diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b08a472..d431279 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ Cardano node configuration:
 - `CARDANO_NETWORK` - Use a named Cardano network (default: mainnet)
 - `CARDANO_NODE_NETWORK_MAGIC` - Cardano network magic (default: automatically
     determined from named network)
+- `CARDANO_NODE_SKIP_CHECK` - Skip the connection test to Cardano Node on start
+    (default: false)
 - `CARDANO_NODE_SOCKET_PATH` - Socket path to Cardano node NtC via UNIX socket
     (default: /node-ipc/node.socket)
 - `CARDANO_NODE_SOCKET_TCP_HOST` - Address to Cardano node NtC via TCP
diff --git a/cmd/cardano-node-api/main.go b/cmd/cardano-node-api/main.go
index ca35380..3610488 100644
--- a/cmd/cardano-node-api/main.go
+++ b/cmd/cardano-node-api/main.go
@@ -64,10 +64,14 @@ func main() {
 	}()
 
 	// Test node connection
-	if oConn, err := node.GetConnection(nil); err != nil {
-		logger.Fatalf("failed to connect to node: %s", err)
+	if cfg.Node.SkipCheck {
+		logger.Debugf("skipping node check")
 	} else {
-		oConn.Close()
+		if oConn, err := node.GetConnection(nil); err != nil {
+			logger.Fatalf("failed to connect to node: %s", err)
+		} else {
+			oConn.Close()
+		}
 	}
 
 	logger.Infof(
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 03a214b..88cc33f 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ type NodeConfig struct {
 	Address      string `yaml:"address"      envconfig:"CARDANO_NODE_SOCKET_TCP_HOST"`
 	Port         uint   `yaml:"port"         envconfig:"CARDANO_NODE_SOCKET_TCP_PORT"`
 	QueryTimeout uint   `yaml:"queryTimeout" envconfig:"CARDANO_NODE_SOCKET_QUERY_TIMEOUT"`
+	SkipCheck    bool   `yaml:"skipCheck"    envconfig:"CARDANO_NODE_SKIP_CHECK"`
 	SocketPath   string `yaml:"socketPath"   envconfig:"CARDANO_NODE_SOCKET_PATH"`
 	Timeout      uint   `yaml:"timeout"      envconfig:"CARDANO_NODE_SOCKET_TIMEOUT"`
 }