diff --git a/Readme_release.txt b/Readme_release.txt
index c0d11e0a..a136aeba 100644
--- a/Readme_release.txt
+++ b/Readme_release.txt
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ The steam appid can also be set using the SteamAppId or SteamGameId env variable
 Offline mode:
 Some games that connect to online servers might only work if the steam emu behaves like steam is in offline mode. If you need this create a offline.txt file in the steam_settings folder.
 
+Disable networking:
+If for some reason you want to disable all the networking functionality of the emu you can create a disable_networking.txt file in the steam_settings folder. This will of course break all the
+networking functionality so games that use networking related functionality like lobbies or those that launch a server in the background will not work.
+
 Custom Broadcast ips:
 If you want to set custom ips (or domains) which the emulator will send broadcast packets to, make a list of them, one on each line in: Goldberg SteamEmu Saves\settings\custom_broadcasts.txt
 If the custom ips/domains are specific for one game only you can put the custom_broadcasts.txt in the steam_settings\ folder.
diff --git a/dll/network.cpp b/dll/network.cpp
index 7b2628ab..e726a5c6 100644
--- a/dll/network.cpp
+++ b/dll/network.cpp
@@ -706,18 +706,26 @@ bool Networking::handle_low_level_udp(Common_Message *msg, IP_PORT ip_port)
 
 #define NUM_TCP_WAITING 128
 
-Networking::Networking(CSteamID id, uint32 appid, uint16 port, std::set<uint32_t> *custom_broadcasts)
+Networking::Networking(CSteamID id, uint32 appid, uint16 port, std::set<uint32_t> *custom_broadcasts, bool disable_sockets)
 {
-    run_at_startup();
     tcp_port = udp_port = port;
     own_ip = 0x7F000001;
     alive = true;
     last_run = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
     this->appid = appid;
+
+    if (disable_sockets) {
+        enabled = false;
+        udp_socket = -1;
+        tcp_socket = -1;
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (custom_broadcasts) {
         std::transform(custom_broadcasts->begin(), custom_broadcasts->end(), std::back_inserter(this->custom_broadcasts), [](uint32 ip) {return htonl(ip);});
     }
 
+    run_at_startup();
     sock_t sock = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM, IPPROTO_UDP);
     PRINT_DEBUG("UDP socket: %u\n", sock);
     if (is_socket_valid(sock) && set_socket_nonblocking(sock)) {
@@ -1054,6 +1062,7 @@ void Networking::Run()
 
 void Networking::addListenId(CSteamID id)
 {
+    if (!enabled) return;
     auto i = std::find(ids.begin(), ids.end(), id);
     if (i != ids.end()) {
         return;
@@ -1087,6 +1096,8 @@ bool Networking::sendToIPPort(Common_Message *msg, uint32 ip, uint16 port, bool
 
 bool Networking::sendTo(Common_Message *msg, bool reliable, Connection *conn)
 {
+    if (!enabled) return false;
+
     bool ret = false;
     CSteamID dest_id((uint64)msg->dest_id());
     if (std::find(ids.begin(), ids.end(), dest_id) != ids.end()) {
diff --git a/dll/network.h b/dll/network.h
index bc0ce910..1a8c064b 100644
--- a/dll/network.h
+++ b/dll/network.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public:
     //NOTE: for all functions ips/ports are passed/returned in host byte order
     //ex: 127.0.0.1 should be passed as 0x7F000001
     static std::set<uint32> resolve_ip(std::string dns);
-    Networking(CSteamID id, uint32 appid, uint16 port, std::set<uint32_t> *custom_broadcasts);
+    Networking(CSteamID id, uint32 appid, uint16 port, std::set<uint32_t> *custom_broadcasts, bool disable_sockets);
     void addListenId(CSteamID id);
     void setAppID(uint32 appid);
     void Run();
diff --git a/dll/settings.h b/dll/settings.h
index a5efb5b7..cfb06b09 100644
--- a/dll/settings.h
+++ b/dll/settings.h
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ public:
 
     //controller
     struct Controller_Settings controller_settings;
+
+    //networking
+    bool disable_networking = false;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/dll/settings_parser.cpp b/dll/settings_parser.cpp
index 42849d36..ca12e854 100644
--- a/dll/settings_parser.cpp
+++ b/dll/settings_parser.cpp
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ uint32 create_localstorage_settings(Settings **settings_client_out, Settings **s
     }
 
     bool steam_offline_mode = false;
+    bool disable_networking = false;
     {
         std::string steam_settings_path = Local_Storage::get_game_settings_path();
 
@@ -255,6 +256,8 @@ uint32 create_localstorage_settings(Settings **settings_client_out, Settings **s
             PRINT_DEBUG("steam settings path %s\n", p.c_str());
             if (p == "offline.txt") {
                 steam_offline_mode = true;
+            } else if (p == "disable_networking.txt") {
+                disable_networking = true;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -265,6 +268,8 @@ uint32 create_localstorage_settings(Settings **settings_client_out, Settings **s
     settings_server->set_port(port);
     settings_client->custom_broadcasts = custom_broadcasts;
     settings_server->custom_broadcasts = custom_broadcasts;
+    settings_client->disable_networking = disable_networking;
+    settings_server->disable_networking = disable_networking;
 
     {
         std::string dlc_config_path = Local_Storage::get_game_settings_path() + "DLC.txt";
diff --git a/dll/steam_client.cpp b/dll/steam_client.cpp
index d81f90c0..f7b5fe77 100644
--- a/dll/steam_client.cpp
+++ b/dll/steam_client.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Steam_Client::Steam_Client()
     uint32 appid = create_localstorage_settings(&settings_client, &settings_server, &local_storage);
     std::string items_db_file_path = (Local_Storage::get_game_settings_path() + "items.json");
 
-    network = new Networking(settings_server->get_local_steam_id(), appid, settings_server->get_port(), &(settings_server->custom_broadcasts));
+    network = new Networking(settings_server->get_local_steam_id(), appid, settings_server->get_port(), &(settings_server->custom_broadcasts), settings_server->disable_networking);
 
     callback_results_client = new SteamCallResults();
     callback_results_server = new SteamCallResults();