diff --git a/conf_schema.h b/conf_schema.h
index 2bce0dc8..edd981bc 100644
--- a/conf_schema.h
+++ b/conf_schema.h
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ ATOM(char, manifests,		        0, cf_opt_char_boolean,, "")
 ATOM(char, vomp,		        0, cf_opt_char_boolean,, "")
 ATOM(char, trace,		        0, cf_opt_char_boolean,, "")
 ATOM(char, profiling,		        0, cf_opt_char_boolean,, "")
+ATOM(char, externalblobs,		0, cf_opt_char_boolean,, "")
 END_STRUCT
 
 STRUCT(log)
diff --git a/rhizome_database.c b/rhizome_database.c
index 2e7463fa..9e888716 100644
--- a/rhizome_database.c
+++ b/rhizome_database.c
@@ -721,7 +721,8 @@ rhizome_blob_handle *rhizome_database_open_blob_byrowid(int row_id,int writeP)
   struct rhizome_blob_handle *blob=calloc(sizeof(struct rhizome_blob_handle),1);
   if (!blob) RETURN(NULL);
 
-  DEBUGF("Opening blob for rowid #%d",row_id);
+  if (config.debug.externalblobs)
+    DEBUGF("Opening blob for rowid #%d",row_id);
 
   // Try opening as internal blob.
   // If column is not a blob, then this will fail.
@@ -1286,8 +1287,9 @@ int64_t rhizome_database_create_blob_for(const char *filehashhex_or_tempid,
   IN();
   sqlite_retry_state retry = SQLITE_RETRY_STATE_DEFAULT;
   
-  DEBUGF("Creating blob for (filehash or temp id)='%s', length=%d, priority=%d",
-	 filehashhex_or_tempid,fileLength,priority);
+  if (config.debug.externalblobs)
+    DEBUGF("Creating blob for (filehash or temp id)='%s', length=%d, priority=%d",
+	   filehashhex_or_tempid,fileLength,priority);
 
   if (sqlite_exec_void_retry(&retry, "BEGIN TRANSACTION;") != SQLITE_OK)
     RETURN(WHY("Failed to begin transaction"));
@@ -1353,7 +1355,8 @@ int64_t rhizome_database_create_blob_for(const char *filehashhex_or_tempid,
     sqlite_exec_void_retry(&retry, "ROLLBACK;");
     RETURN(WHYF("Failed to commit transaction"));
   }
-  DEBUGF("Got rowid %lld for %s", rowid, filehashhex_or_tempid);
+  if (config.debug.externalblobs)
+    DEBUGF("Got rowid %lld for %s", rowid, filehashhex_or_tempid);
   RETURN(rowid);
   OUT();
 }