diff --git a/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go b/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
index 1b1ccfd46f46..907510a9bf4b 100644
--- a/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
+++ b/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
@@ -138,7 +138,13 @@ func NewXDCSimulatedBackend(alloc types.GenesisAlloc, gasLimit uint64, chainConf
 		return lendingServ
 	}
 
-	blockchain, _ := core.NewBlockChain(database, nil, genesis.Config, consensus, vm.Config{})
+	cacheConfig := &core.CacheConfig{
+		TrieCleanLimit: 256,
+		TrieDirtyLimit: 256,
+		TrieTimeLimit:  5 * time.Minute,
+		Preimages:      true,
+	}
+	blockchain, _ := core.NewBlockChain(database, cacheConfig, genesis.Config, consensus, vm.Config{})
 
 	backend := &SimulatedBackend{
 		database:   database,
diff --git a/cmd/XDC/main.go b/cmd/XDC/main.go
index a3863be5d8bc..120b495e4d21 100644
--- a/cmd/XDC/main.go
+++ b/cmd/XDC/main.go
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ var (
 		utils.CacheGCFlag,
 		utils.CachePrefetchFlag,
 		//utils.TrieCacheGenFlag,
+		utils.CachePreimagesFlag,
 		utils.CacheLogSizeFlag,
 		utils.FDLimitFlag,
 		utils.CryptoKZGFlag,
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index da607db5ff2d..87d20793653e 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -308,6 +308,12 @@ var (
 		Usage:    "Enable heuristic state prefetch during block import",
 		Category: flags.PerfCategory,
 	}
+	CachePreimagesFlag = &cli.BoolFlag{
+		Name:     "cache-preimages",
+		Usage:    "Enable recording the SHA3/keccak preimages of trie keys (default: true)",
+		Value:    true,
+		Category: flags.PerfCategory,
+	}
 	CacheLogSizeFlag = &cli.IntFlag{
 		Name:     "cache-blocklogs",
 		Aliases:  []string{"cache.blocklogs"},
@@ -1513,7 +1519,12 @@ func SetEthConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *ethconfig.Config) {
 	}
 	cfg.NoPruning = ctx.String(GCModeFlag.Name) == "archive"
 	cfg.NoPrefetch = !ctx.Bool(CachePrefetchFlag.Name)
-
+	// Read the value from the flag no matter if it's set or not.
+	cfg.Preimages = ctx.Bool(CachePreimagesFlag.Name)
+	if cfg.NoPruning && !cfg.Preimages {
+		cfg.Preimages = true
+		log.Info("Enabling recording of key preimages since archive mode is used")
+	}
 	if ctx.IsSet(CacheFlag.Name) || ctx.IsSet(CacheTrieFlag.Name) {
 		cfg.TrieCleanCache = ctx.Int(CacheFlag.Name) * ctx.Int(CacheTrieFlag.Name) / 100
 	}
@@ -1780,6 +1791,11 @@ func MakeChain(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, readonly bool) (chain *core.B
 		TrieDirtyLimit:      ethconfig.Defaults.TrieDirtyCache,
 		TrieDirtyDisabled:   ctx.String(GCModeFlag.Name) == "archive",
 		TrieTimeLimit:       ethconfig.Defaults.TrieTimeout,
+		Preimages:           ctx.Bool(CachePreimagesFlag.Name),
+	}
+	if cache.TrieDirtyDisabled && !cache.Preimages {
+		cache.Preimages = true
+		log.Info("Enabling recording of key preimages since archive mode is used")
 	}
 	if ctx.IsSet(CacheFlag.Name) || ctx.IsSet(CacheTrieFlag.Name) {
 		cache.TrieCleanLimit = ctx.Int(CacheFlag.Name) * ctx.Int(CacheTrieFlag.Name) / 100
diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index f74b6c151354..2b66d6a96320 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ type CacheConfig struct {
 	TrieDirtyLimit      int           // Memory limit (MB) at which to start flushing dirty trie nodes to disk
 	TrieDirtyDisabled   bool          // Whether to disable trie write caching and GC altogether (archive node)
 	TrieTimeLimit       time.Duration // Time limit after which to flush the current in-memory trie to disk
+	Preimages           bool          // Whether to store preimage of trie key to the disk
 }
 
