diff --git a/lib/mixins/disable-upgrade-mixin.html b/lib/mixins/disable-upgrade-mixin.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1df07f6666
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/mixins/disable-upgrade-mixin.html
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+<!--
+@license
+Copyright (c) 2017 The Polymer Project Authors. All rights reserved.
+This code may only be used under the BSD style license found at http://polymer.github.io/LICENSE.txt
+The complete set of authors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/AUTHORS.txt
+The complete set of contributors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/CONTRIBUTORS.txt
+Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
+subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
+-->
+<script>
+(function() {
+
+  const DISABLED_ATTR = 'disable-upgrade';
+
+  /**
+   * Element class mixin that allows the element to boot up in a non-enabled
+   * state when the `disable-upgrade` attribute is present. This mixin is
+   * designed to be used with element classes like Polymer.Element that perform
+   * initial startup work when they are first connected. When the
+   * `disable-upgrade` attribute is removed, if the element is connected, it
+   * boots up and "enables" as it otherwise would; if it is not connected, the
+   * element boots up when it is next connected.
+   *
+   * Using `disable-upgrade` with Polymer.Element prevents any data propagation
+   * to the element, any element DOM from stamping, or any work done in
+   * connected/disconnctedCallback from occuring, but it does not prevent work
+   * done in the element constructor.
+   *
+   * Note, this mixin must be applied on top of any element class that
+   * itself implements a `connectedCallback` so that it can control the work
+   * done in `connectedCallback`. For example,
+   *
+   * MyClass = Polymer.DisableUpgradeMixin(class extends BaseClass {...});
+   *
+   * @mixinFunction
+   * @polymer
+   * @memberof Polymer
+   */
+  Polymer.DisableUpgradeMixin = Polymer.dedupingMixin((base) => {
+
+    return class DisableUpgradeClass extends base {
+
+      static get observedAttributes() {
+        return super.observedAttributes.concat(DISABLED_ATTR);
+      }
+
+      attributeChangedCallback(name, old, value) {
+        if (name == DISABLED_ATTR) {
+          if (!this.__dataEnabled && value == null && this.isConnected) {
+            super.connectedCallback();
+          }
+        } else {
+          super.attributeChangedCallback(name, old, value);
+        }
+      }
+
+      __shouldEnable() {
+        return this.__dataEnabled || !this.hasAttribute(DISABLED_ATTR);
+      }
+
+      // prevent user code in connected from running
+      connectedCallback() {
+        if (this.__shouldEnable()) {
+          super.connectedCallback();
+        }
+      }
+
+      // prevent element from turning on properties
+      _enableProperties() {
+        if (this.__shouldEnable()) {
+          super._enableProperties();
+        }
+      }
+
+      // only go if "enabled"
+      disconnectedCallback() {
+        if (this.__dataEnabled) {
+          super.disconnectedCallback();
+        }
+      }
+
+    }
+  });
+
+})();
+
+</script>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/runner.html b/test/runner.html
index 3c3137c0b5..b9633eadce 100644
--- a/test/runner.html
+++ b/test/runner.html
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@
       'unit/mixin-behaviors.html',
       'unit/render-status.html',
       'unit/dir.html',
+      'unit/disable-upgrade.html',
       'unit/shady-unscoped-style.html',
       'unit/html-tag.html'
       // 'unit/multi-style.html'
diff --git a/test/smoke/disable-upgrade.html b/test/smoke/disable-upgrade.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bc02cebd1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/smoke/disable-upgrade.html
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+<!doctype html>
+<html>
+<head>
+  <link rel="import" href="../../polymer.html">
+  <link rel="import" href="../../lib/mixins/disable-upgrade-mixin.html">
+</head>
+<body>
+  <script>
+    (function() {
+      const ogDefine = window.customElements.ogDefine = window.customElements.define;
+      window.customElements.defineWithDisabled = function(name, constructor) {
+        return ogDefine.call(customElements, name,
+          Polymer.DisableUpgradeMixin(constructor));
+      }
+      window.customElements.define = window.customElements.defineWithDisabled;
+    })();
+
+  </script>
+
+  <dom-module id="x-disabled">
+
+    <template>
+      <style>
+        :host {
+          display: block;
+        }
+
+        h2 {
+          letter-spacing: 1em;
+        }
+      </style>
+      <h2>[[prop]]</h2>
+    </template>
+
+    <script>
+      class Disabled extends Polymer.Element {
+        static get is() { return 'x-disabled'; }
+        static get properties() {
+          return {
+            prop: {
+              type: String
+            }
+          }
+        }
+        constructor() {
+          super();
+          this.prop = 'enabled!';
+        }
+      };
+      customElements.define(Disabled.is, Disabled);
+
+    </script>
+
+  </dom-module>
+
+  <dom-module id="my-element">
+
+    <template>
+      <style>
+        :host {
+          display: block;
+        }
+
+        button {
+          display: block;
+        }
+      </style>
+      <h3>x-disabled without disable-upgrade</h3>
+      <x-disabled>Disabled</x-disabled>
+      <h3>x-disabled with disable-upgrade</h3>
+      <x-disabled id="disabled" disable-upgrade>Disabled</x-disabled>
+      <h3>x-disabled with disable-upgrade</h3>
+      <x-disabled disable-upgrade$="[[upgradeDisabled]]">Disabled</x-disabled>
+      <button on-click="_enable">Enable</button>
+    </template>
+
+    <script>
+
+
+      class MyElement extends Polymer.Element {
+        static get is() { return 'my-element'; }
+        static get properties() {
+          return {
+            upgradeDisabled: {value: true}
+          }
+        }
+        _enable() {
+          this.$.disabled.removeAttribute('disable-upgrade');
+          this.upgradeDisabled = false;
+        }
+      }
+      customElements.define(MyElement.is, MyElement);
+
+    </script>
+
+  </dom-module>
+
+  <my-element></my-element>
+
+</body>
+</html>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/unit/disable-upgrade.html b/test/unit/disable-upgrade.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..409b63237e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/disable-upgrade.html
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+<!doctype html>
+<!--
+@license
+Copyright (c) 2017 The Polymer Project Authors. All rights reserved.
