diff --git a/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_softdep.c b/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_softdep.c
index 23c0cf6..034609d 100644
--- a/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_softdep.c
+++ b/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_softdep.c
@@ -2660,6 +2660,10 @@ softdep_uninitialize()
 	callout_drain(&softdep_callout);
 }
 
+static int enable_suj = 0;
+SYSCTL_INT(_debug_softdep, OID_AUTO, enable_suj, CTLFLAG_RW,
+    &enable_suj, 0, "Enable the activation of journaled soft updates");
+
 /*
  * Called at mount time to notify the dependency code that a
  * filesystem wishes to use it.
@@ -2725,7 +2729,7 @@ softdep_mount(devvp, mp, fs, cred)
 	}
 	MNT_IUNLOCK(mp);
 
-	if ((fs->fs_flags & FS_SUJ) &&
+	if (enable_suj && (fs->fs_flags & FS_SUJ) &&
 	    (error = journal_mount(mp, fs, cred)) != 0) {
 		printf("Failed to start journal: %d\n", error);
 		softdep_unmount(mp);