diff --git a/pkg/context/context.go b/pkg/context/context.go
index fb8de528..b15a6b66 100644
--- a/pkg/context/context.go
+++ b/pkg/context/context.go
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ type Context struct {
 	PathOverrides        option.PathOverrides
 	snapshotUnpackedPath string
 	alert                option.Alerter
-	err                  error
+	Err                  error
+	DisableNodeCaches    bool
+	DisableNodeAreas     bool
+	DisableNodeDistances bool
 }
 
 // WithContext returns an option.Option that contains a pre-existing Context
@@ -83,12 +86,18 @@ func New(opts ...*option.Option) *Context {
 		ctx.PathOverrides = merged.PathOverrides
 	}
 
+	if merged.TopologyOptions != nil {
+		ctx.DisableNodeCaches = merged.TopologyOptions.DisableNodeCaches
+		ctx.DisableNodeAreas = merged.TopologyOptions.DisableNodeAreas
+		ctx.DisableNodeDistances = merged.TopologyOptions.DisableNodeDistances
+	}
+
 	// New is not allowed to return error - it would break the established API.
 	// so the only way out is to actually do the checks here and record the error,
 	// and return it later, at the earliest possible occasion, in Setup()
 	if ctx.SnapshotPath != "" && ctx.Chroot != option.DefaultChroot {
 		// The env/client code supplied a value, but we are will overwrite it when unpacking shapshots!
-		ctx.err = fmt.Errorf("Conflicting options: chroot %q and snapshot path %q", ctx.Chroot, ctx.SnapshotPath)
+		ctx.Err = fmt.Errorf("Conflicting options: chroot %q and snapshot path %q", ctx.Chroot, ctx.SnapshotPath)
 	}
 	return ctx
 }
@@ -102,11 +111,14 @@ func FromEnv() *Context {
 	snapRootVal := option.EnvOrDefaultSnapshotRoot()
 	snapExclusiveVal := option.EnvOrDefaultSnapshotExclusive()
 	return &Context{
-		Chroot:            chrootVal,
-		EnableTools:       enableTools,
-		SnapshotPath:      snapPathVal,
-		SnapshotRoot:      snapRootVal,
-		SnapshotExclusive: snapExclusiveVal,
+		Chroot:               chrootVal,
+		EnableTools:          enableTools,
+		SnapshotPath:         snapPathVal,
+		SnapshotRoot:         snapRootVal,
+		SnapshotExclusive:    snapExclusiveVal,
+		DisableNodeCaches:    option.EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeCaches(),
+		DisableNodeAreas:     option.EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeAreas(),
+		DisableNodeDistances: option.EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeDistances(),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -131,8 +143,8 @@ func (ctx *Context) Do(fn func() error) error {
 // You should call `Setup` just once. It is safe to call `Setup` if you don't make
 // use of optional extra features - `Setup` will do nothing.
 func (ctx *Context) Setup() error {
-	if ctx.err != nil {
-		return ctx.err
+	if ctx.Err != nil {
+		return ctx.Err
 	}
 	if ctx.SnapshotPath == "" {
 		// nothing to do!
diff --git a/pkg/memory/memory_cache_linux.go b/pkg/memory/memory_cache_linux.go
index 12258ea4..dc68e374 100644
--- a/pkg/memory/memory_cache_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/memory/memory_cache_linux.go
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 func CachesForNode(ctx *context.Context, nodeID int) ([]*Cache, error) {
+	if ctx.DisableNodeCaches {
+		ctx.Warn("Node caches disabled. Returning empty cache list.")
+		return nil, nil
+	}
 	// The /sys/devices/node/nodeX directory contains a subdirectory called
 	// 'cpuX' for each logical processor assigned to the node. Each of those
 	// subdirectories containers a 'cache' subdirectory which contains a number
diff --git a/pkg/memory/memory_linux.go b/pkg/memory/memory_linux.go
index d5a54101..d74ff414 100644
--- a/pkg/memory/memory_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/memory/memory_linux.go
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ func (i *Info) load() error {
 }
 
 func AreaForNode(ctx *context.Context, nodeID int) (*Area, error) {
+	if ctx.DisableNodeAreas {
+		ctx.Warn("Node areas disabled. Returning nil area.")
+		return nil, nil
+	}
 	paths := linuxpath.New(ctx)
 	path := filepath.Join(
 		paths.SysDevicesSystemNode,
diff --git a/pkg/option/option.go b/pkg/option/option.go
index 7ce14016..e2fb89f4 100644
--- a/pkg/option/option.go
+++ b/pkg/option/option.go
@@ -17,13 +17,16 @@ const (
 )
 
 const (
-	envKeyChroot            = "GHW_CHROOT"
-	envKeyDisableWarnings   = "GHW_DISABLE_WARNINGS"
-	envKeyDisableTools      = "GHW_DISABLE_TOOLS"
-	envKeySnapshotPath      = "GHW_SNAPSHOT_PATH"
-	envKeySnapshotRoot      = "GHW_SNAPSHOT_ROOT"
-	envKeySnapshotExclusive = "GHW_SNAPSHOT_EXCLUSIVE"
-	envKeySnapshotPreserve  = "GHW_SNAPSHOT_PRESERVE"
+	envKeyChroot               = "GHW_CHROOT"
+	envKeyDisableWarnings      = "GHW_DISABLE_WARNINGS"
+	envKeyDisableTools         = "GHW_DISABLE_TOOLS"
+	envKeySnapshotPath         = "GHW_SNAPSHOT_PATH"
+	envKeySnapshotRoot         = "GHW_SNAPSHOT_ROOT"
+	envKeySnapshotExclusive    = "GHW_SNAPSHOT_EXCLUSIVE"
+	envKeySnapshotPreserve     = "GHW_SNAPSHOT_PRESERVE"
+	envKeyDisableNodeCaches    = "GHW_DISABLE_NODE_CACHES"
+	envKeyDisableNodeAreas     = "GHW_DISABLE_NODE_AREAS"
+	envKeyDisableNodeDistances = "GHW_DISABLE_NODE_DISTANCES"
 )
 
