diff --git a/WHATS_NEW b/WHATS_NEW
index c10474987..90d5b2045 100644
--- a/WHATS_NEW
+++ b/WHATS_NEW
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Version 2.02.86 -  
 =================================
+  Disable udev fallback by default and add activation/udev_fallback to lvm.conf.
   Call vg_mark_partial_lvs() before VG structure is returned from the cache.
   Remove unused internal flag ACTIVATE_EXCL from the code.
   Remove useless test of ACTIVATE_EXCL in lv_add_mirrors() clustered code path.
diff --git a/doc/example.conf.in b/doc/example.conf.in
index 3682b5e33..b75846318 100644
--- a/doc/example.conf.in
+++ b/doc/example.conf.in
@@ -428,6 +428,13 @@ activation {
     # while any logical volumes are active.
     udev_rules = 1
 
+    # Set to 1 to enable udev fallback. This will enable additional checks and
+    # possible repairs done on entries in the device directory after udev has
+    # completed processing the events. This is normally not needed if udev
+    # works correctly but it may be used in some problematic situations or
+    # for debugging purposes.
+    udev_fallback = 0
+
     # How to fill in missing stripes if activating an incomplete volume.
     # Using "error" will make inaccessible parts of the device return
     # I/O errors on access.  You can instead use a device path, in which 
diff --git a/lib/activate/dev_manager.c b/lib/activate/dev_manager.c
index 98f973ea7..209aff7b9 100644
--- a/lib/activate/dev_manager.c
+++ b/lib/activate/dev_manager.c
@@ -873,6 +873,13 @@ static uint16_t _get_udev_flags(struct dev_manager *dm, struct logical_volume *l
 {
 	uint16_t udev_flags = 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * Instruct also libdevmapper to disable udev
+	 * fallback in accordance to LVM2 settings.
+	 */
+	if (!dm->cmd->current_settings.udev_fallback)
+		udev_flags |= DM_UDEV_DISABLE_LIBRARY_FALLBACK;
+
 	/*
 	 * Is this top-level and visible device?
 	 * If not, create just the /dev/mapper content.
@@ -1584,6 +1591,10 @@ static int _create_lv_symlinks(struct dev_manager *dm, struct dm_tree_node *root
 	const char *name;
 	int r = 1;
 
+	/* Nothing to do if udev fallback is disabled. */
+	if (!dm->cmd->current_settings.udev_fallback)
+		return 1;
+
 	while ((child = dm_tree_next_child(&handle, root, 0))) {
 		if (!(lvlayer = dm_tree_node_get_context(child)))
 			continue;
@@ -1626,6 +1637,10 @@ static int _remove_lv_symlinks(struct dev_manager *dm, struct dm_tree_node *root
 	char *vgname, *lvname, *layer;
 	int r = 1;
 
+	/* Nothing to do if udev fallback is disabled. */
+	if (!dm->cmd->current_settings.udev_fallback)
+		return 1;
+
 	while ((child = dm_tree_next_child(&handle, root, 0))) {
 		if (!dm_split_lvm_name(dm->mem, dm_tree_node_get_name(child), &vgname, &lvname, &layer)) {
 			r = 0;
diff --git a/lib/commands/toolcontext.c b/lib/commands/toolcontext.c
index 918362cef..73a720928 100644
--- a/lib/commands/toolcontext.c
+++ b/lib/commands/toolcontext.c
@@ -285,6 +285,21 @@ static int _process_config(struct cmd_context *cmd)
 								"activation/udev_sync",
 								DEFAULT_UDEV_SYNC);
 
+	#ifdef UDEV_SYNC_SUPPORT
+	/*
+	 * We need udev rules to be applied, otherwise we would end up with no
+	 * nodes and symlinks! However, we can disable the synchronization itself
+	 * in runtime and still have only udev to create the nodes and symlinks
+	 * without any fallback.
+	 */
+	cmd->default_settings.udev_fallback = cmd->default_settings.udev_rules ?
+					find_config_tree_int(cmd, "activation/udev_fallback",
+							     DEFAULT_UDEV_FALLBACK) : 1;
+	#else
+	/* We must use old node/symlink creation code if not compiled with udev support at all! */
+	cmd->default_settings.udev_fallback = 1;
+	#endif
+
 	cmd->stripe_filler = find_config_tree_str(cmd,
 						  "activation/missing_stripe_filler",
 						  DEFAULT_STRIPE_FILLER);
diff --git a/lib/commands/toolcontext.h b/lib/commands/toolcontext.h
index 1c3368e69..fb28a0371 100644
--- a/lib/commands/toolcontext.h
+++ b/lib/commands/toolcontext.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ struct config_info {
 	int read_ahead;		/* DM_READ_AHEAD_NONE or _AUTO */
 	int udev_rules;
 	int udev_sync;
+	int udev_fallback;
 	int cache_vgmetadata;
 	const char *msg_prefix;
 	const char *fmt_name;
diff --git a/lib/config/defaults.h b/lib/config/defaults.h
index 452de3d9e..d9c0a1f1f 100644
--- a/lib/config/defaults.h
+++ b/lib/config/defaults.h
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
 #define DEFAULT_READ_AHEAD "auto"
 #define DEFAULT_UDEV_RULES 1
 #define DEFAULT_UDEV_SYNC 0
+#define DEFAULT_UDEV_FALLBACK 0
 #define DEFAULT_EXTENT_SIZE 4096	/* In KB */
 #define DEFAULT_MAX_PV 0
 #define DEFAULT_MAX_LV 0
diff --git a/tools/lvmcmdline.c b/tools/lvmcmdline.c
index 3e13a27d6..d6b12cb8c 100644
--- a/tools/lvmcmdline.c
+++ b/tools/lvmcmdline.c
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ static void _apply_settings(struct cmd_context *cmd)
 	cmd->handles_missing_pvs = 0;
 }
 
-static int _set_udev_checking(struct cmd_context *cmd)
+static int _set_udev_fallback(struct cmd_context *cmd)
 {
 #ifdef UDEV_SYNC_SUPPORT
 	const char *udev_dev_dir;
@@ -984,6 +984,9 @@ static int _set_udev_checking(struct cmd_context *cmd)
 			   cmd->dev_dir, udev_dev_dir);
 		dm_udev_set_checking(0);
 		init_udev_checking(0);
+
+		/* Device directories differ - we must use the fallback code! */
+		cmd->current_settings.udev_fallback = 1;
 	}
 
 #endif
@@ -1088,7 +1091,7 @@ int lvm_run_command(struct cmd_context *cmd, int argc, char **argv)
 	log_debug("O_DIRECT will be used");
 #endif
 
-	if (!_set_udev_checking(cmd))
+	if (!_set_udev_fallback(cmd))
 		goto_out;
 
 	if ((ret = _process_common_commands(cmd))) {