diff --git a/src/osd.cpp b/src/osd.cpp
index 0fc0cb55..5e27b2f4 100644
--- a/src/osd.cpp
+++ b/src/osd.cpp
@@ -44,9 +44,10 @@ osd_t::osd_t(const json11::Json & config, ring_loop_t *ringloop)
     // FIXME: Use timerfd_interval based directly on io_uring
     this->tfd = epmgr->tfd;
 
-    auto bs_cfg = json_to_bs(this->config);
-    this->bs = new blockstore_t(bs_cfg, ringloop, tfd);
+    if (!json_is_true(this->config["disable_blockstore"]))
     {
+        auto bs_cfg = json_to_bs(this->config);
+        this->bs = new blockstore_t(bs_cfg, ringloop, tfd);
         // Autosync based on the number of unstable writes to prevent stalls due to insufficient journal space
         uint64_t max_autosync = bs->get_journal_size() / bs->get_block_size() / 2;
         if (autosync_writes > max_autosync)
@@ -93,7 +94,8 @@ osd_t::~osd_t()
 {
     ringloop->unregister_consumer(&consumer);
     delete epmgr;
-    delete bs;
+    if (bs)
+        delete bs;
     close(listen_fd);
     free(zero_buffer);
 }
@@ -475,7 +477,7 @@ void osd_t::print_slow()
             }
         }
     }
-    if (has_slow)
+    if (has_slow && bs)
     {
         bs->dump_diagnostics();
     }
diff --git a/src/osd.h b/src/osd.h
index bb765754..b8830153 100644
--- a/src/osd.h
+++ b/src/osd.h
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ class osd_t
 
     bool stopping = false;
     int inflight_ops = 0;
-    blockstore_t *bs;
+    blockstore_t *bs = NULL;
     void *zero_buffer = NULL;
     uint64_t zero_buffer_size = 0;
     uint32_t bs_block_size, bs_bitmap_granularity, clean_entry_bitmap_size;
diff --git a/src/osd_cluster.cpp b/src/osd_cluster.cpp
index fcb12324..603c7dcf 100644
--- a/src/osd_cluster.cpp
+++ b/src/osd_cluster.cpp
@@ -182,10 +182,10 @@ json11::Json osd_t::get_statistics()
     char time_str[50] = { 0 };
     sprintf(time_str, "%ld.%03ld", ts.tv_sec, ts.tv_nsec/1000000);
     st["time"] = time_str;
-    st["blockstore_ready"] = bs->is_started();
-    st["data_block_size"] = (uint64_t)bs->get_block_size();
     if (bs)
     {
+        st["blockstore_ready"] = bs->is_started();
+        st["data_block_size"] = (uint64_t)bs->get_block_size();
         st["size"] = bs->get_block_count() * bs->get_block_size();
         st["free"] = bs->get_free_block_count() * bs->get_block_size();
     }
@@ -233,7 +233,8 @@ void osd_t::report_statistics()
     json11::Json::object inode_space;
     json11::Json::object last_stat;
     pool_id_t last_pool = 0;
-    auto & bs_inode_space = bs->get_inode_space_stats();
+    std::map<uint64_t, uint64_t> bs_empty_space;
+    auto & bs_inode_space = bs ? bs->get_inode_space_stats() : bs_empty_space;
     for (auto kv: bs_inode_space)
     {
         pool_id_t pool_id = INODE_POOL(kv.first);