diff --git a/apps/segmentrouting/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/segmentrouting/SegmentRoutingManager.java b/apps/segmentrouting/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/segmentrouting/SegmentRoutingManager.java
index 52ca18e..2417231 100644
--- a/apps/segmentrouting/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/segmentrouting/SegmentRoutingManager.java
+++ b/apps/segmentrouting/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/segmentrouting/SegmentRoutingManager.java
@@ -239,6 +239,10 @@
                     + "when all uplinks are gone")
     boolean singleHomedDown = false;
 
+    @Property(name = "respondToUnknownHosts", boolValue = true,
+            label = "Enable this to respond to ARP/NDP requests from unknown hosts.")
+    boolean respondToUnknownHosts = true;
+
     ArpHandler arpHandler = null;
     IcmpHandler icmpHandler = null;
     IpHandler ipHandler = null;
@@ -589,8 +593,8 @@
             return;
         }
 
-        String strActiveProving = Tools.get(properties, "activeProbing");
-        boolean expectActiveProbing = Boolean.parseBoolean(strActiveProving);
+        String strActiveProbing = Tools.get(properties, "activeProbing");
+        boolean expectActiveProbing = Boolean.parseBoolean(strActiveProbing);
         if (expectActiveProbing != activeProbing) {
             activeProbing = expectActiveProbing;
             log.info("{} active probing", activeProbing ? "Enabling" : "Disabling");
@@ -614,6 +618,13 @@
                         + "downed ports for single-homed hosts");
             }
         }
+
+        String strRespondToUnknownHosts = Tools.get(properties, "respondToUnknownHosts");
+        boolean expectRespondToUnknownHosts = Boolean.parseBoolean(strRespondToUnknownHosts);
+        if (expectRespondToUnknownHosts != respondToUnknownHosts) {
+            respondToUnknownHosts = expectRespondToUnknownHosts;
+            log.info("{} responding to ARPs/NDPs from unknown hosts", respondToUnknownHosts ? "Enabling" : "Disabling");
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/apps/segmentrouting/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/segmentrouting/SegmentRoutingNeighbourHandler.java b/apps/segmentrouting/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/segmentrouting/SegmentRoutingNeighbourHandler.java
index 5752bfa..200a190 100644
--- a/apps/segmentrouting/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/segmentrouting/SegmentRoutingNeighbourHandler.java
+++ b/apps/segmentrouting/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/segmentrouting/SegmentRoutingNeighbourHandler.java
@@ -107,6 +107,15 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Reads the boolean configuration for responding to unknown hosts.
+     *
+     * @return respondToUnknownHosts boolean.
+     */
+    protected boolean respondToUnknownHosts() {
+        return srManager.respondToUnknownHosts;
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Utility to send a ND reply using the supplied information.
      *
      * @param pkt the request
@@ -114,14 +123,17 @@
      * @param hostService the host service
      */
     protected void sendResponse(NeighbourMessageContext pkt, MacAddress targetMac, HostService hostService) {
-        short vlanId = pkt.packet().getQinQVID();
-        HostId dstId = HostId.hostId(pkt.srcMac(), vlanId == Ethernet.VLAN_UNTAGGED
-                ? pkt.vlan() : VlanId.vlanId(vlanId));
-        Host dst = hostService.getHost(dstId);
-        if (dst == null) {
-            log.warn("Cannot send {} response to host {} - does not exist in the store",
-                     pkt.protocol(), dstId);
-            return;
+        // if this is false, check if host exists in the store
+        if (!respondToUnknownHosts()) {
+            short vlanId = pkt.packet().getQinQVID();
+            HostId dstId = HostId.hostId(pkt.srcMac(), vlanId == Ethernet.VLAN_UNTAGGED
+                    ? pkt.vlan() : VlanId.vlanId(vlanId));
+            Host dst = hostService.getHost(dstId);
+            if (dst == null) {
+                log.warn("Cannot send {} response to host {} - does not exist in the store",
+                         pkt.protocol(), dstId);
+                return;
+            }
         }
         pkt.reply(targetMac);
     }