diff --git a/beets/autotag/hooks.py b/beets/autotag/hooks.py
index 9cd6f2cd8..30904ff29 100644
--- a/beets/autotag/hooks.py
+++ b/beets/autotag/hooks.py
@@ -598,6 +598,14 @@ def tracks_for_id(track_id):
             yield t
 
 
+def invoke_mb(call_func, *args):
+    try:
+        return call_func(*args)
+    except mb.MusicBrainzAPIError as exc:
+        exc.log(log)
+        return ()
+
+
 @plugins.notify_info_yielded('albuminfo_received')
 def album_candidates(items, artist, album, va_likely, extra_tags):
     """Search for album matches. ``items`` is a list of Item objects
@@ -609,25 +617,19 @@ def album_candidates(items, artist, album, va_likely, extra_tags):
     constrain the search.
     """
 
-    # Base candidates if we have album and artist to match.
-    if artist and album:
-        try:
-            yield from mb.match_album(artist, album, len(items),
-                                      extra_tags)
-        except mb.MusicBrainzAPIError as exc:
-            exc.log(log)
+    if config["musicbrainz"]["enabled"]:
+        # Base candidates if we have album and artist to match.
+        if artist and album:
+            yield from invoke_mb(mb.match_album, artist, album, len(items),
+                                 extra_tags)
 
-    # Also add VA matches from MusicBrainz where appropriate.
-    if va_likely and album:
-        try:
-            yield from mb.match_album(None, album, len(items),
-                                      extra_tags)
-        except mb.MusicBrainzAPIError as exc:
-            exc.log(log)
+        # Also add VA matches from MusicBrainz where appropriate.
+        if va_likely and album:
+            yield from invoke_mb(mb.match_album, None, album, len(items),
+                                 extra_tags)
 
     # Candidates from plugins.
-    yield from plugins.candidates(items, artist, album, va_likely,
-                                  extra_tags)
+    yield from plugins.candidates(items, artist, album, va_likely, extra_tags)
 
 
 @plugins.notify_info_yielded('trackinfo_received')
@@ -638,11 +640,8 @@ def item_candidates(item, artist, title):
     """
 
     # MusicBrainz candidates.
-    if artist and title:
-        try:
-            yield from mb.match_track(artist, title)
-        except mb.MusicBrainzAPIError as exc:
-            exc.log(log)
+    if config["musicbrainz"]["enabled"] and artist and title:
+        yield from invoke_mb(mb.match_track, artist, title)
 
     # Plugin candidates.
     yield from plugins.item_candidates(item, artist, title)
diff --git a/beets/config_default.yaml b/beets/config_default.yaml
index 74540891e..fd2dbf551 100644
--- a/beets/config_default.yaml
+++ b/beets/config_default.yaml
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ paths:
 statefile: state.pickle
 
 musicbrainz:
+    enabled: yes
     host: musicbrainz.org
     https: no
     ratelimit: 1
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index bd3ee2841..002b96c5d 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ Changelog goes here!
 
 New features:
 
+* :ref:`musicbrainz-config`: a new :ref:`musicbrainz.enabled` option allows disabling 
+  the MusicBrainz metadata source during the autotagging process
 * :doc:`/plugins/kodiupdate`: Now supports multiple kodi instances
   :bug:`4101`
 * Add the item fields ``bitrate_mode``, ``encoder_info`` and ``encoder_settings``.
diff --git a/docs/reference/config.rst b/docs/reference/config.rst
index 642216c8f..6e7df1b59 100644
--- a/docs/reference/config.rst
+++ b/docs/reference/config.rst
@@ -741,6 +741,17 @@ to one request per second.
 .. _limited: https://musicbrainz.org/doc/XML_Web_Service/Rate_Limiting
 .. _Building search indexes: https://musicbrainz.org/doc/Development/Search_server_setup
 
+.. _musicbrainz.enabled:
+
+enabled
+~~~~~~~
+
+This option allows you to disable using MusicBrainz as a metadata source. This applies
+if you use plugins that fetch data from alternative sources and should make the import
+process quicker.
+
+Default: ``yes``.
+
 .. _searchlimit:
 
 searchlimit