diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 512b83a27..fc27106da 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -72,10 +72,16 @@ def setup_worker():
     storage_client = get_storage_client()
     minio_config = get_config("services", "minio")
     bucket_name = get_config("services", "minio", "bucket", default="archive")
+    auto_create_bucket = get_config(
+        "services", "minio", "auto_create_bucket", default=False
+    )
     region = minio_config.get("region", "us-east-1")
     try:
-        storage_client.create_root_storage(bucket_name, region)
-        log.info("Initializing bucket %s", bucket_name)
+        # note that this is a departure from the old default behavior.
+        # This is intended as the bucket will exist in most cases where IAC or manual setup is used
+        if auto_create_bucket:
+            storage_client.create_root_storage(bucket_name, region)
+            log.info("Initializing bucket %s", bucket_name)
     except BucketAlreadyExistsError:
         pass
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_main.py b/tests/unit/test_main.py
index 079baa204..4c6348fde 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_main.py
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@ def test_run_empty_config(
     assert not mock_storage.root_storage_created
     res = setup_worker()
     assert res is None
-    assert mock_storage.root_storage_created
+    assert not mock_storage.root_storage_created
     assert mock_storage.config == {}
     mock_license_logging.assert_called_once()
 
 
+
 @mock.patch("main.startup_license_logging")
 @mock.patch("main.start_prometheus")
 def test_sys_path_append_on_enterprise(