diff --git a/main.tf b/main.tf
index 490b947db..30bf2f780 100644
--- a/main.tf
+++ b/main.tf
@@ -40,8 +40,11 @@ locals {
       logging             = var.enable_cloudwatch_logging ? local.logging_user_data : ""
       gitlab_runner       = local.template_gitlab_runner
       user_data_trace_log = var.enable_runner_user_data_trace_log
+      yum_update          = var.runner_yum_update ? local.file_yum_update : ""
   })
 
+  file_yum_update = file("${path.module}/template/yum_update.tpl")
+
   template_eip = templatefile("${path.module}/template/eip.tpl", {
     eip = join(",", aws_eip.gitlab_runner.*.public_ip)
   })
diff --git a/template/user-data.tpl b/template/user-data.tpl
index ed10b0611..09fbff865 100644
--- a/template/user-data.tpl
+++ b/template/user-data.tpl
@@ -14,10 +14,7 @@ token=$(curl -f -X PUT "http://169.254.169.254/latest/api/token" -H "X-aws-ec2-m
 
 ${eip}
 
-for i in {1..7}; do
-  echo "Attempt: ---- " $i
-  yum -y update && break || sleep 60
-done
+${yum_update}
 
 ${logging}
 
diff --git a/template/yum_update.tpl b/template/yum_update.tpl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bf4378b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template/yum_update.tpl
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+for i in {1..7}; do
+  echo "Attempt: ---- " $i
+  yum -y update && break || sleep 60
+done
diff --git a/variables.tf b/variables.tf
index 488407113..649fdd6de 100644
--- a/variables.tf
+++ b/variables.tf
@@ -824,3 +824,9 @@ variable "asg_terminate_lifecycle_lambda_timeout" {
   default     = 30
   type        = number
 }
+
+variable "runner_yum_update" {
+  description = "Run a yum update as part of starting the runner"
+  type        = bool
+  default     = true
+}