 type ResultProcessBlock struct {
@@ -238,11 +239,14 @@ func NewBlockChain(db ethdb.Database, cacheConfig *CacheConfig, chainConfig *par
 	}
 
 	bc := &BlockChain{
-		chainConfig:         chainConfig,
-		cacheConfig:         cacheConfig,
-		db:                  db,
-		triegc:              prque.New[int64, common.Hash](nil),
-		stateCache:          state.NewDatabaseWithCache(db, cacheConfig.TrieCleanLimit),
+		chainConfig: chainConfig,
+		cacheConfig: cacheConfig,
+		db:          db,
+		triegc:      prque.New[int64, common.Hash](nil),
+		stateCache: state.NewDatabaseWithConfig(db, &trie.Config{
+			Cache:     cacheConfig.TrieCleanLimit,
+			Preimages: cacheConfig.Preimages,
+		}),
 		quit:                make(chan struct{}),
 		chainmu:             syncx.NewClosableMutex(),
 		bodyCache:           lru.NewCache[common.Hash, *types.Body](bodyCacheLimit),
diff --git a/core/state/database.go b/core/state/database.go
index 04942fc0e200..cd3f8665cf4e 100644
--- a/core/state/database.go
+++ b/core/state/database.go
@@ -102,18 +102,18 @@ type Trie interface {
 }
 
 // NewDatabase creates a backing store for state. The returned database is safe for
-// concurrent use and retains a few recent expanded trie nodes in memory. To keep
-// more historical state in memory, use the NewDatabaseWithCache constructor.
+// concurrent use, but does not retain any recent trie nodes in memory. To keep some
+// historical state in memory, use the NewDatabaseWithConfig constructor.
 func NewDatabase(db ethdb.Database) Database {
-	return NewDatabaseWithCache(db, 0)
+	return NewDatabaseWithConfig(db, nil)
 }
 
-// NewDatabase creates a backing store for state. The returned database is safe for
-// concurrent use and retains both a few recent expanded trie nodes in memory, as
-// well as a lot of collapsed RLP trie nodes in a large memory cache.
-func NewDatabaseWithCache(db ethdb.Database, cache int) Database {
+// NewDatabaseWithConfig creates a backing store for state. The returned database
+// is safe for concurrent use and retains a lot of collapsed RLP trie nodes in a
+// large memory cache.
+func NewDatabaseWithConfig(db ethdb.Database, config *trie.Config) Database {
 	return &cachingDB{
-		db:            trie.NewDatabaseWithCache(db, cache),
+		db:            trie.NewDatabaseWithConfig(db, config),
 		codeCache:     lru.NewSizeConstrainedCache[common.Hash, []byte](codeCacheSize),
 		codeSizeCache: lru.NewCache[common.Hash, int](codeSizeCacheSize),
 	}
diff --git a/eth/api_tracer.go b/eth/api_tracer.go
index 2b1cb519fb35..e79b16046474 100644
--- a/eth/api_tracer.go
+++ b/eth/api_tracer.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func (api *PrivateDebugAPI) traceChain(ctx context.Context, start, end *types.Bl
 
