diff --git a/examples/wakustealthcommitments/node_spec.nim b/examples/wakustealthcommitments/node_spec.nim
index 4416f565f..dabaa0f75 100644
--- a/examples/wakustealthcommitments/node_spec.nim
+++ b/examples/wakustealthcommitments/node_spec.nim
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ proc setup*(): Waku =
   # Override configuration
   conf.maxMessageSize = twnClusterConf.maxMessageSize
   conf.clusterId = twnClusterConf.clusterId
-  conf.rlnRelay = twnClusterConf.rlnRelay
   conf.rlnRelayEthContractAddress = twnClusterConf.rlnRelayEthContractAddress
   conf.rlnRelayDynamic = twnClusterConf.rlnRelayDynamic
   conf.rlnRelayBandwidthThreshold = twnClusterConf.rlnRelayBandwidthThreshold
@@ -44,6 +43,10 @@ proc setup*(): Waku =
   conf.rlnEpochSizeSec = twnClusterConf.rlnEpochSizeSec
   conf.rlnRelayUserMessageLimit = twnClusterConf.rlnRelayUserMessageLimit
 
+  # Only set rlnRelay to true if relay is configured
+  if conf.relay:
+    conf.rlnRelay = twnClusterConf.rlnRelay
+
   debug "Starting node"
   var waku = Waku.init(conf).valueOr:
     error "Waku initialization failed", error = error
diff --git a/waku/factory/external_config.nim b/waku/factory/external_config.nim
index 9435d4e27..4556eb56a 100644
--- a/waku/factory/external_config.nim
+++ b/waku/factory/external_config.nim
@@ -566,6 +566,12 @@ type WakuNodeConf* = object
       name: "discv5-bits-per-hop"
     .}: int
 
+    discv5Only* {.
+      desc: "Disable all protocols other than discv5",
+      defaultValue: false,
+      name: "discv5-only"
+    .}: bool
+
     ## waku peer exchange config
     peerExchange* {.
       desc: "Enable waku peer exchange protocol (responder side): true|false",
diff --git a/waku/factory/node_factory.nim b/waku/factory/node_factory.nim
index cee098609..f365e9b71 100644
--- a/waku/factory/node_factory.nim
+++ b/waku/factory/node_factory.nim
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ proc setupProtocols(
   ## Optionally include persistent message storage.
   ## No protocols are started yet.
 
+  if conf.discv5Only:
+    notice "Running node only with Discv5, not mounting additional protocols"
+    return ok()
+
   node.mountMetadata(conf.clusterId).isOkOr:
     return err("failed to mount waku metadata protocol: " & error)
 
diff --git a/waku/factory/waku.nim b/waku/factory/waku.nim
index c6c651cc1..c77ea5237 100644
--- a/waku/factory/waku.nim
+++ b/waku/factory/waku.nim
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@ proc init*(T: type Waku, conf: WakuNodeConf): Result[Waku, string] =
     # Override configuration
     confCopy.maxMessageSize = twnClusterConf.maxMessageSize
     confCopy.clusterId = twnClusterConf.clusterId
-    confCopy.rlnRelay = twnClusterConf.rlnRelay
     confCopy.rlnRelayEthContractAddress = twnClusterConf.rlnRelayEthContractAddress
     confCopy.rlnRelayChainId = twnClusterConf.rlnRelayChainId
     confCopy.rlnRelayDynamic = twnClusterConf.rlnRelayDynamic
@@ -115,6 +114,10 @@ proc init*(T: type Waku, conf: WakuNodeConf): Result[Waku, string] =
       confCopy.discv5BootstrapNodes & twnClusterConf.discv5BootstrapNodes
     confCopy.rlnEpochSizeSec = twnClusterConf.rlnEpochSizeSec
     confCopy.rlnRelayUserMessageLimit = twnClusterConf.rlnRelayUserMessageLimit
+
+    # Only set rlnRelay to true if relay is configured
+    if confCopy.relay:
+      confCopy.rlnRelay = twnClusterConf.rlnRelay
   else:
     discard
 
@@ -216,15 +219,16 @@ proc updateWaku(waku: ptr Waku): Result[void, string] =
   return ok()
 
 proc startWaku*(waku: ptr Waku): Future[Result[void, string]] {.async: (raises: []).} =
-  (await startNode(waku.node, waku.conf, waku.dynamicBootstrapNodes)).isOkOr:
-    return err("error while calling startNode: " & $error)
+  if not waku[].conf.discv5Only:
+    (await startNode(waku.node, waku.conf, waku.dynamicBootstrapNodes)).isOkOr:
+      return err("error while calling startNode: " & $error)
 
-  # Update waku data that is set dynamically on node start
-  updateWaku(waku).isOkOr:
-    return err("Error in updateApp: " & $error)
+    # Update waku data that is set dynamically on node start
+    updateWaku(waku).isOkOr:
+      return err("Error in updateApp: " & $error)
 
   ## Discv5
-  if waku[].conf.discv5Discovery:
+  if waku[].conf.discv5Discovery or waku[].conf.discv5Only:
     waku[].wakuDiscV5 = waku_discv5.setupDiscoveryV5(
       waku.node.enr, waku.node.peerManager, waku.node.topicSubscriptionQueue, waku.conf,
       waku.dynamicBootstrapNodes, waku.rng, waku.key,