diff --git a/protocol/common/feature_flags.go b/protocol/common/feature_flags.go
index 7272e8cca..9e42e323c 100644
--- a/protocol/common/feature_flags.go
+++ b/protocol/common/feature_flags.go
@@ -11,4 +11,10 @@ type FeatureFlags struct {
 
 	// MailserverCycle indicates whether we should enable or not the mailserver cycle
 	MailserverCycle bool
+
+	// DisableCheckingForBackup disables backup loop
+	DisableCheckingForBackup bool
+
+	// DisableAutoMessageLoop disables auto message loop
+	DisableAutoMessageLoop bool
 }
diff --git a/protocol/messenger.go b/protocol/messenger.go
index 064022e7d..2735ae2f9 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger.go
@@ -796,10 +796,14 @@ func (m *Messenger) Start() (*MessengerResponse, error) {
 	m.watchPendingCommunityRequestToJoin()
 	m.broadcastLatestUserStatus()
 	m.timeoutAutomaticStatusUpdates()
-	m.startBackupLoop()
-	err = m.startAutoMessageLoop()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if !m.config.featureFlags.DisableCheckingForBackup {
+		m.startBackupLoop()
+	}
+	if !m.config.featureFlags.DisableAutoMessageLoop {
+		err = m.startAutoMessageLoop()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 	m.startSyncSettingsLoop()
 	m.startSettingsChangesLoop()
@@ -930,7 +934,7 @@ func (m *Messenger) handleConnectionChange(online bool) {
 	m.ensVerifier.SetOnline(online)
 }
 
-func (m *Messenger) online() bool {
+func (m *Messenger) Online() bool {
 	switch m.transport.WakuVersion() {
 	case 2:
 		return m.transport.PeerCount() > 0
@@ -1443,13 +1447,13 @@ func (m *Messenger) handleENSVerificationSubscription(c chan []*ens.Verification
 // watchConnectionChange checks the connection status and call handleConnectionChange when this changes
 func (m *Messenger) watchConnectionChange() {
 	m.logger.Debug("watching connection changes")
-	state := m.online()
+	state := m.Online()
 	m.handleConnectionChange(state)
 	go func() {
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-time.After(200 * time.Millisecond):
-				newState := m.online()
+				newState := m.Online()
 				if state != newState {
 					state = newState
 					m.logger.Debug("connection changed", zap.Bool("online", state))
@@ -1526,7 +1530,7 @@ func (m *Messenger) watchExpiredMessages() {
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-time.After(time.Second):
-				if m.online() {
+				if m.Online() {
 					err := m.resendExpiredMessages()
 					if err != nil {
 						m.logger.Debug("Error when resending expired emoji reactions", zap.Error(err))
@@ -1609,7 +1613,7 @@ func (m *Messenger) PublishIdentityImage() error {
 	}
 
 	// If not online, we schedule it
-	if !m.online() {
+	if !m.Online() {
 		m.shouldPublishContactCode = true
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_backup.go b/protocol/messenger_backup.go
index 936214cb5..81cf6b8a9 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_backup.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_backup.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func (m *Messenger) startBackupLoop() {
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-ticker.C:
-				if !m.online() {
+				if !m.Online() {
 					continue
 				}
 
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_communities.go b/protocol/messenger_communities.go
index e47271de8..fa8490889 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_communities.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_communities.go
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ func (m *Messenger) handleCommunitiesSubscription(c chan *communities.Subscripti
 
 			case <-ticker.C:
 				// If we are not online, we don't even try
-				if !m.online() {
+				if !m.Online() {
 					continue
 				}
 
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_config.go b/protocol/messenger_config.go
index 40f824376..e1e17eca9 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_config.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_config.go
@@ -275,6 +275,20 @@ func WithPushNotifications() func(c *config) error {
 	}
 }
 
+func WithCheckingForBackupDisabled() func(c *config) error {
+	return func(c *config) error {
+		c.featureFlags.DisableCheckingForBackup = true
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
+func WithAutoMessageDisabled() func(c *config) error {
+	return func(c *config) error {
+		c.featureFlags.DisableAutoMessageLoop = true
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 func WithEnvelopesMonitorConfig(emc *transport.EnvelopesMonitorConfig) Option {
 	return func(c *config) error {
 		c.envelopesMonitorConfig = emc
diff --git a/protocol/messenger_mailserver.go b/protocol/messenger_mailserver.go
index 89e3d3870..c34e2cc9d 100644
--- a/protocol/messenger_mailserver.go
+++ b/protocol/messenger_mailserver.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ var maxTopicsPerRequest int = 10
 var ErrNoFiltersForChat = errors.New("no filter registered for given chat")
 
 func (m *Messenger) shouldSync() (bool, error) {
-	if m.mailserverCycle.activeMailserver == nil || !m.online() {
+	if m.mailserverCycle.activeMailserver == nil || !m.Online() {
 		return false, nil
 	}