diff --git a/examples/advanced_cooldowns/main.rs b/examples/advanced_cooldowns/main.rs
index 43026e389301..042996445074 100644
--- a/examples/advanced_cooldowns/main.rs
+++ b/examples/advanced_cooldowns/main.rs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ async fn main() {
     };
 
     let client = serenity::Client::builder(&token, serenity::GatewayIntents::non_privileged())
-        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options))
+        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options, true))
         .await;
 
     client.unwrap().start().await.unwrap();
diff --git a/examples/basic_structure/main.rs b/examples/basic_structure/main.rs
index 40b438189218..2203976381ce 100644
--- a/examples/basic_structure/main.rs
+++ b/examples/basic_structure/main.rs
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ async fn main() {
         serenity::GatewayIntents::non_privileged() | serenity::GatewayIntents::MESSAGE_CONTENT;
 
     let client = serenity::ClientBuilder::new(&token, intents)
-        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options))
+        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options, true))
         .data(Arc::new(Data {
             votes: Mutex::new(HashMap::new()),
         }) as _)
diff --git a/examples/event_handler/main.rs b/examples/event_handler/main.rs
index 6afc50edd8c1..06b1319f1cd5 100644
--- a/examples/event_handler/main.rs
+++ b/examples/event_handler/main.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ async fn main() {
     };
 
     let client = serenity::ClientBuilder::new(&token, intents)
-        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options))
+        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options, true))
         .data(Arc::new(Data {
             poise_mentions: AtomicU32::new(0),
         }) as _)
diff --git a/examples/feature_showcase/main.rs b/examples/feature_showcase/main.rs
index a0afec2b943e..259f93e4a36b 100644
--- a/examples/feature_showcase/main.rs
+++ b/examples/feature_showcase/main.rs
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ async fn main() {
         serenity::GatewayIntents::non_privileged() | serenity::GatewayIntents::MESSAGE_CONTENT;
 
     let client = serenity::ClientBuilder::new(&token, intents)
-        .framework(poise::Framework::new(framework_options))
+        .framework(poise::Framework::new(framework_options, true))
         .await;
 
     client.unwrap().start().await.unwrap()
diff --git a/examples/help_generation/main.rs b/examples/help_generation/main.rs
index 309bf561781c..2f9fdd69a8ef 100644
--- a/examples/help_generation/main.rs
+++ b/examples/help_generation/main.rs
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ async fn main() {
     };
 
     let client = serenity::ClientBuilder::new(&token, intents)
-        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options))
+        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options, true))
         .await;
 
     client.unwrap().start().await.unwrap();
diff --git a/examples/invocation_data/main.rs b/examples/invocation_data/main.rs
index 69cb09ec3428..b6a9da62d94b 100644
--- a/examples/invocation_data/main.rs
+++ b/examples/invocation_data/main.rs
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ async fn main() {
     };
 
     let client = serenity::ClientBuilder::new(&token, intents)
-        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options))
+        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options, true))
         .await;
 
     client.unwrap().start().await.unwrap();
diff --git a/examples/quickstart/main.rs b/examples/quickstart/main.rs
index 5d679de24eb5..48061b7f0f3f 100644
--- a/examples/quickstart/main.rs
+++ b/examples/quickstart/main.rs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ async fn main() {
     };
 
     let client = serenity::ClientBuilder::new(&token, intents)
-        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options))
+        .framework(poise::Framework::new(options, true))
         .await;
 
     client.unwrap().start().await.unwrap();
diff --git a/src/framework/builder.rs b/src/framework/builder.rs
index 3431a5b2060e..ef1d998c271a 100644
--- a/src/framework/builder.rs
+++ b/src/framework/builder.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,6 @@ impl<U, E> FrameworkBuilder<U, E> {
         options.initialize_owners = self.initialize_owners;
 
         // Create framework with specified settings
-        crate::Framework::new(options)
+        crate::Framework::new(options, true)
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/framework/mod.rs b/src/framework/mod.rs
index 84f7252e11c3..49be12fdaae4 100644
--- a/src/framework/mod.rs
+++ b/src/framework/mod.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,13 @@ pub struct Framework<U, E> {
 
     /// Handle to the background task in order to `abort()` it on `Drop`
     edit_tracker_purge_task: Option<tokio::task::JoinHandle<()>>,
+
+    /// If [`Framework::dispatch`] should be called
+    /// automatically (`true`) or manually by the developer (`false`)
+    ///
+    /// This allows the developer to make checks and call other functions before commands are
+    /// handled at all.
+    dispatch_automatically: bool,
 }
 
 impl<U, E> Framework<U, E> {
@@ -48,7 +55,7 @@ impl<U, E> Framework<U, E> {
     }
 
     /// Setup a new [`Framework`].
-    pub fn new(options: crate::FrameworkOptions<U, E>) -> Self
+    pub fn new(options: crate::FrameworkOptions<U, E>, dispatch_automatically: bool) -> Self
     where
         U: Send + Sync + 'static + 'static,
         E: Send + 'static,
@@ -58,6 +65,7 @@ impl<U, E> Framework<U, E> {
             edit_tracker_purge_task: None,
             shard_manager: None,
             options,
+            dispatch_automatically,
         }
     }
 
@@ -110,6 +118,15 @@ impl<U: Send + Sync + 'static, E: Send + Sync> serenity::Framework for Framework
     async fn dispatch(&self, ctx: &serenity::Context, event: &serenity::FullEvent) {
         raw_dispatch_event(self, ctx, event).await
     }
+
+    /// If [`Framework::dispatch`] should be called
+    /// automatically (`true`) or manually by the developer (`false`)
+    ///
+    /// This allows the developer to make checks and call other functions before commands are
+    /// handled at all.
+    fn dispatch_automatically(&self) -> bool {
+        self.dispatch_automatically
+    }
 }
 
 /// If the incoming event is Ready, this method sets up [`Framework::bot_id`].