diff --git a/elasticsearch/README.md b/elasticsearch/README.md
index 22ff400e3..3209e3f67 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/README.md
+++ b/elasticsearch/README.md
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ helm install --name elasticsearch elastic/elasticsearch --version 7.2.0 --set im
 | `podSecurityContext`       | Allows you to set the [securityContext](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/configure-pod-container/security-context/#set-the-security-context-for-a-pod) for the pod                                                                                                                                                         | `fsGroup: 1000`                                                                                                           |
 | `securityContext`          | Allows you to set the [securityContext](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/configure-pod-container/security-context/#set-the-security-context-for-a-container) for the container                                                                                                                                             | `capabilities.drop:[ALL]`<br>`runAsNonRoot: true`<br>`runAsUser: 1000`                                                    |
 | `terminationGracePeriod`   | The [terminationGracePeriod](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/workloads/pods/pod/#termination-of-pods) in seconds used when trying to stop the pod                                                                                                                                                                      | `120`                                                                                                                     |
+| `sysctlInitContainer.enabled` | Allows you to disable the sysctlInitContainer if you are setting vm.max_map_count with another method                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | `true`                                                                                                                 |
 | `sysctlVmMaxMapCount`      | Sets the [sysctl vm.max_map_count](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/vm-max-map-count.html#vm-max-map-count) needed for Elasticsearch                                                                                                                                                        | `262144`                                                                                                                  |
 | `readinessProbe`           | Configuration fields for the [readinessProbe](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/configure-pod-container/configure-liveness-readiness-probes/)                                                                                                                                                                               | `failureThreshold: 3`<br>`initialDelaySeconds: 10`<br>`periodSeconds: 10`<br>`successThreshold: 3`<br>`timeoutSeconds: 5` |
 | `clusterHealthCheckParams` | The [Elasticsearch cluster health status params](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/cluster-health.html#request-params) that will be used by readinessProbe command                                                                                                                           | `wait_for_status=green&timeout=1s`                                                                                        |
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ helm install --name elasticsearch elastic/elasticsearch --version 7.2.0 --set im
 | `ingress`                  | Configurable [ingress](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/services-networking/ingress/) to expose the Elasticsearch service. See [`values.yaml`](./values.yaml) for an example                                                                                                                                            | `enabled: false`                                                                                                          |
 | `schedulerName`            | Name of the [alternate scheduler](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/configure-multiple-schedulers/#specify-schedulers-for-pods)                                                                                                                                                                          | `nil`                                                                                                                     |
 | `masterTerminationFix`     | A workaround needed for Elasticsearch < 7.2.0 to prevent master status being lost during restarts [#63](https://github.com/elastic/helm-charts/issues/63)                                                                                                                                                                  | `false`                                                                                                                   |
-| `lifecycle`                 | Allows you to add lifecycle configuration. See [values.yaml](./values.yaml) for an example of the formatting.                                                                                                                           | `{}`                                                                                                                      |
+| `lifecycle`                | Allows you to add lifecycle configuration. See [values.yaml](./values.yaml) for an example of the formatting.                                                                                                                                                                                                              | `{}`                                                                                                                      |
 
 ## Try it out
 
diff --git a/elasticsearch/templates/statefulset.yaml b/elasticsearch/templates/statefulset.yaml
index 46ec24dbc..b085dade4 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/templates/statefulset.yaml
+++ b/elasticsearch/templates/statefulset.yaml
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ spec:
 {{ toYaml .Values.imagePullSecrets | indent 8 }}
       {{- end }}
       initContainers:
+      {{- if .Values.sysctlInitContainer.enabled }}
       - name: configure-sysctl
         securityContext:
           runAsUser: 0
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ spec:
         command: ["sysctl", "-w", "vm.max_map_count={{ .Values.sysctlVmMaxMapCount}}"]
         resources:
 {{ toYaml .Values.initResources | indent 10 }}
+      {{- end }}
       {{- if .Values.extraInitContainers }}
 {{ tpl .Values.extraInitContainers . | indent 6 }}
       {{- end }}
diff --git a/elasticsearch/tests/elasticsearch_test.py b/elasticsearch/tests/elasticsearch_test.py
index 1782d6802..66b514104 100755
--- a/elasticsearch/tests/elasticsearch_test.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/tests/elasticsearch_test.py
@@ -334,6 +334,23 @@ def test_adding_a_extra_init_container():
     extraInitContainer = r['statefulset'][uname]['spec']['template']['spec']['initContainers']
     assert {'name': 'do-something', 'image': 'busybox', 'command': ['do', 'something'], } in extraInitContainer
 
+def test_sysctl_init_container_disabled():
+    config = '''
+sysctlInitContainer:
+  enabled: false
+'''
+    r = helm_template(config)
+    initContainers = r['statefulset'][uname]['spec']['template']['spec']['initContainers']
+    assert initContainers is None
+
+def test_sysctl_init_container_enabled():
+    config = '''
+sysctlInitContainer:
+  enabled: true
+'''
+    r = helm_template(config)
+    initContainers = r['statefulset'][uname]['spec']['template']['spec']['initContainers']
+    assert initContainers[0]['name'] == 'configure-sysctl'
 
 def test_adding_storageclass_annotation_to_volumeclaimtemplate():
     config = '''
diff --git a/elasticsearch/values.yaml b/elasticsearch/values.yaml
index 4c41f87d6..6e53ee60d 100755
--- a/elasticsearch/values.yaml
+++ b/elasticsearch/values.yaml
@@ -204,3 +204,6 @@ lifecycle: {}
   # postStart:
   #   exec:
   #     command: ["/bin/sh", "-c", "echo Hello from the postStart handler > /usr/share/message"]
+
+sysctlInitContainer:
+  enabled: true