diff --git a/redis.conf b/redis.conf
index 4760f291..2b4b6479 100644
--- a/redis.conf
+++ b/redis.conf
@@ -93,6 +93,21 @@ save 900 1
 save 300 10
 save 60 10000
 
+# By default Redis will stop accepting writes if RDB snapshots are enabled
+# (at least one save point) and the latest background save failed.
+# This will make the user aware (in an hard way) that data is not persisting
+# on disk properly, otherwise chances are that no one will notice and some
+# distater will happen.
+#
+# If the background saving process will start working again Redis will
+# automatically allow writes again.
+#
+# However if you have setup your proper monitoring of the Redis server
+# and persistence, you may want to disable this feature so that Redis will
+# continue to work as usually even if there are problems with disk,
+# permissions, and so forth.
+stop-writes-on-bgsave-error yes
+
 # Compress string objects using LZF when dump .rdb databases?
 # For default that's set to 'yes' as it's almost always a win.
 # If you want to save some CPU in the saving child set it to 'no' but
diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 9d28d678..6befca8f 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -336,6 +336,11 @@ void loadServerConfigFromString(char *config) {
             server.client_obuf_limits[class].hard_limit_bytes = hard;
             server.client_obuf_limits[class].soft_limit_bytes = soft;
             server.client_obuf_limits[class].soft_limit_seconds = soft_seconds;
+        } else if (!strcasecmp(argv[0],"stop-writes-on-bgsave-error") &&
+                   argc == 2) {
+            if ((server.stop_writes_on_bgsave_err = yesnotoi(argv[1])) == -1) {
+                err = "argument must be 'yes' or 'no'"; goto loaderr;
+            }
         } else {
             err = "Bad directive or wrong number of arguments"; goto loaderr;
         }
@@ -604,7 +609,11 @@ void configSetCommand(redisClient *c) {
             server.client_obuf_limits[class].soft_limit_seconds = soft_seconds;
         }
         sdsfreesplitres(v,vlen);
+    } else if (!strcasecmp(c->argv[2]->ptr,"stop-writes-on-bgsave-error")) {
+        int yn = yesnotoi(o->ptr);
 
+        if (yn == -1) goto badfmt;
+        server.stop_writes_on_bgsave_err = yn;
     } else {
         addReplyErrorFormat(c,"Unsupported CONFIG parameter: %s",
             (char*)c->argv[2]->ptr);
@@ -822,6 +831,11 @@ void configGetCommand(redisClient *c) {
         sdsfree(buf);
         matches++;
     }
+    if (stringmatch(pattern,"stop-writes-on-bgsave-error",0)) {
+        addReplyBulkCString(c,"stop-writes-on-bgsave-error");
+        addReplyBulkCString(c,server.stop_writes_on_bgsave_err ? "yes" : "no");
+        matches++;
+    }
     setDeferredMultiBulkLength(c,replylen,matches*2);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/redis.c b/src/redis.c
index 3dfef024..01ec0531 100644
--- a/src/redis.c
+++ b/src/redis.c
@@ -1091,6 +1091,7 @@ void initServer() {
     server.stat_rejected_conn = 0;
     server.unixtime = time(NULL);
     server.lastbgsave_status = REDIS_OK;
+    server.stop_writes_on_bgsave_err = 1;
     aeCreateTimeEvent(server.el, 1, serverCron, NULL, NULL);
     if (server.ipfd > 0 && aeCreateFileEvent(server.el,server.ipfd,AE_READABLE,
         acceptTcpHandler,NULL) == AE_ERR) oom("creating file event");
@@ -1378,7 +1379,9 @@ int processCommand(redisClient *c) {
     }
 
     /* Don't accept write commands if there are problems persisting on disk. */
-    if (server.saveparamslen > 0 && server.lastbgsave_status == REDIS_ERR &&
+    if (server.stop_writes_on_bgsave_err &&
+        server.saveparamslen > 0
+        && server.lastbgsave_status == REDIS_ERR &&
         c->cmd->flags & REDIS_CMD_WRITE)
     {
         addReply(c, shared.bgsaveerr);
diff --git a/src/redis.h b/src/redis.h
index daaf362f..fdf7f08d 100644
--- a/src/redis.h
+++ b/src/redis.h
@@ -637,6 +637,7 @@ struct redisServer {
     int rdb_compression;            /* Use compression in RDB? */
     time_t lastsave;                /* Unix time of last save succeeede */
     int lastbgsave_status;          /* REDIS_OK or REDIS_ERR */
+    int stop_writes_on_bgsave_err;  /* Don't allow writes if can't BGSAVE */
     /* Propagation of commands in AOF / replication */
     redisOpArray also_propagate;    /* Additional command to propagate. */
     /* Logging */