diff --git a/lbry/lbry/blob/blob_manager.py b/lbry/lbry/blob/blob_manager.py
index f8ed9c3e3..50d414fe3 100644
--- a/lbry/lbry/blob/blob_manager.py
+++ b/lbry/lbry/blob/blob_manager.py
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ class BlobManager:
         to_add = await self.storage.sync_missing_blobs(in_blobfiles_dir)
         if to_add:
             self.completed_blob_hashes.update(to_add)
-        self.connection_manager.start()
+        if self.config.track_bandwidth:
+            self.connection_manager.start()
         return True
 
     def stop(self):
diff --git a/lbry/lbry/conf.py b/lbry/lbry/conf.py
index 10801ba58..f1f2ed3e8 100644
--- a/lbry/lbry/conf.py
+++ b/lbry/lbry/conf.py
@@ -573,9 +573,9 @@ class Config(CLIConfig):
         "Whether to share usage stats and diagnostic info with LBRY.", True,
         previous_names=['upload_log', 'upload_log', 'share_debug_info']
     )
+    track_bandwidth = Toggle("Track bandwidth usage", True)
 
     # media server
-
     streaming_server = String('Host name and port to serve streaming media over range requests',
                               'localhost:5280', metavar='HOST:PORT')
     streaming_get = Toggle("Enable the /get endpoint for the streaming media server. "
diff --git a/lbry/lbry/connection_manager.py b/lbry/lbry/connection_manager.py
index 342989a7e..416fddfff 100644
--- a/lbry/lbry/connection_manager.py
+++ b/lbry/lbry/connection_manager.py
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ class ConnectionManager:
         self.outgoing_connected: typing.Set[str] = set()
         self.outgoing: typing.DefaultDict[str, int] = collections.defaultdict(int)
         self._status = {}
-
+        self._total_sent = 0
+        self._total_received = 0
+        self._running = False
         self._task: typing.Optional[asyncio.Task] = None
 
     @property
@@ -27,33 +29,37 @@ class ConnectionManager:
         return self._status
 
     def sent_data(self, host_and_port: str, size: int):
-        self.outgoing[host_and_port] += size
+        if self._running:
+            self.outgoing[host_and_port] += size
 
     def received_data(self, host_and_port: str, size: int):
-        self.incoming[host_and_port] += size
+        if self._running:
+            self.incoming[host_and_port] += size
 
     def connection_made(self, host_and_port: str):
-        self.outgoing_connected.add(host_and_port)
+        if self._running:
+            self.outgoing_connected.add(host_and_port)
 
     def connection_received(self, host_and_port: str):
         # self.incoming_connected.add(host_and_port)
         pass
 
     def outgoing_connection_lost(self, host_and_port: str):
-        if host_and_port in self.outgoing_connected:
+        if self._running and host_and_port in self.outgoing_connected:
             self.outgoing_connected.remove(host_and_port)
 
     def incoming_connection_lost(self, host_and_port: str):
-        if host_and_port in self.incoming_connected:
+        if self._running and host_and_port in self.incoming_connected:
             self.incoming_connected.remove(host_and_port)
 
     async def _update(self):
-
         self._status = {
             'incoming_bps': {},
             'outgoing_bps': {},
             'total_incoming_mbs': 0.0,
             'total_outgoing_mbs': 0.0,
+            'total_sent': self._total_sent,
+            'total_received': self._total_received,
             'time': self.loop.time()
         }
 
@@ -73,6 +79,9 @@ class ConnectionManager:
                                                    ) / (now - last)) / 1000000.0
             self._status['total_incoming_mbs'] = int(sum(list(self._status['incoming_bps'].values())
                                                        ) / (now - last)) / 1000000.0
+            self._total_sent += sum(list(self._status['outgoing_bps'].values()))
+            self._total_received += sum(list(self._status['incoming_bps'].values()))
+
             self._status['time'] = now
 
     def stop(self):
@@ -84,7 +93,9 @@ class ConnectionManager:
         self.incoming.clear()
         self.incoming_connected.clear()
         self._status.clear()
+        self._running = False
 
     def start(self):
         self.stop()
+        self._running = True
         self._task = self.loop.create_task(self._update())