diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/peer_connection.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/peer_connection.rs
index 55977de..04a1be4 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/peer_connection.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/peer_connection.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ use crate::{read_buf::ReadBuf, spawn_utils::BlockingSpawner, stream_connect::Str
 
 pub trait PeerConnectionHandler {
     fn on_connected(&self, _connection_time: Duration) {}
-    fn get_have_bytes(&self) -> u64;
+    fn should_send_bitfield(&self) -> bool;
     fn serialize_bitfield_message_to_buf(&self, buf: &mut Vec<u8>) -> anyhow::Result<usize>;
     fn on_handshake<B>(&self, handshake: Handshake<B>) -> anyhow::Result<()>;
     fn on_extended_handshake(
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ impl<H: PeerConnectionHandler> PeerConnection<H> {
                 .keep_alive_interval
                 .unwrap_or_else(|| Duration::from_secs(120));
 
-            if self.handler.get_have_bytes() > 0 {
+            if self.handler.should_send_bitfield() {
                 let len = self
                     .handler
                     .serialize_bitfield_message_to_buf(&mut write_buf)?;
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/peer_info_reader/mod.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/peer_info_reader/mod.rs
index 6485cd0..a22ab43 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/peer_info_reader/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/peer_info_reader/mod.rs
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ struct Handler {
 }
 
 impl PeerConnectionHandler for Handler {
-    fn get_have_bytes(&self) -> u64 {
-        0
+    fn should_send_bitfield(&self) -> bool {
+        false
     }
 
     fn serialize_bitfield_message_to_buf(&self, _buf: &mut Vec<u8>) -> anyhow::Result<usize> {
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs
index 9c956bb..d4f0a1a 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ pub struct Session {
 
     pub(crate) stats: SessionStats,
 
+    disable_upload: bool,
+
     // This is stored for all tasks to stop when session is dropped.
     _cancellation_token_drop_guard: DropGuard,
 }
@@ -410,6 +412,8 @@ pub struct SessionOptions {
 
     // the root span to use. If not set will be None.
     pub root_span: Option<Span>,
+
+    pub disable_upload: bool,
 }
 
 async fn create_tcp_listener(
@@ -485,6 +489,10 @@ impl Session {
             let peer_id = opts.peer_id.unwrap_or_else(generate_peer_id);
             let token = opts.cancellation_token.take().unwrap_or_default();
 
+            if opts.disable_upload {
+                warn!("uploading disabled");
+            }
+
             let (tcp_listener, tcp_listen_port) =
                 if let Some(port_range) = opts.listen_port_range.clone() {
                     let (l, p) = create_tcp_listener(port_range)
@@ -618,6 +626,7 @@ impl Session {
                 concurrent_initialize_semaphore: Arc::new(tokio::sync::Semaphore::new(
                     opts.concurrent_init_limit.unwrap_or(3),
                 )),
+                disable_upload: opts.disable_upload,
             });
 
             if let Some(mut disk_write_rx) = disk_write_rx {
@@ -1141,6 +1150,7 @@ impl Session {
                     allow_overwrite: opts.overwrite,
                     output_folder,
                     disk_write_queue: self.disk_write_tx.clone(),
+                    disable_upload: self.disable_upload,
                 },
                 connector: self.connector.clone(),
                 session: Arc::downgrade(self),
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
index ec04115..d5a551a 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
@@ -173,14 +173,6 @@ impl TorrentStateLocked {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Default)]
-pub struct TorrentStateOptions {
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    pub peer_connect_timeout: Option<Duration>,
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    pub peer_read_write_timeout: Option<Duration>,
-}
-
 const FLUSH_BITV_EVERY_BYTES: u64 = 16 * 1024 * 1024;
 
 pub struct TorrentStateLive {
@@ -929,11 +921,18 @@ impl<'a> PeerConnectionHandler for &'a PeerHandler {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn get_have_bytes(&self) -> u64 {
-        self.state.get_approx_have_bytes()
+    fn should_send_bitfield(&self) -> bool {
+        if self.state.torrent().options.disable_upload {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        self.state.get_approx_have_bytes() > 0
     }
 
     fn should_transmit_have(&self, id: ValidPieceIndex) -> bool {
+        if self.state.torrent.options.disable_upload {
+            return false;
+        }
         let have = self
             .state
             .peers
@@ -1164,6 +1163,10 @@ impl PeerHandler {
     }
 
     fn on_download_request(&self, request: Request) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        if self.state.torrent().options.disable_upload {
+            anyhow::bail!("upload disabled, but peer requested a piece")
+        }
+
         let piece_index = match self.state.lengths.validate_piece_index(request.index) {
             Some(p) => p,
             None => {
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs
index 33a137c..d5a08e8 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ pub(crate) struct ManagedTorrentOptions {
     pub allow_overwrite: bool,
     pub output_folder: PathBuf,
     pub disk_write_queue: Option<DiskWorkQueueSender>,
+    pub disable_upload: bool,
 }
 
 /// Common information about torrent shared among all possible states.
diff --git a/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs b/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
index ea89913..c24754e 100644
--- a/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ struct Opts {
     #[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
     #[arg(long, env = "RQBIT_UMASK", value_parser=parse_umask)]
     umask: Option<libc::mode_t>,
+
+    #[arg(long, env = "RQBIT_DISABLE_UPLOAD")]
+    disable_upload: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
@@ -454,6 +457,7 @@ async fn async_main(opts: Opts, cancel: CancellationToken) -> anyhow::Result<()>
         root_span: None,
         fastresume: false,
         cancellation_token: Some(cancel.clone()),
+        disable_upload: opts.disable_upload,
     };
 
     let stats_printer = |session: Arc<Session>| async move {