diff --git a/lib/elastic_apm/context_builder.rb b/lib/elastic_apm/context_builder.rb
index f8445c8d8..534e46000 100644
--- a/lib/elastic_apm/context_builder.rb
+++ b/lib/elastic_apm/context_builder.rb
@@ -51,12 +51,14 @@ def apply_to_request(context, rack_env:, for_type:)
       request.body = should_capture_body?(for_type) ? get_body(req) : SKIPPED
 
       headers, env = get_headers_and_env(rack_env)
-      request.headers = headers if config.capture_headers?
       request.env = env if config.capture_env?
-
       request.cookies = req.cookies.dup
-      unless request.cookies.empty?
-        request.headers['Cookie'] = SKIPPED if request.headers.has_key?('Cookie')
+
+      if config.capture_headers?
+        request.headers = headers
+        unless request.cookies.empty?
+          request.headers['Cookie'] = SKIPPED if request.headers.has_key?('Cookie')
+        end
       end
 
       context
diff --git a/spec/elastic_apm/context_builder_spec.rb b/spec/elastic_apm/context_builder_spec.rb
index 228817105..e68a37de0 100644
--- a/spec/elastic_apm/context_builder_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/elastic_apm/context_builder_spec.rb
@@ -115,6 +115,21 @@ module ElasticAPM
           expect(result.request.body.valid_encoding?).to be true
         end
       end
+
+      context 'with capture_headers false' do
+        let(:config) { Config.new capture_headers: false }
+
+        it 'does not break on the cookies' do
+          env = Rack::MockRequest.env_for(
+            '/somewhere/in/there?q=yes',
+            method: 'POST',
+            'HTTP_COOKIE' => 'things=1'
+          )
+          env['HTTP_CONTENT_TYPE'] = 'application/json'
+
+          expect { subject.build(rack_env: env, for_type: :transaction) }.not_to raise_error
+        end
+      end
     end
   end
 end