 	// Ensure we have a valid starting state before doing any work
 	origin := start.NumberU64()
-	database := state.NewDatabaseWithCache(api.eth.ChainDb(), 16) // Chain tracing will probably start at genesis
+	database := state.NewDatabaseWithConfig(api.eth.ChainDb(), &trie.Config{Cache: 16, Preimages: true})
 
 	if number := start.NumberU64(); number > 0 {
 		start = api.eth.blockchain.GetBlock(start.ParentHash(), start.NumberU64()-1)
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ func (api *PrivateDebugAPI) computeStateDB(block *types.Block, reexec uint64) (*
 	}
 	// Otherwise try to reexec blocks until we find a state or reach our limit
 	origin := block.NumberU64()
-	database := state.NewDatabaseWithCache(api.eth.ChainDb(), 16)
+	database := state.NewDatabaseWithConfig(api.eth.ChainDb(), &trie.Config{Cache: 16, Preimages: true})
 
 	for i := uint64(0); i < reexec; i++ {
 		block = api.eth.blockchain.GetBlock(block.ParentHash(), block.NumberU64()-1)
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index 824e5fd9ddfb..874120dc7af8 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ func New(stack *node.Node, config *ethconfig.Config, XDCXServ *XDCx.XDCX, lendin
 			TrieDirtyLimit:      config.TrieDirtyCache,
 			TrieDirtyDisabled:   config.NoPruning,
 			TrieTimeLimit:       config.TrieTimeout,
+			Preimages:           config.Preimages,
 		}
 	)
 	if eth.chainConfig.XDPoS != nil {
diff --git a/eth/ethconfig/config.go b/eth/ethconfig/config.go
index 6b1316c8305d..d126c79cecbf 100644
--- a/eth/ethconfig/config.go
+++ b/eth/ethconfig/config.go
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	TrieCleanCache     int
 	TrieDirtyCache     int
 	TrieTimeout        time.Duration
+	Preimages          bool
 
 	// This is the number of blocks for which logs will be cached in the filter system.
 	FilterLogCacheSize int
diff --git a/eth/ethconfig/gen_config.go b/eth/ethconfig/gen_config.go
index 1dfa6e7f0937..8cb89e32ee90 100644
--- a/eth/ethconfig/gen_config.go
+++ b/eth/ethconfig/gen_config.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ func (c Config) MarshalTOML() (interface{}, error) {
 		TrieCleanCache          int
 		TrieDirtyCache          int
 		TrieTimeout             time.Duration
+		Preimages               bool
 		FilterLogCacheSize      int
 		Etherbase               common.Address `toml:",omitempty"`
 		MinerThreads            int            `toml:",omitempty"`
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ func (c Config) MarshalTOML() (interface{}, error) {
 	enc.TrieCleanCache = c.TrieCleanCache
 	enc.TrieDirtyCache = c.TrieDirtyCache
 	enc.TrieTimeout = c.TrieTimeout
+	enc.Preimages = c.Preimages
 	enc.FilterLogCacheSize = c.FilterLogCacheSize
 	enc.Etherbase = c.Etherbase
 	enc.MinerThreads = c.MinerThreads
@@ -86,6 +88,7 @@ func (c *Config) UnmarshalTOML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 		TrieCleanCache          *int
 		TrieDirtyCache          *int
 		TrieTimeout             *time.Duration
+		Preimages               *bool
 		FilterLogCacheSize      *int
 		Etherbase               *common.Address `toml:",omitempty"`
 		MinerThreads            *int            `toml:",omitempty"`
@@ -138,6 +141,9 @@ func (c *Config) UnmarshalTOML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 	if dec.TrieTimeout != nil {
 		c.TrieTimeout = *dec.TrieTimeout
 	}
+	if dec.Preimages != nil {
+		c.Preimages = *dec.Preimages
+	}
 	if dec.FilterLogCacheSize != nil {
 		c.FilterLogCacheSize = *dec.FilterLogCacheSize
 	}
diff --git a/eth/state_accessor.go b/eth/state_accessor.go
index 140830c5ea21..0f67b1fd8c35 100644
--- a/eth/state_accessor.go
+++ b/eth/state_accessor.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (eth *Ethereum) stateAtBlock(block *types.Block, reexec uint64, base *state
 
