diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py
index 226d17d2..283e268b 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/__init__.py
@@ -479,10 +479,11 @@ def deploy_mtail(config):
     )
 
 
-def deploy_chatmail(config_path: Path) -> None:
+def deploy_chatmail(config_path: Path, disable_mail: bool) -> None:
     """Deploy a chat-mail instance.
 
     :param config_path: path to chatmail.ini
+    :param disable_mail: whether to disable postfix & dovecot
     """
     config = read_config(config_path)
     check_config(config)
@@ -624,19 +625,19 @@ def deploy_chatmail(config_path: Path) -> None:
     # because it creates authentication socket
     # required by Postfix.
     systemd.service(
-        name="Start and enable Dovecot",
+        name="disable dovecot for now" if disable_mail else "Start and enable Dovecot",
         service="dovecot.service",
-        running=True,
-        enabled=True,
-        restarted=dovecot_need_restart,
+        running=False if disable_mail else True,
+        enabled=False if disable_mail else True,
+        restarted=dovecot_need_restart if not disable_mail else False,
     )
 
     systemd.service(
-        name="Start and enable Postfix",
+        name="disable postfix for now" if disable_mail else "Start and enable Postfix",
         service="postfix.service",
-        running=True,
-        enabled=True,
-        restarted=postfix_need_restart,
+        running=False if disable_mail else True,
+        enabled=False if disable_mail else True,
+        restarted=postfix_need_restart if not disable_mail else False,
     )
 
     systemd.service(
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py
index cd992a2b..cb744b37 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/cmdeploy.py
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ def run_cmd_options(parser):
         action="store_true",
         help="don't actually modify the server",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--disable-mail",
+        dest="disable_mail",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="install/upgrade the server, but disable postfix & dovecot for now"
+    )
 
 
 def run_cmd(args, out):
@@ -64,6 +70,7 @@ def run_cmd(args, out):
 
     env = os.environ.copy()
     env["CHATMAIL_INI"] = args.inipath
+    env["CHATMAIL_DISABLE_MAIL"] = "True" if args.disable_mail else ""
     deploy_path = importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath("deploy.py").resolve()
     pyinf = "pyinfra --dry" if args.dry_run else "pyinfra"
     cmd = f"{pyinf} --ssh-user root {args.config.mail_domain} {deploy_path} -y"
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deploy.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deploy.py
index ef259ad0..0ea153d7 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deploy.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deploy.py
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ def main():
         "CHATMAIL_INI",
         importlib.resources.files("cmdeploy").joinpath("../../../chatmail.ini"),
     )
+    disable_mail = bool(os.environ.get('CHATMAIL_DISABLE_MAIL'))
 
-    deploy_chatmail(config_path)
+    deploy_chatmail(config_path, disable_mail)
 
 
 if pyinfra.is_cli: