diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_vty.c b/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
index 76c315de7f..19cfb2d91d 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
@@ -2692,6 +2692,19 @@ static int peer_remote_as_vty(struct vty *vty, const char *peer_str,
 	return bgp_vty_return(vty, ret);
 }
 
+DEFUN (bgp_default_shutdown,
+       bgp_default_shutdown_cmd,
+       "[no] bgp default shutdown",
+       NO_STR
+       BGP_STR
+       "Configure BGP defaults\n"
+       "Do not automatically activate peers upon configuration\n")
+{
+	VTY_DECLVAR_CONTEXT(bgp, bgp);
+	bgp->autoshutdown = !strmatch(argv[0]->text, "no");
+	return CMD_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 DEFUN (neighbor_remote_as,
        neighbor_remote_as_cmd,
        "neighbor <A.B.C.D|X:X::X:X|WORD> remote-as <(1-4294967295)|internal|external>",
@@ -3238,7 +3251,6 @@ DEFUN (no_neighbor_password,
 	return bgp_vty_return(vty, ret);
 }
 
-
 DEFUN (neighbor_activate,
        neighbor_activate_cmd,
        "neighbor <A.B.C.D|X:X::X:X|WORD> activate",
@@ -11555,6 +11567,9 @@ void bgp_vty_init(void)
 	install_element(BGP_NODE, &bgp_listen_range_cmd);
 	install_element(BGP_NODE, &no_bgp_listen_range_cmd);
 
+	/* "neighbors auto-shutdown" command */
+	install_element(BGP_NODE, &bgp_default_shutdown_cmd);
+
 	/* "neighbor remote-as" commands. */
 	install_element(BGP_NODE, &neighbor_remote_as_cmd);
 	install_element(BGP_NODE, &neighbor_interface_config_cmd);
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.c b/bgpd/bgpd.c
index d4dbd32c82..7db73043cc 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.c
@@ -1495,8 +1495,11 @@ struct peer *peer_create(union sockunion *su, const char *conf_if,
 		peer_af_create(peer, afi, safi);
 	}
 
+	/* auto shutdown if configured */
+	if (bgp->autoshutdown)
+		peer_flag_set(peer, PEER_FLAG_SHUTDOWN);
 	/* Set up peer's events and timers. */
-	if (!active && peer_active(peer))
+	else if (!active && peer_active(peer))
 		bgp_timer_set(peer);
 
 	return peer;
@@ -7146,6 +7149,10 @@ int bgp_config_write(struct vty *vty)
 			vty_out(vty, " bgp default subgroup-pkt-queue-max %u\n",
 				bgp->default_subgroup_pkt_queue_max);
 
+		/* BGP default autoshutdown neighbors */
+		if (bgp->autoshutdown)
+			vty_out(vty, " bgp default auto-shutdown\n");
+
 		/* BGP client-to-client reflection. */
 		if (bgp_flag_check(bgp, BGP_FLAG_NO_CLIENT_TO_CLIENT))
 			vty_out(vty, " no bgp client-to-client reflection\n");
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.h b/bgpd/bgpd.h
index 8e843eb659..bf71e79743 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.h
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.h
@@ -390,6 +390,9 @@ struct bgp {
 	/* Actual coalesce time */
 	uint32_t coalesce_time;
 
+	/* Auto-shutdown new peers */
+	bool autoshutdown;
+
 	u_int32_t addpath_tx_id;
 	int addpath_tx_used[AFI_MAX][SAFI_MAX];