+This code may only be used under the BSD style license found at http://polymer.github.io/LICENSE.txt
+The complete set of authors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/AUTHORS.txt
+The complete set of contributors may be found at http://polymer.github.io/CONTRIBUTORS.txt
+Code distributed by Google as part of the polymer project is also
+subject to an additional IP rights grant found at http://polymer.github.io/PATENTS.txt
+-->
+<html dir="rtl">
+<head>
+  <script src="../../../webcomponentsjs/webcomponents-lite.js"></script>
+  <script src="../../../web-component-tester/browser.js"></script>
+  <link rel="import" href="../../polymer.html">
+  <link rel="import" href="../../lib/mixins/disable-upgrade-mixin.html">
+</head>
+<body>
+
+  <dom-module id="x-disabled">
+    <template>
+      <style>
+        :host {
+          display: block;
+        }
+
+        h2 {
+          letter-spacing: 1em;
+        }
+      </style>
+      <h2 id="element">[[prop]]</h2>
+    </template>
+
+    <script>
+      const Disabled = Polymer.DisableUpgradeMixin(class extends Polymer.Element {
+        static get is() { return 'x-disabled'; }
+        static get properties() {
+          return {
+            prop: {
+              type: String
+            }
+          }
+        }
+        constructor() {
+          super();
+          this.prop = 'enabled!';
+        }
+
+        ready() {
+          super.ready();
+          this.enabled = true;
+        }
+      });
+      customElements.define(Disabled.is, Disabled);
+
+    </script>
+
+  </dom-module>
+
+  <dom-module id="my-element">
+
+    <template>
+      <x-disabled id="enabledEl">Disabled</x-disabled>
+      <x-disabled id="disabledEl" disable-upgrade>Disabled</x-disabled>
+      <x-disabled id="disabledBoundEl" disable-upgrade$="[[upgradeDisabled]]">Disabled</x-disabled>
+    </template>
+
+    <script>
+      class MyElement extends Polymer.Element {
+        static get is() { return 'my-element'; }
+        static get properties() {
+          return {
+            upgradeDisabled: {value: true}
+          }
+        }
+        enable() {
+          this.$.disabledEl.removeAttribute('disable-upgrade');
+          this.upgradeDisabled = false;
+        }
+      }
+      customElements.define(MyElement.is, MyElement);
+
+    </script>
+
+  </dom-module>
+
+  <script>
+    suite('disable-upgrade', function() {
+      let el;
+
+      setup(() => {
+        el = document.createElement('my-element');
+        document.body.appendChild(el);
+      });
+      teardown(function() {
+        document.body.removeChild(el);
+      });
+
+      test('elements upgrade as expected with and without `disable-upgrade`', function() {
+        assert.ok(el.$.enabledEl.enabled);
+        assert.ok(el.$.enabledEl.$.element);
+        assert.equal(el.$.enabledEl.$.element.textContent, 'enabled!');
+        assert.notOk(el.$.disabledEl.enabled);
+        assert.notOk(el.$.disabledEl.$);
+        assert.notOk(el.$.disabledBoundEl.enabled);
+        assert.notOk(el.$.disabledBoundEl.$);
+      });
+
+      test('elements upgrade when `disable-upgrade` removed', function() {
+        assert.notOk(el.$.disabledEl.enabled);
+        assert.notOk(el.$.disabledEl.$);
+        assert.notOk(el.$.disabledBoundEl.enabled);
+        assert.notOk(el.$.disabledBoundEl.$);
+        el.enable();
+        assert.ok(el.$.disabledEl.enabled);
+        assert.ok(el.$.disabledEl.$.element);
+        assert.equal(el.$.disabledEl.$.element.textContent, 'enabled!');
+        assert.ok(el.$.disabledBoundEl.enabled);
+        assert.ok(el.$.disabledBoundEl.$.element);
+        assert.equal(el.$.disabledBoundEl.$.element.textContent, 'enabled!');
+      });
+
+
+    });
+  </script>
+</body>
+</html>
\ No newline at end of file
