diff --git a/backend/windmill-api/src/workspaces.rs b/backend/windmill-api/src/workspaces.rs
index 217d48dc7d..9fbba5cc48 100644
--- a/backend/windmill-api/src/workspaces.rs
+++ b/backend/windmill-api/src/workspaces.rs
@@ -2345,6 +2345,13 @@ lazy_static::lazy_static! {
         }
     };
 
+    pub static ref DISABLE_WORKSPACE_FORK: bool = {
+        match std::env::var("DISABLE_WORKSPACE_FORK") {
+            Ok(val) => val == "true",
+            Err(_) => false,
+        }
+    };
+
 }
 
 async fn create_workspace_require_superadmin() -> String {
@@ -3059,6 +3066,10 @@ async fn create_workspace_fork_branch(
         )));
     }
 
+    if *DISABLE_WORKSPACE_FORK {
+        require_super_admin(&db, &authed.email).await?;
+    }
+
     Ok(Json(
         handle_fork_branch_creation(&authed.email, &authed.username, &db, &w_id, &nw.id).await?,
     ))
@@ -3076,6 +3087,10 @@ async fn create_workspace_fork(
         )));
     }
 
+    if *DISABLE_WORKSPACE_FORK {
+        require_super_admin(&db, &authed.email).await?;
+    }
+
     let mut tx: Transaction<'_, Postgres> = db.begin().await?;
 
     // Generate unique forked workspace ID with wm-fork prefix