diff --git a/PVE/QemuServer.pm b/PVE/QemuServer.pm
index be5c2dbc..ed361a52 100644
--- a/PVE/QemuServer.pm
+++ b/PVE/QemuServer.pm
@@ -160,7 +160,13 @@ my $agent_fmt = {
 	description => "Run fstrim after moving a disk or migrating the VM.",
 	type => 'boolean',
 	optional => 1,
-	default => 0
+	default => 0,
+    },
+    'freeze-fs-on-backup' => {
+	description => "Freeze/thaw guest filesystems on backup for consistency.",
+	type => 'boolean',
+	optional => 1,
+	default => 1,
     },
     type => {
 	description => "Select the agent type",
diff --git a/PVE/VZDump/QemuServer.pm b/PVE/VZDump/QemuServer.pm
index 0eb5ec62..30baa464 100644
--- a/PVE/VZDump/QemuServer.pm
+++ b/PVE/VZDump/QemuServer.pm
@@ -862,6 +862,12 @@ sub qga_fs_freeze {
 	return;
     }
 
+    my $freeze = PVE::QemuServer::get_qga_key($self->{vmlist}->{$vmid}, 'freeze-fs-on-backup') // 1;
+    if (!$freeze) {
+	$self->loginfo("skipping guest-agent 'fs-freeze', disabled in VM options");
+	return;
+    }
+
     $self->loginfo("issuing guest-agent 'fs-freeze' command");
     eval { mon_cmd($vmid, "guest-fsfreeze-freeze") };
     $self->logerr($@) if $@;