diff --git a/include/event2/listener.h b/include/event2/listener.h
index 0cb8583c..9a72e99e 100644
--- a/include/event2/listener.h
+++ b/include/event2/listener.h
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ typedef void (*evconnlistener_errorcb)(struct evconnlistener *, void *);
 /** Flag: Indicates that the listener should be locked so it's safe to use
  * from multiple threadcs at once. */
 #define LEV_OPT_THREADSAFE		(1u<<4)
+/** Flag: Indicates that the listener should be created in disabled
+ * state. Use evconnlistener_enable() to enable it later. */
+#define LEV_OPT_DISABLED		(1u<<5)
 
 /**
    Allocate a new evconnlistener object to listen for incoming TCP connections
diff --git a/listener.c b/listener.c
index 7f803382..703a6aae 100644
--- a/listener.c
+++ b/listener.c
@@ -193,7 +193,8 @@ evconnlistener_new(struct event_base *base,
 	event_assign(&lev->listener, base, fd, EV_READ|EV_PERSIST,
 	    listener_read_cb, lev);
 
-	evconnlistener_enable(&lev->base);
+    if (!(flags & LEV_OPT_DISABLED))
+        evconnlistener_enable(&lev->base);
 
 	return &lev->base;
 }