 		// Create an ephemeral trie.Database for isolating the live one. Otherwise
 		// the internal junks created by tracing will be persisted into the disk.
-		database = state.NewDatabaseWithCache(eth.chainDb, 16)
+		database = state.NewDatabaseWithConfig(eth.chainDb, &trie.Config{Cache: 16, Preimages: true})
 		// If we didn't check the dirty database, do check the clean one, otherwise
 		// we would rewind past a persisted block (specific corner case is chain
 		// tracing from the genesis).
diff --git a/trie/database.go b/trie/database.go
index 6dbd35257a00..bd09bbac208a 100644
--- a/trie/database.go
+++ b/trie/database.go
@@ -260,29 +260,38 @@ func expandNode(hash hashNode, n node) node {
 	}
 }
 
+// Config defines all necessary options for database.
+type Config struct {
+	Cache     int  // Memory allowance (MB) to use for caching trie nodes in memory
+	Preimages bool // Flag whether the preimage of trie key is recorded
+}
+
 // NewDatabase creates a new trie database to store ephemeral trie content before
 // its written out to disk or garbage collected. No read Cache is created, so all
 // data retrievals will hit the underlying disk database.
 func NewDatabase(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore) *Database {
-	return NewDatabaseWithCache(diskdb, 0)
+	return NewDatabaseWithConfig(diskdb, nil)
 }
 
-// NewDatabaseWithCache creates a new trie database to store ephemeral trie content
-// before its written out to disk or garbage collected. It also acts as a read Cache
+// NewDatabaseWithConfig creates a new trie database to store ephemeral trie content
+// before its written out to disk or garbage collected. It also acts as a read cache
 // for nodes loaded from disk.
-func NewDatabaseWithCache(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore, cache int) *Database {
+func NewDatabaseWithConfig(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore, config *Config) *Database {
 	var cleans *fastcache.Cache
-	if cache > 0 {
-		cleans = fastcache.New(cache * 1024 * 1024)
+	if config != nil && config.Cache > 0 {
+		cleans = fastcache.New(config.Cache * 1024 * 1024)
 	}
-	return &Database{
+	db := &Database{
 		diskdb: diskdb,
 		cleans: cleans,
 		dirties: map[common.Hash]*cachedNode{{}: {
 			children: make(map[common.Hash]uint16),
 		}},
-		preimages: make(map[common.Hash][]byte),
 	}
+	if config == nil || config.Preimages { // TODO(karalabe): Flip to default off in the future
+		db.preimages = make(map[common.Hash][]byte)
+	}
+	return db
 }
 
 // DiskDB retrieves the persistent storage backing the trie database.
@@ -329,6 +338,11 @@ func (db *Database) insert(hash common.Hash, size int, node node) {
 //
 // Note, this method assumes that the database's Lock is held!
 func (db *Database) InsertPreimage(hash common.Hash, preimage []byte) {
+	// Short circuit if preimage collection is disabled
+	if db.preimages == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	// Track the preimage if a yet unknown one
 	if _, ok := db.preimages[hash]; ok {
 		return
 	}
@@ -415,6 +429,10 @@ func (db *Database) Node(hash common.Hash) ([]byte, error) {
 // Preimage retrieves a cached trie Node pre-image from memory. If it cannot be
 // found cached, the method queries the persistent database for the content.
 func (db *Database) Preimage(hash common.Hash) []byte {
+	// Short circuit if preimage collection is disabled
+	if db.preimages == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	// Retrieve the Node from Cache if available
 	db.Lock.RLock()
 	preimage := db.preimages[hash]
@@ -572,12 +590,16 @@ func (db *Database) Cap(limit common.StorageSize) error {
 	// leave for later to deduplicate writes.
 	flushPreimages := db.preimagesSize > 4*1024*1024
 	if flushPreimages {
-		rawdb.WritePreimages(batch, db.preimages)
-		if batch.ValueSize() > ethdb.IdealBatchSize {
-			if err := batch.Write(); err != nil {
-				return err
+		if db.preimages == nil {
+			log.Error("Attempted to write preimages whilst disabled")
+		} else {
+			rawdb.WritePreimages(batch, db.preimages)
+			if batch.ValueSize() > ethdb.IdealBatchSize {
+				if err := batch.Write(); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				batch.Reset()
 			}
-			batch.Reset()
 		}
 	}
 	// Keep committing nodes from the flush-list until we're below allowance
@@ -614,7 +636,11 @@ func (db *Database) Cap(limit common.StorageSize) error {
 	defer db.Lock.Unlock()
 
