diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 93913ac7..f756545c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -240,6 +240,31 @@ cookie) or requestPayload don't match the request.
 
 The context object `c` gets a `validation` property with the [validation result](https://github.com/openapistack/openapi-backend/blob/main/DOCS.md#validationresult-object).
 
+### Controlling when requests get validated
+
+Request validation is enabled by default. Pass `validate: false` to turn it off entirely, which also skips building the
+Ajv validators at startup.
+
+```javascript
+const api = new OpenAPIBackend({ definition: './petstore.yml', validate: false });
+```
+
+You can also pass a predicate to decide per request. It receives the context object followed by the same handler
+arguments you pass to `handleRequest`, and validation runs only when it returns `true`.
+
+```javascript
+const api = new OpenAPIBackend({
+  definition: './petstore.yml',
+  // skip validation for internal traffic, validate everything else
+  validate: (c, req, res) => !req.headers['x-internal-request'],
+});
+
+api.handleRequest(req, req, res);
+```
+
+Note that type coercion happens as part of validation, so when `coerceTypes` is enabled, requests your predicate skips
+won't have their path and query parameters coerced either.
+
 ## Response validation
 
 OpenAPIBackend doesn't automatically perform response validation for your handlers, but you can register a
diff --git a/src/backend.test.ts b/src/backend.test.ts
index 8893b380..407108fe 100644
--- a/src/backend.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend.test.ts
@@ -734,6 +734,69 @@ describe('OpenAPIBackend', () => {
         expect(operationHandler).not.toBeCalled();
         expect(res).toBe('validation-failed');
       });
+
+      test('validates requests by default', async () => {
+        const api = new OpenAPIBackend({ definition: validationDefinition });
+        const operationHandler = jest.fn(() => 'operation-response');
+        const validationFailHandler = jest.fn(() => 'validation-failed');
+        api.register('getPetById', operationHandler);
+        api.register('validationFail', validationFailHandler);
+        await api.init();
+
+        const request = {
+          method: 'get',
+          path: '/pets/not-an-integer',
+          headers: {},
+        };
+        const res = await api.handleRequest(request);
+
+        expect(validationFailHandler).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(operationHandler).not.toBeCalled();
+        expect(res).toBe('validation-failed');
+      });
+
+      test('validates requests when validate is explicitly undefined', async () => {
+        const api = new OpenAPIBackend({ definition: validationDefinition, validate: undefined });
+        const operationHandler = jest.fn(() => 'operation-response');
+        const validationFailHandler = jest.fn(() => 'validation-failed');
+        api.register('getPetById', operationHandler);
+        api.register('validationFail', validationFailHandler);
+        await api.init();
+
+        const request = {
+          method: 'get',
+          path: '/pets/not-an-integer',
+          headers: {},
+        };
+        const res = await api.handleRequest(request);
+
+        expect(validationFailHandler).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(operationHandler).not.toBeCalled();
+        expect(res).toBe('validation-failed');
+      });
+
+      test('skips validation and validator init when validate is false', async () => {
+        const api = new OpenAPIBackend({ definition: validationDefinition, validate: false });
+        const operationHandler = jest.fn(() => 'operation-response');
+        const validationFailHandler = jest.fn(() => 'validation-failed');
+        api.register('getPetById', operationHandler);
+        api.register('validationFail', validationFailHandler);
+        await api.init();
+
+        // no Ajv validators are built when validation is disabled
+        expect(api.validator).toBeUndefined();
+
+        const request = {
+          method: 'get',
+          path: '/pets/not-an-integer',
+          headers: {},
+        };
+        const res = await api.handleRequest(request);
+
+        expect(validationFailHandler).not.toBeCalled();
+        expect(operationHandler).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(res).toBe('operation-response');
+      });
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/src/backend.ts b/src/backend.ts
index 33b161e6..6533b5f7 100644
--- a/src/backend.ts
+++ b/src/backend.ts
@@ -163,10 +163,12 @@ export class OpenAPIBackend<D extends Document = Document> {
    * @param {string} opts.apiRoot - the root URI of the api. all paths are matched relative to apiRoot
    * @param {boolean} opts.strict - strict mode, throw errors or warn on OpenAPI spec validation errors (default: false)
    * @param {boolean} opts.quick - quick startup, attempts to optimise startup; might break things (default: false)
-   * @param {boolean | ContextPredicate} opts.validate - whether to validate requests with Ajv (default: true)
+   * @param {boolean | ContextPredicate} opts.validate - whether to validate requests with Ajv, or a predicate called per
+   * request to decide (default: true)
    * @param {boolean} opts.ignoreTrailingSlashes - whether to ignore trailing slashes when routing (default: true)
    * @param {boolean} opts.ajvOpts - default ajv opts to pass to the validator
-   * @param {boolean} opts.coerceTypes - enable coerce typing of request path and query parameters. Requires validate to be enabled. (default: false)
+   * @param {boolean} opts.coerceTypes - enable coerce typing of request path and query parameters. Coercion happens as
+   * part of validation, so it only applies to requests that get validated. (default: false)
    * @param {{ [operationId: string]: Handler | ErrorHandler }} opts.handlers - Operation handlers to be registered
    * @memberof OpenAPIBackend
    */