diff --git a/rcl/include/rcl/node.h b/rcl/include/rcl/node.h
index fafaa04df..6f1c43aa6 100644
--- a/rcl/include/rcl/node.h
+++ b/rcl/include/rcl/node.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ extern "C"
 #include "rcl/types.h"
 #include "rcl/visibility_control.h"
 
+extern const char * const RCL_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG_ENV_VAR;
+
 typedef struct rcl_node_impl_s rcl_node_impl_t;
 
 /// Structure which encapsulates a ROS Node.
diff --git a/rcl/src/rcl/node.c b/rcl/src/rcl/node.c
index a0aa51d4f..c114cf323 100644
--- a/rcl/src/rcl/node.c
+++ b/rcl/src/rcl/node.c
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ extern "C"
 
 #include "./context_impl.h"
 
+const char * const RCL_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG_ENV_VAR = "ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG";
+
 struct rcl_node_impl_s
 {
   rcl_node_options_t options;
diff --git a/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c b/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c
index a3a97471c..7f447257e 100644
--- a/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c
+++ b/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ extern "C"
 #include "rcl/allocator.h"
 #include "rcl/error_handling.h"
 #include "rcl/node.h"
+#include "rcutils/env.h"
 #include "rcutils/logging_macros.h"
 #include "rcutils/macros.h"
 #include "rcl/time.h"
@@ -437,9 +438,19 @@ rcl_publisher_get_actual_qos(const rcl_publisher_t * publisher)
 bool
 rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(const rcl_publisher_t * publisher)
 {
+  const char * env_val = NULL;
+
   if (!rcl_publisher_is_valid(publisher)) {
     return false;  // error message already set
   }
+  const char * env_error_str = rcutils_get_env(RCL_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG_ENV_VAR, &env_val);
+  if (NULL != env_error_str) {
+    RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR("Error getting env var: ");
+    RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR(RCL_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG_ENV_VAR);
+    RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR("\n");
+  } else if (env_val != NULL && strcmp(env_val, "1") == 0) {
+    return false;
+  }
   return publisher->impl->rmw_handle->can_loan_messages;
 }
 
diff --git a/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c b/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c
index fcea1e767..1b5d6bede 100644
--- a/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c
+++ b/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ extern "C"
 
 #include "rcl/error_handling.h"
 #include "rcl/node.h"
+#include "rcutils/env.h"
 #include "rcutils/logging_macros.h"
 #include "rmw/error_handling.h"
 #include "rmw/validate_full_topic_name.h"
@@ -432,9 +433,19 @@ rcl_subscription_get_actual_qos(const rcl_subscription_t * subscription)
 bool
 rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(const rcl_subscription_t * subscription)
 {
+  const char * env_val = NULL;
+
   if (!rcl_subscription_is_valid(subscription)) {
     return false;  // error message already set
   }
+  const char * env_error_str = rcutils_get_env(RCL_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG_ENV_VAR, &env_val);
+  if (NULL != env_error_str) {
+    RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR("Error getting env var: ");
+    RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR(RCL_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG_ENV_VAR);
+    RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR("\n");
+  } else if (env_val != NULL && strcmp(env_val, "1") == 0) {
+    return false;
+  }
   return subscription->impl->rmw_handle->can_loan_messages;
 }
 
diff --git a/rcl/test/rcl/test_publisher.cpp b/rcl/test/rcl/test_publisher.cpp
index 9c853ccde..d03ccf97a 100644
--- a/rcl/test/rcl/test_publisher.cpp
+++ b/rcl/test/rcl/test_publisher.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #include "mimick/mimick.h"
 #include "osrf_testing_tools_cpp/scope_exit.hpp"
 #include "rcl/error_handling.h"
+#include "rcl/node.h"
+#include "rcutils/env.h"
 #include "rmw/validate_full_topic_name.h"
 #include "rmw/validate_node_name.h"
 
@@ -370,6 +372,42 @@ TEST_F(CLASSNAME(TestPublisherFixture, RMW_IMPLEMENTATION), test_publisher_loan)
   }
 }
 