 	if flushPreimages {
-		db.preimages, db.preimagesSize = make(map[common.Hash][]byte), 0
+		if db.preimages == nil {
+			log.Error("Attempted to reset preimage cache whilst disabled")
+		} else {
+			db.preimages, db.preimagesSize = make(map[common.Hash][]byte), 0
+		}
 	}
 	for db.oldest != oldest {
 		node := db.dirties[db.oldest]
@@ -658,20 +684,21 @@ func (db *Database) Commit(node common.Hash, report bool) error {
 	batch := db.diskdb.NewBatch()
 
 	// Move all of the accumulated preimages into a write batch
-	rawdb.WritePreimages(batch, db.preimages)
-	if batch.ValueSize() > ethdb.IdealBatchSize {
+	if db.preimages != nil {
+		rawdb.WritePreimages(batch, db.preimages)
+		if batch.ValueSize() > ethdb.IdealBatchSize {
+			if err := batch.Write(); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			batch.Reset()
+		}
+		// Since we're going to replay trie Node writes into the clean Cache, flush out
+		// any batched pre-images before continuing.
 		if err := batch.Write(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		batch.Reset()
 	}
-	// Since we're going to replay trie Node writes into the clean Cache, flush out
-	// any batched pre-images before continuing.
-	if err := batch.Write(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	batch.Reset()
-
 	// Move the trie itself into the batch, flushing if enough data is accumulated
 	nodes, storage := len(db.dirties), db.dirtiesSize
 
@@ -693,8 +720,9 @@ func (db *Database) Commit(node common.Hash, report bool) error {
 	batch.Reset()
 
 	// Reset the storage counters and bumpd metrics
-	db.preimages, db.preimagesSize = make(map[common.Hash][]byte), 0
-
+	if db.preimages != nil {
+		db.preimages, db.preimagesSize = make(map[common.Hash][]byte), 0
+	}
 	memcacheCommitTimeTimer.Update(time.Since(start))
 	memcacheCommitSizeMeter.Mark(int64(storage - db.dirtiesSize))
 	memcacheCommitNodesMeter.Mark(int64(nodes - len(db.dirties)))
diff --git a/trie/secure_trie.go b/trie/secure_trie.go
index c44c5f3eabe2..84191632c8be 100644
--- a/trie/secure_trie.go
+++ b/trie/secure_trie.go
@@ -141,12 +141,13 @@ func (t *SecureTrie) GetKey(shaKey []byte) []byte {
 func (t *SecureTrie) Commit(onleaf LeafCallback) (root common.Hash, err error) {
 	// Write all the pre-images to the actual disk database
 	if len(t.getSecKeyCache()) > 0 {
-		t.trie.Db.Lock.Lock()
-		for hk, key := range t.secKeyCache {
-			t.trie.Db.InsertPreimage(common.BytesToHash([]byte(hk)), key)
+		if t.trie.Db.preimages != nil { // Ugly direct check but avoids the below write lock
+			t.trie.Db.Lock.Lock()
+			for hk, key := range t.secKeyCache {
+				t.trie.Db.InsertPreimage(common.BytesToHash([]byte(hk)), key)
+			}
+			t.trie.Db.Lock.Unlock()
 		}
-		t.trie.Db.Lock.Unlock()
-
 		t.secKeyCache = make(map[string][]byte)
 	}
 	// Commit the trie to its intermediate Node database