diff --git a/examples/main_disabled.py b/examples/main_disabled.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..215e300
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/main_disabled.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import aioredis
+import uvicorn
+from fastapi import Depends, FastAPI
+
+from fastapi_limiter import FastAPILimiter
+from fastapi_limiter.depends import RateLimiter
+
+app = FastAPI()
+
+
+@app.on_event("startup")
+async def startup():
+    await FastAPILimiter.init(None, enabled=False)
+
+@app.on_event("shutdown")
+async def shutdown():
+    await FastAPILimiter.close()
+
+
+@app.get("/", dependencies=[Depends(RateLimiter(times=2, seconds=5))])
+async def index():
+    return {"msg": "Hello World"}
+
+@app.get(
+    "/multiple",
+    dependencies=[
+        Depends(RateLimiter(times=1, seconds=5)),
+        Depends(RateLimiter(times=2, seconds=15)),
+    ],
+)
+async def multiple():
+    return {"msg": "Hello World"}
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    uvicorn.run("main:app", debug=True, reload=True)
diff --git a/fastapi_limiter/__init__.py b/fastapi_limiter/__init__.py
index 89373a0..ca0d515 100644
--- a/fastapi_limiter/__init__.py
+++ b/fastapi_limiter/__init__.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class FastAPILimiter:
     lua_sha: str = None
     identifier: Callable = None
     callback: Callable = None
+    enabled: bool = True
     lua_script = """local key = KEYS[1]
 local limit = tonumber(ARGV[1])
 local expire_time = ARGV[2]
@@ -61,14 +62,22 @@ async def init(
         prefix: str = "fastapi-limiter",
         identifier: Callable = default_identifier,
         callback: Callable = default_callback,
+        enabled: bool = True
     ):
         cls.redis = redis
         cls.prefix = prefix
         cls.identifier = identifier
         cls.callback = callback
-        cls.lua_sha = await redis.script_load(cls.lua_script)
+        cls.enabled = enabled
+
+        if enabled:
+            cls.lua_sha = await redis.script_load(cls.lua_script)
+        else:
+            cls.lua_sha = None
 
     @classmethod
     async def close(cls):
-        cls.redis.close()
-        await cls.redis.wait_closed()
+        if cls.enabled:
+            cls.redis.close()
+            await cls.redis.wait_closed()
+        
diff --git a/fastapi_limiter/depends.py b/fastapi_limiter/depends.py
index ec20c57..65000c7 100644
--- a/fastapi_limiter/depends.py
+++ b/fastapi_limiter/depends.py
@@ -24,23 +24,24 @@ def __init__(
         self.callback = callback
 
     async def __call__(self, request: Request, response: Response):
-        if not FastAPILimiter.redis:
-            raise Exception("You must call FastAPILimiter.init in startup event of fastapi!")
-        index = 0
-        for route in request.app.routes:
-            if route.path == request.scope["path"]:
-                for idx, dependency in enumerate(route.dependencies):
-                    if self is dependency.dependency:
-                        index = idx
-                        break
-        # moved here because constructor run before app startup
-        identifier = self.identifier or FastAPILimiter.identifier
-        callback = self.callback or FastAPILimiter.callback
-        redis = FastAPILimiter.redis
-        rate_key = await identifier(request)
-        key = f"{FastAPILimiter.prefix}:{rate_key}:{index}"
-        pexpire = await redis.evalsha(
-            FastAPILimiter.lua_sha, keys=[key], args=[self.times, self.milliseconds]
-        )
-        if pexpire != 0:
-            return await callback(request, response, pexpire)
+        if FastAPILimiter.enabled:
+            if not FastAPILimiter.redis:
+                raise Exception("You must call FastAPILimiter.init in startup event of fastapi!")
+            index = 0
+            for route in request.app.routes:
+                if route.path == request.scope["path"]:
+                    for idx, dependency in enumerate(route.dependencies):
+                        if self is dependency.dependency:
+                            index = idx
+                            break
+            # moved here because constructor run before app startup
+            identifier = self.identifier or FastAPILimiter.identifier
+            callback = self.callback or FastAPILimiter.callback
+            redis = FastAPILimiter.redis
+            rate_key = await identifier(request)
+            key = f"{FastAPILimiter.prefix}:{rate_key}:{index}"
+            pexpire = await redis.evalsha(
+                FastAPILimiter.lua_sha, keys=[key], args=[self.times, self.milliseconds]
+            )
+            if pexpire != 0:
+                return await callback(request, response, pexpire)
diff --git a/tests/test_depends.py b/tests/test_depends.py
index b37b02c..56e0c7e 100644
--- a/tests/test_depends.py
+++ b/tests/test_depends.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from starlette.testclient import TestClient
 
 from examples.main import app
+from examples.main_disabled import app as app_disabled
 
 
 def test_limiter():
@@ -19,6 +20,21 @@ def test_limiter():
         response = client.get("/")
         assert response.status_code == 200
 
+def test_limiter_disabled():
+    # Runs the same requests as test_limiter, but with RateLimiter disabled
+    with TestClient(app_disabled) as client:
+        response = client.get("/")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+
+        client.get("/")
+
+        response = client.get("/")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        sleep(5)
+
+        response = client.get("/")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+
 
 def test_limiter_multiple():
     with TestClient(app) as client:
@@ -38,3 +54,23 @@ def test_limiter_multiple():
 
         response = client.get("/multiple")
         assert response.status_code == 200
+
+def test_limiter_multiple_disabled():
+    # Runs the same requests as test_limiter_multiple, but with RateLimiter disabled
+    with TestClient(app_disabled) as client:
+        response = client.get("/multiple")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+
+        response = client.get("/multiple")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        sleep(5)
+
+        response = client.get("/multiple")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+
+        response = client.get("/multiple")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        sleep(10)
+
+        response = client.get("/multiple")
+        assert response.status_code == 200