diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index f8fcb05..703dac8 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 #dist_validators_val_path: '/docker/node-01/data/validators'
 #dist_validators_user_pass: ~
 
+# Disable to not allow removal of validators.
+dist_validators_purge_enabled: true
+
 dist_validators_user: 'nimbus'
 
 # Script log level
diff --git a/tasks/posix/copy.yml b/tasks/posix/copy.yml
index e8debaa..b6ed582 100644
--- a/tasks/posix/copy.yml
+++ b/tasks/posix/copy.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
       --start={{ dist_validators_start | mandatory }}
       --end={{ dist_validators_end | mandatory }}
       --log-level={{ dist_validators_log_level }}
+      {% if dist_validators_purge_enabled %}--purge{% endif %}
       --print-count
 
 - name: Extract number of deployed validators
diff --git a/tasks/win32nt/copy.yml b/tasks/win32nt/copy.yml
index 7afcb74..b7e1b03 100644
--- a/tasks/win32nt/copy.yml
+++ b/tasks/win32nt/copy.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
       --start={{ dist_validators_start | mandatory }} \
       --end={{ dist_validators_end | mandatory }} \
       --log-level={{ dist_validators_log_level }} \
+      {% if dist_validators_purge_enabled %}--purge \{% endif %}
       --print-count
 
 - name: Extract number of deployed validators