diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 22583bd6e86..13f75670c84 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 - `lotus send` now supports `--csv` option for sending multiple transactions. ([filecoin-project/lotus#12892](https://github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/pull/12892))
 - chore: upgrade to the latest go-f3 and allow F3 chain exchange topics ([filecoin-project/lotus#12893](https://github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/pull/12893)
 - chore: upgrade to a minimum Golang version of `1.23.6` ([filecoin-project/lotus#12910](https://github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/pull/12910)
+- feat: add a  `LOTUS_DISABLE_F3_ACTIVATION` enviroment variable allowing disabling F3 activation for a specific contract address or epoch ([filecoin-project/lotus#12920](https://github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/pull/12920)). The `LOTUS_DISABLE_F3` env-var has been renamed to `LOTUS_DISABLE_F3_SUBSYSTEM` to distinguish it from the other F3-related environment variables: `LOTUS_DISABLE_F3_PASSIVE_TESTING` and `LOTUS_DISABLE_F3_ACTIVATION`.
 - feat: add `GenesisTimestamp` field to `StateGetNetworkParams` response ([filecoin-project/lotus#12925](https://github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/pull/12925))
 
 # UNRELEASED v.1.32.0
diff --git a/build/params_shared_funcs.go b/build/params_shared_funcs.go
index 8fe0ee07e36..2c4615033b4 100644
--- a/build/params_shared_funcs.go
+++ b/build/params_shared_funcs.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package build
 
 import (
 	"os"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/protocol"
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ var SetAddressNetwork = buildconstants.SetAddressNetwork
 var MustParseAddress = buildconstants.MustParseAddress
 
 func IsF3Enabled() bool {
-	const F3DisableEnvKey = "LOTUS_DISABLE_F3"
+	const F3DisableEnvKey = "LOTUS_DISABLE_F3_SUBSYSTEM"
 	if !buildconstants.F3Enabled {
 		// Build constant takes precedence over environment variable.
 		return false
@@ -65,3 +66,63 @@ func IsF3PassiveTestingEnabled() bool {
 		return false
 	}
 }
+
+func parseF3DisableActivationEnv() (contractAddrs []string, epochs []int64) {
+	const F3DisableActivation = "LOTUS_DISABLE_F3_ACTIVATION"
+
+	v, envVarSet := os.LookupEnv(F3DisableActivation)
+	if !envVarSet || strings.TrimSpace(v) == "" {
+		// Environment variable is not set or empty, activation is not disabled
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Parse the variable which can be in format "contract:addrs" or "epoch:epochnumber" or both
+	parts := strings.Split(v, ",")
+	for _, part := range parts {
+		kv := strings.SplitN(part, ":", 2)
+		if len(kv) != 2 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		key := strings.TrimSpace(strings.ToLower(kv[0]))
+		value := strings.TrimSpace(kv[1])
+
+		switch key {
+		case "contract":
+			// If contract address matches, disable activation
+			contractAddrs = append(contractAddrs, value)
+		case "epoch":
+			parsedEpoch, err := strconv.ParseInt(value, 10, 64)
+			if err == nil {
+				epochs = append(epochs, parsedEpoch)
+			} else {
+				log.Warnf("error parsing %s env variable, cannot parse epoch", F3DisableActivation)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return contractAddrs, epochs
+}
+
+// IsF3EpochActivationDisabled checks if F3 activation is disabled for the given
+// epoch number based on environment variable configuration.
+func IsF3EpochActivationDisabled(epoch int64) bool {
+	_, epochs := parseF3DisableActivationEnv()
+	for _, e := range epochs {
+		if e == epoch {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// IsF3ContractActivationDisabled checks if F3 activation is disabled for the given contract address
+// based on environment variable configuration.
+func IsF3ContractActivationDisabled(contract string) bool {
+	contracts, _ := parseF3DisableActivationEnv()
+	for _, c := range contracts {
+		if c == contract {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/chain/lf3/manifest.go b/chain/lf3/manifest.go
index 06154604249..ac1f2b8bb41 100644
--- a/chain/lf3/manifest.go
+++ b/chain/lf3/manifest.go
@@ -51,13 +51,29 @@ var MaxDynamicManifestChangesAllowed = 1000
 
 func NewManifestProvider(mctx helpers.MetricsCtx, config *Config, cs *store.ChainStore, ps *pubsub.PubSub, mds dtypes.MetadataDS, stateCaller StateCaller) (prov manifest.ManifestProvider, err error) {
 	var primaryManifest manifest.ManifestProvider
-	if config.StaticManifest != nil {
-		log.Infof("using static maniest as primary")
+
+	// Check if static manifest activation is disabled
+	staticDisabled := false
+	if config.StaticManifest != nil && build.IsF3EpochActivationDisabled(config.StaticManifest.BootstrapEpoch) {
+		log.Warnf("F3 activation disabled by environment configuration for bootstrap epoch %d", config.StaticManifest.BootstrapEpoch)
+		staticDisabled = true
+	}
+
+	// Check if contract manifest activation is disabled
+	contractDisabled := false
+	if config.ContractAddress != "" && build.IsF3ContractActivationDisabled(config.ContractAddress) {
+		log.Warnf("F3 activation disabled by environment configuration for contract %s", config.ContractAddress)
+		contractDisabled = true
+	}
+
+	if config.StaticManifest != nil && !staticDisabled {
+		log.Infof("using static manifest as primary")
 		primaryManifest, err = manifest.NewStaticManifestProvider(config.StaticManifest)
-	} else if config.ContractAddress != "" {
-		log.Infow("using contract maniest as primary", "address", config.ContractAddress)
+	} else if config.ContractAddress != "" && !contractDisabled {
+		log.Infow("using contract manifest as primary", "address", config.ContractAddress)
 		primaryManifest, err = NewContractManifestProvider(mctx, config, stateCaller)
 	}
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating primary manifest: %w", err)
 	}