diff --git a/leap-upgrades/lib/vars.sh b/leap-upgrades/lib/vars.sh
index e15d9c71..05e6be42 100644
--- a/leap-upgrades/lib/vars.sh
+++ b/leap-upgrades/lib/vars.sh
@@ -48,3 +48,8 @@ export ANSIBLE_LOG_PATH="/opt/leap42/ansible-${LEAP_TIMESTAMP}.log"
 
 ## Containers List to Destroy in destroy-old-containers.yml
 export CONTAINERS_TO_DESTROY='"'"${CONTAINERS_TO_DESTROY:-all_containers:!galera_all:!neutron_agent:!ceph_all:!rsyslog_all}"'"'
+
+# By default don't skip Swift Upgrade, this option is in place for operators who
+# who might want to maximize Swift availablity during the upgrade and want to
+# manually upgrade swift after the main deploy
+export SKIP_SWIFT_UPGRADE="${SKIP_SWIFT_UPGRADE:-no}"
diff --git a/leap-upgrades/re-deploy.sh b/leap-upgrades/re-deploy.sh
index 84960609..cbf04f42 100755
--- a/leap-upgrades/re-deploy.sh
+++ b/leap-upgrades/re-deploy.sh
@@ -127,7 +127,10 @@ if grep -rni "^gnocchi_storage_driver" /etc/openstack_deploy/*.{yaml,yml} | grep
   RUN_TASKS+=("os-gnocchi-install.yml -e gnocchi_identity_only=true")
 fi
 
-RUN_TASKS+=("os-swift-install.yml")
+if [ "${SKIP_SWIFT_UPGRADE}" != "yes" ]; then
+  RUN_TASKS+=("os-swift-install.yml")
+fi
+
 RUN_TASKS+=("os-gnocchi-install.yml")
 RUN_TASKS+=("os-ironic-install.yml")
 RUN_TASKS+=("os-magnum-install.yml")
diff --git a/leap-upgrades/upgrade-utilities/power-down.yml b/leap-upgrades/upgrade-utilities/power-down.yml
index 44ecb207..e45018f8 100644
--- a/leap-upgrades/upgrade-utilities/power-down.yml
+++ b/leap-upgrades/upgrade-utilities/power-down.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
         - barbican
         - magnum
         - ironic
-        - swift
         - gnocchi
         - designate
         - aodh
@@ -44,3 +43,13 @@
       failed_when: false
       args:
         executable: /bin/bash
+
+    - name: Stop swift if not skipped
+      shell: |
+        for i in $(ls /etc/init /etc/init.d | grep "swift"); do
+          service ${i%".conf"*} stop || true;
+        done
+      failed_when: false
+      args:
+        executable: /bin/bash
+      when: not lookup('env', 'SKIP_SWIFT_UPGRADE') | bool
diff --git a/leap-upgrades/upgrade.sh b/leap-upgrades/upgrade.sh
index 7fad31b4..2277288f 100755
--- a/leap-upgrades/upgrade.sh
+++ b/leap-upgrades/upgrade.sh
@@ -63,9 +63,11 @@ if [[ ! -f "/opt/leap42/openstack-ansible-${KILO_RELEASE}.leap" ]] && [[ "${UPGR
   RUN_TASKS+=("${UPGRADE_PLAYBOOKS}/user-secrets-adjustments-kilo.yml -e 'osa_playbook_dir=/opt/leap42/openstack-ansible-${KILO_RELEASE}'")
   RUN_TASKS+=("${UPGRADE_PLAYBOOKS}/host-adjustments.yml")
   RUN_TASKS+=("${UPGRADE_PLAYBOOKS}/remove-juno-log-rotate.yml || true")
-  if [ "$(ansible 'swift_hosts' --list-hosts)" != "No hosts matched" ]; then
-    RUN_TASKS+=("${UPGRADE_PLAYBOOKS}/swift-ring-adjustments.yml")
-    RUN_TASKS+=("${UPGRADE_PLAYBOOKS}/swift-repo-adjustments.yml")
+  if [ "${SKIP_SWIFT_UPGRADE}" != "yes" ]; then
+    if [ "$(ansible 'swift_hosts' --list-hosts)" != "No hosts matched" ]; then
+      RUN_TASKS+=("${UPGRADE_PLAYBOOKS}/swift-ring-adjustments.yml")
+      RUN_TASKS+=("${UPGRADE_PLAYBOOKS}/swift-repo-adjustments.yml")
+    fi
   fi
   run_items "/opt/leap42/openstack-ansible-${KILO_RELEASE}"
   tag_leap_success "${KILO_RELEASE}-prep"