbstractObject $object) {
   module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/derivatives');
+  islandora_remove_defer_derivatives_flag($object);
   return array(
     'title' => t('Regenerating all derivatives for @label', array('@label' => $object->label)),
     'operations' => islandora_do_batch_derivatives($object, array('force' => TRUE)),
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ function islandora_regenerate_object_derivatives_batch(AbstractObject $object) {
  */
 function islandora_regenerate_datastream_derivative_batch(AbstractDatastream $datastream) {
   module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/derivatives');
+  islandora_remove_defer_derivatives_flag($datastream->parent);
   return array(
     'title' => t('Regenerating derivatives for the @dsid datastream', array('@dsid' => $datastream->id)),
     'operations' => islandora_do_batch_derivatives($datastream->parent, array(
diff --git a/islandora.install b/islandora.install
index f37894e9..12c92009 100644
--- a/islandora.install
+++ b/islandora.install
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ function islandora_uninstall() {
   // Add new variables to clean up.
   $variables = array(
     'islandora_ds_replace_exclude_enforced',
+    'islandora_defer_derivatives_on_ingest',
   );
   array_walk($variables, 'variable_del');
 }
diff --git a/islandora.module b/islandora.module
index c930ba5f..697d43e0 100644
--- a/islandora.module
+++ b/islandora.module
@@ -1720,6 +1720,10 @@ function islandora_islandora_basic_collection_get_query_filters() {
  */
 function islandora_islandora_object_ingested(AbstractObject $object) {
   module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/derivatives');
+  // Defer derivatives if necessary.
+  if (islandora_get_defer_derivatives_flag($object)) {
+    return;
+  }
   islandora_run_derivatives($object, NULL);
 }
 
@@ -1731,6 +1735,10 @@ function islandora_islandora_object_ingested(AbstractObject $object) {
  */
 function islandora_islandora_datastream_ingested(AbstractObject $object, AbstractDatastream $datastream) {
   module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/derivatives');
+  // Defer derivatives if necessary.
+  if (islandora_get_defer_derivatives_flag($object)) {
+    return;
+  }
   islandora_run_derivatives($object, $datastream->id);
 }
 
@@ -1952,3 +1960,14 @@ function islandora_menu_local_tasks_alter(&$data, $router_item, $root_path) {
     }
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Implements hook_islandora_object_alter().
+ */
+function islandora_islandora_object_alter(AbstractObject $object, array &$context) {
+  // Prevent derivative creation during ingest if var is set.
+  if ($context['action'] == 'ingest' && variable_get('islandora_defer_derivatives_on_ingest', FALSE)) {
+    module_load_include('inc', 'islandora', 'includes/derivatives');
+    islandora_set_defer_derivatives_flag($object);
+  }
+}