diff --git a/tools/lib/traceevent/event-parse.h b/tools/lib/traceevent/event-parse.h
index feab94281634..a68ec3d8289f 100644
--- a/tools/lib/traceevent/event-parse.h
+++ b/tools/lib/traceevent/event-parse.h
@@ -354,6 +354,8 @@ enum pevent_func_arg_type {
 
 enum pevent_flag {
 	PEVENT_NSEC_OUTPUT		= 1,	/* output in NSECS */
+	PEVENT_DISABLE_SYS_PLUGINS	= 1 << 1,
+	PEVENT_DISABLE_PLUGINS		= 1 << 2,
 };
 
 #define PEVENT_ERRORS 							      \
diff --git a/tools/lib/traceevent/event-plugin.c b/tools/lib/traceevent/event-plugin.c
index 0c8bf6780e4d..317466bd1a37 100644
--- a/tools/lib/traceevent/event-plugin.c
+++ b/tools/lib/traceevent/event-plugin.c
@@ -148,12 +148,17 @@ load_plugins(struct pevent *pevent, const char *suffix,
 	char *path;
 	char *envdir;
 
+	if (pevent->flags & PEVENT_DISABLE_PLUGINS)
+		return;
+
 	/*
 	 * If a system plugin directory was defined,
 	 * check that first.
 	 */
 #ifdef PLUGIN_DIR
-	load_plugins_dir(pevent, suffix, PLUGIN_DIR, load_plugin, data);
+	if (!(pevent->flags & PEVENT_DISABLE_SYS_PLUGINS))
+		load_plugins_dir(pevent, suffix, PLUGIN_DIR,
+				 load_plugin, data);
 #endif
 
 	/*