diff --git a/src/cmd/services/m3dbnode/config/config.go b/src/cmd/services/m3dbnode/config/config.go
index b1b3b8332d..bf3f62569e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/services/m3dbnode/config/config.go
+++ b/src/cmd/services/m3dbnode/config/config.go
@@ -207,6 +207,10 @@ type DBConfiguration struct {
 
 	// Debug configuration.
 	Debug config.DebugConfiguration `yaml:"debug"`
+
+	// ForceColdWritesEnabled will force enable cold writes for all namespaces
+	// if set.
+	ForceColdWritesEnabled *bool `yaml:"forceColdWritesEnabled"`
 }
 
 // LoggingOrDefault returns the logging configuration or defaults.
diff --git a/src/cmd/services/m3dbnode/config/config_test.go b/src/cmd/services/m3dbnode/config/config_test.go
index 5beeb0a5e7..8218580a33 100644
--- a/src/cmd/services/m3dbnode/config/config_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/services/m3dbnode/config/config_test.go
@@ -729,6 +729,7 @@ func TestConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
   debug:
     mutexProfileFraction: 0
     blockProfileRate: 0
+  forceColdWritesEnabled: null
 coordinator: null
 `
 
diff --git a/src/dbnode/server/server.go b/src/dbnode/server/server.go
index 52df3307c7..ef21426ef7 100644
--- a/src/dbnode/server/server.go
+++ b/src/dbnode/server/server.go
@@ -651,6 +651,11 @@ func Run(runOpts RunOptions) {
 	}()
 	opts = opts.SetIndexClaimsManager(icm)
 
+	if value := cfg.ForceColdWritesEnabled; value != nil {
+		// Allow forcing cold writes to be enabled by config.
+		opts = opts.SetForceColdWritesEnabled(*value)
+	}
+
 	forceColdWrites := opts.ForceColdWritesEnabled()
 	var envCfgResults environment.ConfigureResults
 	if len(envConfig.Statics) == 0 {