 // Alerter emits warnings about undesirable but recoverable errors.
@@ -140,6 +143,9 @@ type Option struct {
 	// during a call to the `context.WithContext` function. Only used internally.
 	// This is an interface to get around recursive package import issues.
 	Context interface{}
+
+	// TopologyOptions contains options for handling of ghw topology
+	TopologyOptions *TopologyOptions
 }
 
 // SnapshotOptions contains options for handling of ghw snapshots
@@ -163,6 +169,16 @@ type SnapshotOptions struct {
 	Exclusive bool
 }
 
+// TopologyOptions contains options for handling of ghw topology
+type TopologyOptions struct {
+	// DisableNodeCaches disables the collection of node caches
+	DisableNodeCaches bool
+	// DisableNodeAreas disables the collection of node memory areas
+	DisableNodeAreas bool
+	// DisableNodeDistances disables the collection of node distances
+	DisableNodeDistances bool
+}
+
 // WithChroot allows to override the root directory ghw uses.
 func WithChroot(dir string) *Option {
 	return &Option{Chroot: &dir}
@@ -233,6 +249,9 @@ func Merge(opts ...*Option) *Option {
 		if opt.Context != nil {
 			merged.Context = opt.Context
 		}
+		if opt.TopologyOptions != nil {
+			merged.TopologyOptions = opt.TopologyOptions
+		}
 	}
 	// Set the default value if missing from mergeOpts
 	if merged.Chroot == nil {
@@ -254,5 +273,37 @@ func Merge(opts ...*Option) *Option {
 		enabled := EnvOrDefaultTools()
 		merged.EnableTools = &enabled
 	}
+	if merged.TopologyOptions == nil {
+		merged.TopologyOptions = &TopologyOptions{
+			DisableNodeCaches:    EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeCaches(),
+			DisableNodeAreas:     EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeAreas(),
+			DisableNodeDistances: EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeDistances(),
+		}
+	}
+
 	return merged
 }
+
+// EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeCaches ...
+func EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeCaches() bool {
+	if _, exists := os.LookupEnv(envKeyDisableNodeCaches); exists {
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeCaches ...
+func EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeAreas() bool {
+	if _, exists := os.LookupEnv(envKeyDisableNodeAreas); exists {
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeDistances ...
+func EnvOrDefaultDisableNodeDistances() bool {
+	if _, exists := os.LookupEnv(envKeyDisableNodeDistances); exists {
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/pkg/topology/topology_linux.go b/pkg/topology/topology_linux.go
index 9d8434cb..296348bb 100644
--- a/pkg/topology/topology_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/topology/topology_linux.go
@@ -46,18 +46,21 @@ func topologyNodes(ctx *context.Context) []*Node {
 		nodeID, err := strconv.Atoi(filename[4:])
 		if err != nil {
 			ctx.Warn("failed to determine node ID: %s\n", err)
+			ctx.Err = err
 			return nodes
 		}
 		node.ID = nodeID
 		cores, err := cpu.CoresForNode(ctx, nodeID)
 		if err != nil {
 			ctx.Warn("failed to determine cores for node: %s\n", err)
+			ctx.Err = err
 			return nodes
 		}
 		node.Cores = cores
 		caches, err := memory.CachesForNode(ctx, nodeID)
 		if err != nil {
 			ctx.Warn("failed to determine caches for node: %s\n", err)
+			ctx.Err = err
 			return nodes
 		}
 		node.Caches = caches
@@ -65,6 +68,7 @@ func topologyNodes(ctx *context.Context) []*Node {
 		distances, err := distancesForNode(ctx, nodeID)
 		if err != nil {
 			ctx.Warn("failed to determine node distances for node: %s\n", err)
+			ctx.Err = err
 			return nodes
 		}
 		node.Distances = distances
@@ -72,6 +76,7 @@ func topologyNodes(ctx *context.Context) []*Node {
 		area, err := memory.AreaForNode(ctx, nodeID)
 		if err != nil {
 			ctx.Warn("failed to determine memory area for node: %s\n", err)
+			ctx.Err = err
 			return nodes
 		}
 		node.Memory = area
@@ -82,6 +87,10 @@ func topologyNodes(ctx *context.Context) []*Node {
 }
 
 func distancesForNode(ctx *context.Context, nodeID int) ([]int, error) {
+	if ctx.DisableNodeDistances {
+		ctx.Warn("Node distances disabled. Returning empty distances list.")
+		return nil, nil
+	}
 	paths := linuxpath.New(ctx)
 	path := filepath.Join(
 		paths.SysDevicesSystemNode,