diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 3a52ca96..89f3fa89 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -242,6 +242,8 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	KeysendHoldTime time.Duration `long:"keysend-hold-time" description:"If non-zero, keysend payments are accepted but not immediately settled. If the payment isn't settled manually after the specified time, it is canceled automatically. [experimental]"`
 
+	GcCanceledInvoicesOnStartup bool `long:"gc-canceled-invoices-on-startup" description:"If true, we'll attempt to garbage collect canceled invoices upon start."`
+
 	Routing *routing.Conf `group:"routing" namespace:"routing"`
 
 	Workers *lncfg.Workers `group:"workers" namespace:"workers"`
diff --git a/invoices/invoiceregistry.go b/invoices/invoiceregistry.go
index e53d7da8..bc40168a 100644
--- a/invoices/invoiceregistry.go
+++ b/invoices/invoiceregistry.go
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ type RegistryConfig struct {
 	// send payments.
 	AcceptKeySend bool
 
+	// GcCanceledInvoicesOnStartup if set, we'll attempt to garbage collect
+	// all canceled invoices upon start.
+	GcCanceledInvoicesOnStartup bool
+
 	// KeysendHoldTime indicates for how long we want to accept and hold
 	// spontaneous keysend payments.
 	KeysendHoldTime time.Duration
@@ -171,7 +175,9 @@ func (i *InvoiceRegistry) scanInvoicesOnStart() error {
 
 		if invoice.IsPending() {
 			pending[paymentHash] = invoice
-		} else if invoice.State == channeldb.ContractCanceled {
+		} else if i.cfg.GcCanceledInvoicesOnStartup &&
+			invoice.State == channeldb.ContractCanceled {
+
 			// Consider invoice for removal if it is already
 			// canceled. Invoices that are expired but not yet
 			// canceled, will be queued up for cancellation after
diff --git a/invoices/invoiceregistry_test.go b/invoices/invoiceregistry_test.go
index 0da260a2..6e5ca221 100644
--- a/invoices/invoiceregistry_test.go
+++ b/invoices/invoiceregistry_test.go
@@ -1091,8 +1091,9 @@ func TestOldInvoiceRemovalOnStart(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	cfg := RegistryConfig{
-		FinalCltvRejectDelta: testFinalCltvRejectDelta,
-		Clock:                testClock,
+		FinalCltvRejectDelta:        testFinalCltvRejectDelta,
+		Clock:                       testClock,
+		GcCanceledInvoicesOnStartup: true,
 	}
 
 	expiryWatcher := NewInvoiceExpiryWatcher(cfg.Clock)
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index fe711cec..d3de88ef 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -396,11 +396,12 @@ func newServer(cfg *Config, listenAddrs []net.Addr, chanDB *channeldb.DB,
 	}
 
 	registryConfig := invoices.RegistryConfig{
-		FinalCltvRejectDelta: lncfg.DefaultFinalCltvRejectDelta,
-		HtlcHoldDuration:     invoices.DefaultHtlcHoldDuration,
-		Clock:                clock.NewDefaultClock(),
-		AcceptKeySend:        cfg.AcceptKeySend,
-		KeysendHoldTime:      cfg.KeysendHoldTime,
+		FinalCltvRejectDelta:        lncfg.DefaultFinalCltvRejectDelta,
+		HtlcHoldDuration:            invoices.DefaultHtlcHoldDuration,
+		Clock:                       clock.NewDefaultClock(),
+		AcceptKeySend:               cfg.AcceptKeySend,
+		GcCanceledInvoicesOnStartup: cfg.GcCanceledInvoicesOnStartup,
+		KeysendHoldTime:             cfg.KeysendHoldTime,
 	}
 
 	s := &server{