diff --git a/azurelinuxagent/common/conf.py b/azurelinuxagent/common/conf.py
index 6554ab308..cb929e433 100644
--- a/azurelinuxagent/common/conf.py
+++ b/azurelinuxagent/common/conf.py
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ def load_conf_from_file(conf_file_path, conf=__conf__):
     "ResourceDisk.EnableSwapEncryption": False,
     "AutoUpdate.Enabled": True,
     "EnableOverProvisioning": True,
+    "GAUpdates.Enabled": True,
     #
     # "Debug" options are experimental and may be removed in later
     # versions of the Agent.
@@ -502,6 +503,14 @@ def get_monitor_network_configuration_changes(conf=__conf__):
     return conf.get_switch("Monitor.NetworkConfigurationChanges", False)
 
 
+def get_ga_updates_enabled(conf=__conf__):
+    """
+    If True, the agent go through update logic to look for new agents otherwise it will stop agent updates.
+    NOTE: This option is needed in e2e tests to control agent updates.
+    """
+    return conf.get_switch("GAUpdates.Enabled", True)
+
+
 def get_cgroup_check_period(conf=__conf__):
     """
     How often to perform checks on cgroups (are the processes in the cgroups as expected,
diff --git a/azurelinuxagent/ga/agent_update.py b/azurelinuxagent/ga/agent_update.py
index ba9861324..206a628ea 100644
--- a/azurelinuxagent/ga/agent_update.py
+++ b/azurelinuxagent/ga/agent_update.py
@@ -182,8 +182,8 @@ def __log_event(level, msg_, success_=True):
 
     def run(self, goal_state):
         try:
-            # Ignore new agents if update is disabled
-            if not self._autoupdate_enabled:
+            # Ignore new agents if update is disabled. The latter flag only used in e2e tests.
+            if not self._autoupdate_enabled or not conf.get_ga_updates_enabled():
                 return
 
             self._gs_id = goal_state.extensions_goal_state.id
diff --git a/tests/ga/test_agent_update.py b/tests/ga/test_agent_update.py
index 5386bdaf6..f484a1dae 100644
--- a/tests/ga/test_agent_update.py
+++ b/tests/ga/test_agent_update.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def test_it_should_not_agent_update_if_last_attempted_update_time_not_elapsed(se
         with self.__get_agent_update_handler(test_data=data_file, autoupdate_frequency=10) as (agent_update_handler, mock_telemetry):
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_extension_config_requested_version(version)
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_incarnation(2)
-            agent_update_handler._protocol.update_goal_state()
+            agent_update_handler._protocol.client.update_goal_state()
             agent_update_handler.run(agent_update_handler._protocol.get_goal_state())
 
             self.__assert_agent_requested_version_in_goal_state(mock_telemetry, inc=2, version=version)
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def test_it_should_not_agent_update_if_requested_version_is_same_as_current_vers
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_extension_config_requested_version(
                 str(CURRENT_VERSION))
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_incarnation(2)
-            agent_update_handler._protocol.update_goal_state()
+            agent_update_handler._protocol.client.update_goal_state()
             agent_update_handler.run(agent_update_handler._protocol.get_goal_state())
             self.assertEqual(0, len([kwarg['message'] for _, kwarg in mock_telemetry.call_args_list if
                                      "requesting a new agent version" in kwarg['message'] and kwarg[
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ def test_it_should_downgrade_agent_if_requested_version_is_available_less_than_c
         with self.__get_agent_update_handler(test_data=data_file) as (agent_update_handler, mock_telemetry):
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_extension_config_requested_version(downgraded_version)
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_incarnation(2)
-            agent_update_handler._protocol.update_goal_state()
+            agent_update_handler._protocol.client.update_goal_state()
             with self.assertRaises(AgentUpgradeExitException) as context:
                 agent_update_handler.run(agent_update_handler._protocol.get_goal_state())
             self.__assert_agent_requested_version_in_goal_state(mock_telemetry, inc=2, version=downgraded_version)
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ def test_handles_if_requested_version_not_found_in_pkgs_to_download(self):
         with self.__get_agent_update_handler(test_data=data_file) as (agent_update_handler, mock_telemetry):
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_extension_config_requested_version(version)
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_incarnation(2)
-            agent_update_handler._protocol.update_goal_state()
+            agent_update_handler._protocol.client.update_goal_state()
             agent_update_handler.run(agent_update_handler._protocol.get_goal_state())
 
             self.__assert_agent_requested_version_in_goal_state(mock_telemetry, inc=2, version=version)
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ def test_it_should_report_update_status_with_success(self):
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_extension_config_requested_version(
                 str(CURRENT_VERSION))
             agent_update_handler._protocol.mock_wire_data.set_incarnation(2)
-            agent_update_handler._protocol.update_goal_state()
+            agent_update_handler._protocol.client.update_goal_state()
             agent_update_handler.run(agent_update_handler._protocol.get_goal_state())
             vm_agent_update_status = agent_update_handler.get_vmagent_update_status()
             self.assertEqual(VMAgentUpdateStatuses.Success, vm_agent_update_status.status)
diff --git a/tests/test_agent.py b/tests/test_agent.py
index 2f80d695e..5ec1c9cdd 100644
--- a/tests/test_agent.py
+++ b/tests/test_agent.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 Extensions.Enabled = True
 Extensions.GoalStatePeriod = 6
 Extensions.InitialGoalStatePeriod = 6
+GAUpdates.Enabled = True
 HttpProxy.Host = None
 HttpProxy.Port = None
 Lib.Dir = /var/lib/waagent