diff --git a/pkg/compute/models/cachedimages.go b/pkg/compute/models/cachedimages.go
index 81f66fa1b8..4a2018eb16 100644
--- a/pkg/compute/models/cachedimages.go
+++ b/pkg/compute/models/cachedimages.go
@@ -300,6 +300,8 @@ func (manager *SCachedimageManager) GetImageById(ctx context.Context, userCred m
 		oSTypeOk := options.Options.NoCheckOsTypeForCachedImage || len(cachedImage.GetOSType()) > 0
 		if !refresh && cachedImage.GetStatus() == cloudprovider.IMAGE_STATUS_ACTIVE && oSTypeOk && !cachedImage.isRefreshSessionExpire() {
 			return cachedImage.GetImage()
+		} else if options.Options.ProhibitRefreshingCloudImage {
+			return cachedImage.GetImage()
 		} else if len(cachedImage.ExternalId) > 0 { // external image, request refresh
 			return cachedImage.requestRefreshExternalImage(ctx, userCred)
 		}
@@ -323,6 +325,8 @@ func (manager *SCachedimageManager) getImageByName(ctx context.Context, userCred
 		cachedImage := imgObj.(*SCachedimage)
 		if !refresh && cachedImage.GetStatus() == cloudprovider.IMAGE_STATUS_ACTIVE && len(cachedImage.GetOSType()) > 0 && !cachedImage.isRefreshSessionExpire() {
 			return cachedImage.GetImage()
+		} else if options.Options.ProhibitRefreshingCloudImage {
+			return cachedImage.GetImage()
 		} else if len(cachedImage.ExternalId) > 0 { // external image, request refresh
 			return cachedImage.requestRefreshExternalImage(ctx, userCred)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/compute/options/options.go b/pkg/compute/options/options.go
index 55e2ec34a7..efe663d3a9 100644
--- a/pkg/compute/options/options.go
+++ b/pkg/compute/options/options.go
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ type ComputeOptions struct {
 
 	NoCheckOsTypeForCachedImage bool `help:"Don't check os type for cached image"`
 
+	ProhibitRefreshingCloudImage bool `help:"Prohibit refreshing cloud image"`
+
 	esxi.EsxiOptions
 }