diff --git a/hgext/lfs/__init__.py b/hgext/lfs/__init__.py
--- a/hgext/lfs/__init__.py
+++ b/hgext/lfs/__init__.py
@@ -166,6 +166,9 @@ testedwith = 'ships-with-hg-core'
 configtable = {}
 configitem = registrar.configitem(configtable)
 
+configitem('experimental', 'lfs.serve',
+    default=True,
+)
 configitem('experimental', 'lfs.user-agent',
     default=None,
 )
diff --git a/hgext/lfs/wireprotolfsserver.py b/hgext/lfs/wireprotolfsserver.py
--- a/hgext/lfs/wireprotolfsserver.py
+++ b/hgext/lfs/wireprotolfsserver.py
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ def handlewsgirequest(orig, rctx, req, r
     if orig(rctx, req, res, checkperm):
         return True
 
+    if not rctx.repo.ui.configbool('experimental', 'lfs.serve'):
+        return False
+
     if not req.dispatchpath:
         return False
 
diff --git a/tests/test-lfs-serve-access.t b/tests/test-lfs-serve-access.t
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test-lfs-serve-access.t
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#require serve
+
+  $ cat >> $HGRCPATH <<EOF
+  > [extensions]
+  > lfs=
+  > [lfs]
+  > url=http://localhost:$HGPORT/.git/info/lfs
+  > track=all()
+  > [web]
+  > push_ssl = False
+  > allow-push = *
+  > EOF
+
+Serving LFS files can experimentally be turned off.  The long term solution is
+to support the 'verify' action in both client and server, so that the server can
+tell the client to store files elsewhere.
+
+  $ hg init server
+  $ hg --config "lfs.usercache=$TESTTMP/servercache" \
+  >    --config experimental.lfs.serve=False -R server serve -d \
+  >    -p $HGPORT --pid-file=hg.pid -A $TESTTMP/access.log -E $TESTTMP/errors.log
+  $ cat hg.pid >> $DAEMON_PIDS
+
+Uploads fail...
+
+  $ hg init client
+  $ echo 'this-is-an-lfs-file' > client/lfs.bin
+  $ hg -R client ci -Am 'initial commit'
+  adding lfs.bin
+  $ hg -R client push http://localhost:$HGPORT
+  pushing to http://localhost:$HGPORT/
+  searching for changes
+  abort: LFS HTTP error: HTTP Error 400: no such method: .git (action=upload)!
+  [255]
+
+... so do a local push to make the data available.  Remove the blob from the
+default cache, so it attempts to download.
+  $ hg --config "lfs.usercache=$TESTTMP/servercache" \
+  >    --config "lfs.url=null://" \
+  >    -R client push -q server
+  $ rm -rf `hg config lfs.usercache`
+
+Downloads fail...
+
+  $ hg clone http://localhost:$HGPORT httpclone
+  requesting all changes
+  adding changesets
+  adding manifests
+  adding file changes
+  added 1 changesets with 1 changes to 1 files
+  new changesets 525251863cad
+  updating to branch default
+  abort: LFS HTTP error: HTTP Error 400: no such method: .git (action=download)!
+  [255]
+
+  $ $PYTHON $RUNTESTDIR/killdaemons.py $DAEMON_PIDS
+
+  $ cat $TESTTMP/access.log $TESTTMP/errors.log
+  $LOCALIP - - [$LOGDATE$] "GET /?cmd=capabilities HTTP/1.1" 200 - (glob)
+  $LOCALIP - - [$LOGDATE$] "GET /?cmd=batch HTTP/1.1" 200 - x-hgarg-1:cmds=heads+%3Bknown+nodes%3D525251863cad618e55d483555f3d00a2ca99597e x-hgproto-1:0.1 0.2 comp=$USUAL_COMPRESSIONS$ (glob)
+  $LOCALIP - - [$LOGDATE$] "GET /?cmd=listkeys HTTP/1.1" 200 - x-hgarg-1:namespace=phases x-hgproto-1:0.1 0.2 comp=$USUAL_COMPRESSIONS$ (glob)
+  $LOCALIP - - [$LOGDATE$] "GET /?cmd=listkeys HTTP/1.1" 200 - x-hgarg-1:namespace=bookmarks x-hgproto-1:0.1 0.2 comp=$USUAL_COMPRESSIONS$ (glob)
+  $LOCALIP - - [$LOGDATE$] "POST /.git/info/lfs/objects/batch HTTP/1.1" 400 - (glob)
+  $LOCALIP - - [$LOGDATE$] "GET /?cmd=capabilities HTTP/1.1" 200 - (glob)
+  $LOCALIP - - [$LOGDATE$] "GET /?cmd=batch HTTP/1.1" 200 - x-hgarg-1:cmds=heads+%3Bknown+nodes%3D x-hgproto-1:0.1 0.2 comp=$USUAL_COMPRESSIONS$ (glob)
+  $LOCALIP - - [$LOGDATE$] "GET /?cmd=getbundle HTTP/1.1" 200 - x-hgarg-1:bookmarks=1&bundlecaps=HG20%2Cbundle2%3DHG20%250Abookmarks%250Achangegroup%253D01%252C02%252C03%250Adigests%253Dmd5%252Csha1%252Csha512%250Aerror%253Dabort%252Cunsupportedcontent%252Cpushraced%252Cpushkey%250Ahgtagsfnodes%250Alistkeys%250Aphases%253Dheads%250Apushkey%250Aremote-changegroup%253Dhttp%252Chttps%250Arev-branch-cache%250Astream%253Dv2&cg=1&common=0000000000000000000000000000000000000000&heads=525251863cad618e55d483555f3d00a2ca99597e&listkeys=bookmarks&phases=1 x-hgproto-1:0.1 0.2 comp=$USUAL_COMPRESSIONS$ (glob)
+  $LOCALIP - - [$LOGDATE$] "POST /.git/info/lfs/objects/batch HTTP/1.1" 400 - (glob)