diff --git a/code/ship/ship.cpp b/code/ship/ship.cpp
index 1747a59eaea..664cd93df9b 100644
--- a/code/ship/ship.cpp
+++ b/code/ship/ship.cpp
@@ -1071,6 +1071,7 @@ void ship_info::clone(const ship_info& other)
 	death_fx_count = other.death_fx_count;
 	shockwave_count = other.shockwave_count;
 	explosion_bitmap_anims = other.explosion_bitmap_anims;
+	disable_main_fireball = other.disable_main_fireball;
 	skip_deathroll_chance = other.skip_deathroll_chance;
 
 	impact_spew = other.impact_spew;
@@ -1443,6 +1444,7 @@ void ship_info::move(ship_info&& other)
 	death_fx_count = other.death_fx_count;
 	shockwave_count = other.shockwave_count;
 	std::swap(explosion_bitmap_anims, other.explosion_bitmap_anims);
+	disable_main_fireball = other.disable_main_fireball;
 	skip_deathroll_chance = other.skip_deathroll_chance;
 
 	std::swap(impact_spew, other.impact_spew);
@@ -1812,6 +1814,7 @@ ship_info::ship_info()
 	death_fx_count = 6;
 	shockwave_count = 1;
 	explosion_bitmap_anims.clear();
+	disable_main_fireball = false;
 	skip_deathroll_chance = 0.0f;
 
 	// default values from shipfx.cpp
@@ -3949,7 +3952,7 @@ static void parse_ship_values(ship_info* sip, const bool is_template, const bool
 	{
 		sip->regular_end_particles = parse_ship_legacy_particle_effect(LegacyShipParticleType::OTHER, sip, "normal death spew", 1.f, particle::Anim_bitmap_id_smoke2, 1.f);
 	}
-
+	
 	if(optional_string("$Alternate Death Effect:"))
 	{
 		sip->knossos_end_particles = particle::util::parseEffect(sip->name);
@@ -3958,7 +3961,11 @@ static void parse_ship_values(ship_info* sip, const bool is_template, const bool
 	{
 		sip->knossos_end_particles = parse_ship_legacy_particle_effect(LegacyShipParticleType::OTHER, sip, "knossos death spew", 50.f, particle::Anim_bitmap_id_smoke2, 1.f, true);
 	}
-
+	if (optional_string("$Disable Main Fireball:"))
+	{
+		stuff_boolean(&sip->disable_main_fireball);
+	}
+	
 	if(optional_string("$Debris Flame Effect:"))
 	{
 		sip->debris_flame_particles = particle::util::parseEffect(sip->name);
@@ -9785,30 +9792,30 @@ static void ship_dying_frame(object *objp, int ship_num)
 				polymodel *pm = model_get(sip->model_num);
 				shipp->end_death_time = timestamp((int) pm->core_radius);
 			} else {
-				// else, just a single big fireball
-				float big_rad;
-				int fireball_objnum, fireball_type, default_fireball_type;
-				float explosion_life;
-				big_rad = objp->radius*1.75f;
-
-				default_fireball_type = FIREBALL_EXPLOSION_LARGE1 + Random::next(FIREBALL_NUM_LARGE_EXPLOSIONS);
-				if (knossos_ship) {
-					big_rad = objp->radius * 1.2f;
-					default_fireball_type = FIREBALL_EXPLOSION_LARGE1;
-				}
-				//SUSHI: Option to override radius of big fireball
-				if (Ship_info[shipp->ship_info_index].big_exp_visual_rad >= 0)
-					big_rad = Ship_info[shipp->ship_info_index].big_exp_visual_rad;
-
-				fireball_type = fireball_ship_explosion_type(sip);
-				if(fireball_type < 0) {
-					fireball_type = default_fireball_type;
-				}
-				fireball_objnum = fireball_create( &objp->pos, fireball_type, FIREBALL_LARGE_EXPLOSION, OBJ_INDEX(objp), big_rad, false, &objp->phys_info.vel );
-				if ( fireball_objnum >= 0 )	{
-					explosion_life = fireball_lifeleft(&Objects[fireball_objnum]);
-				} else {
-					explosion_life = 0.0f;
+				float explosion_life = 0.0f;
+				if (!sip->disable_main_fireball) {
+					// else, just a single big fireball
+					float big_rad;
+					int fireball_objnum, fireball_type, default_fireball_type;
+					big_rad = objp->radius*1.75f;
+	
+					default_fireball_type = FIREBALL_EXPLOSION_LARGE1 + Random::next(FIREBALL_NUM_LARGE_EXPLOSIONS);
+					if (knossos_ship) {
+						big_rad = objp->radius * 1.2f;
+						default_fireball_type = FIREBALL_EXPLOSION_LARGE1;
+					}
+					//SUSHI: Option to override radius of big fireball
+					if (Ship_info[shipp->ship_info_index].big_exp_visual_rad >= 0)
+						big_rad = Ship_info[shipp->ship_info_index].big_exp_visual_rad;
+	
+					fireball_type = fireball_ship_explosion_type(sip);
+					if(fireball_type < 0) {
+						fireball_type = default_fireball_type;
+					}
+					fireball_objnum = fireball_create( &objp->pos, fireball_type, FIREBALL_LARGE_EXPLOSION, OBJ_INDEX(objp), big_rad, false, &objp->phys_info.vel );
+					if ( fireball_objnum >= 0 )	{
+						explosion_life = fireball_lifeleft(&Objects[fireball_objnum]);
+					}
 				}
 
 				// JAS:  I put in all this code because of an item on my todo list that
diff --git a/code/ship/ship.h b/code/ship/ship.h
index c4e616027ff..c11a996b3d3 100644
--- a/code/ship/ship.h
+++ b/code/ship/ship.h
@@ -1221,6 +1221,7 @@ class ship_info
 	int death_fx_count;
 	int	shockwave_count;					// the # of total shockwaves
 	SCP_vector<int> explosion_bitmap_anims;
+	bool disable_main_fireball;
 	float skip_deathroll_chance;					
 
 	particle::ParticleEffectHandle		impact_spew;