diff --git a/kernel/async.c b/kernel/async.c
index 968ef94..8c553ce 100644
--- a/kernel/async.c
+++ b/kernel/async.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ static LIST_HEAD(async_running);
 static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(async_lock);
 
 static int async_enabled = 0;
+static int async_disabled;
 
 struct async_entry {
 	struct list_head list;
@@ -388,6 +389,11 @@ static int async_manager_thread(void *unused)
 
 static int __init async_init(void)
 {
+	if (async_disabled) {
+		async_enabled = 0;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	async_enabled =
 		!IS_ERR(kthread_run(async_manager_thread, NULL, "async/mgr"));
 
@@ -395,4 +401,12 @@ static int __init async_init(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int __init setup_async(char *str)
+{
+	async_disabled = 1;
+	return 1;
+}
+
+__setup("slowboot", setup_async);
+
 core_initcall(async_init);