diff --git a/infra/README.md b/infra/README.md
index 3feacc892..bfe72a717 100644
--- a/infra/README.md
+++ b/infra/README.md
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ Functional examples are included in the
 |------|-------------|------|---------|:--------:|
 | deployment\_name | Identifier for the deployment. Used in some resource names. | `string` | `"dev-journey"` | no |
 | enable\_apis | Whether or not to enable underlying apis in this solution. | `bool` | `true` | no |
+| init\_firestore | Whether or not to initialize a Firestore instance. | `bool` | `true` | no |
 | initial\_run\_image | Initial image to deploy to Cloud Run service. | `string` | `"gcr.io/hsa-public/developer-journey/app"` | no |
 | labels | A set of key/value label pairs to assign to the resources deployed by this solution. | `map(string)` | `{}` | no |
 | project\_id | The project ID to deploy resources to. | `string` | n/a | yes |
diff --git a/infra/main.tf b/infra/main.tf
index 87eeb04d0..d509979d3 100644
--- a/infra/main.tf
+++ b/infra/main.tf
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ data "google_cloud_asset_resources_search_all" "firestore_database" {
 
 # If a Firestore database exists on the project, Terraform will skip this resource
 resource "google_firestore_database" "database" {
-  count                       = local.firestore_enabled ? 0 : 1
+  count                       = var.init_firestore && !local.firestore_enabled ? 1 : 0
   project                     = var.project_id
   name                        = "(default)"
   location_id                 = "nam5"
diff --git a/infra/metadata.display.yaml b/infra/metadata.display.yaml
index 6ded1ca3e..bb092135b 100644
--- a/infra/metadata.display.yaml
+++ b/infra/metadata.display.yaml
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ spec:
         enable_apis:
           name: enable_apis
           title: Enable Apis
+        init_firestore:
+          name: init_firestore
+          title: Init Firestore
         initial_run_image:
           name: initial_run_image
           title: Initial Run Image
diff --git a/infra/metadata.yaml b/infra/metadata.yaml
index 3d90ef3e9..bba188a9d 100644
--- a/infra/metadata.yaml
+++ b/infra/metadata.yaml
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ spec:
       description: Whether or not to enable underlying apis in this solution.
       varType: bool
       defaultValue: true
+    - name: init_firestore
+      description: Whether or not to initialize a Firestore instance.
+      varType: bool
+      defaultValue: true
     - name: initial_run_image
       description: Initial image to deploy to Cloud Run service.
       varType: string
diff --git a/infra/variables.tf b/infra/variables.tf
index 15a7ac068..46e66d656 100644
--- a/infra/variables.tf
+++ b/infra/variables.tf
@@ -48,3 +48,9 @@ variable "region" {
   default     = "us-central1"
   description = "Google Cloud region"
 }
+
+variable "init_firestore" {
+  type        = bool
+  description = "Whether or not to initialize a Firestore instance."
+  default     = true
+}