+TEST_F(CLASSNAME(TestPublisherFixture, RMW_IMPLEMENTATION), test_publisher_loan_disable) {
+  rcl_publisher_t publisher = rcl_get_zero_initialized_publisher();
+  const rosidl_message_type_support_t * ts =
+    ROSIDL_GET_MSG_TYPE_SUPPORT(test_msgs, msg, BasicTypes);
+  constexpr char topic_name[] = "pod_msg";
+  rcl_publisher_options_t publisher_options = rcl_publisher_get_default_options();
+  rcl_ret_t ret =
+    rcl_publisher_init(&publisher, this->node_ptr, ts, topic_name, &publisher_options);
+  ASSERT_EQ(RCL_RET_OK, ret) << rcl_get_error_string().str;
+  OSRF_TESTING_TOOLS_CPP_SCOPE_EXIT(
+  {
+    rcl_ret_t ret = rcl_publisher_fini(&publisher, this->node_ptr);
+    EXPECT_EQ(RCL_RET_OK, ret) << rcl_get_error_string().str;
+  });
+
+  if (rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(&publisher)) {
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "0"));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(&publisher));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "1"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(&publisher));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "2"));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(&publisher));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "Unexpected"));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(&publisher));
+  } else {
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "0"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(&publisher));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "1"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(&publisher));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "2"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(&publisher));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "Unexpected"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_publisher_can_loan_messages(&publisher));
+  }
+}
+
 TEST_F(CLASSNAME(TestPublisherFixture, RMW_IMPLEMENTATION), test_invalid_publisher) {
   rcl_publisher_t publisher = rcl_get_zero_initialized_publisher();
   const rosidl_message_type_support_t * ts =
diff --git a/rcl/test/rcl/test_subscription.cpp b/rcl/test/rcl/test_subscription.cpp
index adedd7bb9..4641dd735 100644
--- a/rcl/test/rcl/test_subscription.cpp
+++ b/rcl/test/rcl/test_subscription.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 
 #include "osrf_testing_tools_cpp/scope_exit.hpp"
 #include "rcl/error_handling.h"
+#include "rcl/node.h"
+#include "rcutils/env.h"
 #include "wait_for_entity_helpers.hpp"
 
 #include "./allocator_testing_utils.h"
@@ -712,6 +714,42 @@ TEST_F(CLASSNAME(TestSubscriptionFixture, RMW_IMPLEMENTATION), test_subscription
   }
 }
 
+TEST_F(CLASSNAME(TestSubscriptionFixture, RMW_IMPLEMENTATION), test_subscription_loan_disable) {
+  rcl_subscription_t subscription = rcl_get_zero_initialized_subscription();
+  const rosidl_message_type_support_t * ts =
+    ROSIDL_GET_MSG_TYPE_SUPPORT(test_msgs, msg, BasicTypes);
+  constexpr char topic[] = "pod_msg";
+  rcl_subscription_options_t subscription_options = rcl_subscription_get_default_options();
+  rcl_ret_t ret =
+    rcl_subscription_init(&subscription, this->node_ptr, ts, topic, &subscription_options);
+  ASSERT_EQ(RCL_RET_OK, ret) << rcl_get_error_string().str;
+  OSRF_TESTING_TOOLS_CPP_SCOPE_EXIT(
+  {
+    rcl_ret_t ret = rcl_subscription_fini(&subscription, this->node_ptr);
+    EXPECT_EQ(RCL_RET_OK, ret) << rcl_get_error_string().str;
+  });
+
+  if (rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(&subscription)) {
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "0"));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(&subscription));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "1"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(&subscription));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "2"));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(&subscription));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "Unexpected"));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(&subscription));
+  } else {
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "0"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(&subscription));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "1"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(&subscription));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "2"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(&subscription));
+    ASSERT_TRUE(rcutils_set_env("ROS_DISABLE_LOAN_MSG", "Unexpected"));
+    EXPECT_FALSE(rcl_subscription_can_loan_messages(&subscription));
+  }
+}
+
 /* Test for all failure modes in subscription take with loaned messages function.
  */
 TEST_F(CLASSNAME(TestSubscriptionFixture, RMW_IMPLEMENTATION), test_bad_take_loaned_message) {