diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 62ad051feef..3bfe91a065a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ release.
 
 ### Context
 
-- Added `OTEL_EXPORTER_JAEGER_TIMEOUT` environment variable. ([#1612](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1612))
-- Added `OTEL_EXPORTER_ZIPKIN_TIMEOUT` environment variable. ([#1636](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1636))
+- Add `OTEL_EXPORTER_JAEGER_TIMEOUT` environment variable. ([#1612](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1612))
+- Add `OTEL_EXPORTER_ZIPKIN_TIMEOUT` environment variable. ([#1636](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1636))
 
 ### Traces
 
@@ -26,10 +26,11 @@ release.
 
 ### Semantic Conventions
 
-- Fix the inconsistent formatting of semantic convention enums ([#1598](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1598/))
-- Add details for filling resource for AWS Lambda([#1610](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1610))
+- Fix the inconsistent formatting of semantic convention enums. ([#1598](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1598/))
+- Add details for filling resource for AWS Lambda. ([#1610](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1610))
 - Add already specified `messaging.rabbitmq.routing_key` span attribute key to the respective YAML file.
-- Clarify usage of "otel." attribute namespace ([#1640](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1640)).
+- Clarify usage of "otel." attribute namespace. ([#1640](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1640))
+- Add possibility to disable `db.statement` via instrumentation configuration. ([#1659](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1659))
 
 ### Compatibility
 
diff --git a/semantic_conventions/trace/database.yaml b/semantic_conventions/trace/database.yaml
index 830f8c25e42..220500fac69 100644
--- a/semantic_conventions/trace/database.yaml
+++ b/semantic_conventions/trace/database.yaml
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ groups:
           type: string
           required:
             conditional: >
-              Required if applicable.
+              Required if applicable and not explicitly disabled via instrumentation configuration.
           brief: >
             The database statement being executed.
           note: The value may be sanitized to exclude sensitive information.
diff --git a/specification/trace/semantic_conventions/database.md b/specification/trace/semantic_conventions/database.md
index fabd4e5e79f..234797ffeb7 100644
--- a/specification/trace/semantic_conventions/database.md
+++ b/specification/trace/semantic_conventions/database.md
@@ -146,8 +146,8 @@ Usually only one `db.name` will be used per connection though.
 | Attribute  | Type | Description  | Examples  | Required |
 |---|---|---|---|---|
 | `db.name` | string | If no [tech-specific attribute](#call-level-attributes-for-specific-technologies) is defined, this attribute is used to report the name of the database being accessed. For commands that switch the database, this should be set to the target database (even if the command fails). [1] | `customers`; `main` | Conditional [2] |
-| `db.statement` | string | The database statement being executed. [3] | `SELECT * FROM wuser_table`; `SET mykey "WuValue"` | Required if applicable. |
-| `db.operation` | string | The name of the operation being executed, e.g. the [MongoDB command name](https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/reference/command/#database-operations) such as `findAndModify`, or the SQL keyword. [4] | `findAndModify`; `HMSET`; `SELECT` | Required, if `db.statement` is not applicable. |
+| `db.statement` | string | The database statement being executed. [3] | `SELECT * FROM wuser_table`; `SET mykey "WuValue"` | Conditional [4] |
+| `db.operation` | string | The name of the operation being executed, e.g. the [MongoDB command name](https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/reference/command/#database-operations) such as `findAndModify`, or the SQL keyword. [5] | `findAndModify`; `HMSET`; `SELECT` | Required, if `db.statement` is not applicable. |
 
 **[1]:** In some SQL databases, the database name to be used is called "schema name".
 
@@ -155,7 +155,9 @@ Usually only one `db.name` will be used per connection though.
 
 **[3]:** The value may be sanitized to exclude sensitive information.
 
-**[4]:** When setting this to an SQL keyword, it is not recommended to attempt any client-side parsing of `db.statement` just to get this property, but it should be set if the operation name is provided by the library being instrumented. If the SQL statement has an ambiguous operation, or performs more than one operation, this value may be omitted.
+**[4]:** Required if applicable and not explicitly disabled via instrumentation configuration.
+
+**[5]:** When setting this to an SQL keyword, it is not recommended to attempt any client-side parsing of `db.statement` just to get this property, but it should be set if the operation name is provided by the library being instrumented. If the SQL statement has an ambiguous operation, or performs more than one operation, this value may be omitted.
 <!-- endsemconv -->
 
 For **Redis**, the value provided for `db.statement` SHOULD correspond to the syntax of the Redis CLI.