diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/config.c b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/config.c
index 37bc1c389b..da6a7db39f 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/config.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/config.c
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 
 #include "back-bdb.h"
 
+#define	SLAP_BDB_ALLOW_DBNOTXN
+
 int
 bdb_db_config(
 	BackendDB	*be,
@@ -42,10 +44,11 @@ bdb_db_config(
 		}
 		bdb->bi_dbenv_home = ch_strdup( argv[1] );
 
+#ifdef SLAP_BDB_ALLOW_DBNOTXN
 	/* turn off transactions, use CDB mode instead */
 	} else if ( strcasecmp( argv[0], "dbnotxn" ) == 0 ) {
 		bdb->bi_txn = 0;
-
+#endif
 	/* transaction checkpoint configuration */
 	} else if ( strcasecmp( argv[0], "dbnosync" ) == 0 ) {
 		bdb->bi_dbenv_xflags |= DB_TXN_NOSYNC;