diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index b5f273c674..5ea34c9b82 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -296,9 +296,10 @@ func main() {
 		setupLog.Error(clientErr, "failed to create kubernetes clientset")
 	}
 	reviewer := rbac.NewReviewer(clientset)
-
-	if metricsErr := crdmetrics.Bootstrap(mgr.GetClient()); metricsErr != nil {
-		setupLog.Error(metricsErr, "Error bootstrapping CRD metrics")
+	if featuregate.EnableCRMetrics.IsEnabled() {
+		if metricsErr := crdmetrics.Bootstrap(mgr.GetClient()); metricsErr != nil {
+			setupLog.Error(metricsErr, "Error bootstrapping CRD metrics")
+		}
 	}
 
 	if err = controllers.NewReconciler(controllers.Params{
diff --git a/pkg/featuregate/featuregate.go b/pkg/featuregate/featuregate.go
index a20d589b35..19ef595fc9 100644
--- a/pkg/featuregate/featuregate.go
+++ b/pkg/featuregate/featuregate.go
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ var (
 		featuregate.WithRegisterDescription("enables features associated to the Prometheus Operator"),
 		featuregate.WithRegisterFromVersion("v0.82.0"),
 	)
+
+	// EnableCRMetrics is the feature gate that enables metrics about the collectors managed by this operator.
+	EnableCRMetrics = featuregate.GlobalRegistry().MustRegister(
+		"operator.crmetrics",
+		featuregate.StageBeta,
+		featuregate.WithRegisterDescription("enables metrics about the collectors CRs and how they are used"),
+		featuregate.WithRegisterFromVersion("v0.99.0"),
+	)
 )
 
 // Flags creates a new FlagSet that represents the available featuregate flags using the supplied featuregate registry.