diff --git a/chart/templates/_helpers.tpl b/chart/templates/_helpers.tpl
index 7e8f42c1586e9d..52ae736e7fdfe7 100644
--- a/chart/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/chart/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -272,6 +272,9 @@ env:
   value: {{ $tracing.samplerType }}
 - name: JAEGER_SAMPLER_PARAM
   value: "{{ $tracing.samplerParam }}"
+{{- else }}
+- name: JAEGER_DISABLED
+  value: "true"
 {{- end }}
 {{- end -}}
 
diff --git a/installer/pkg/common/common.go b/installer/pkg/common/common.go
index b45bd6416834b8..d5288362833ddd 100644
--- a/installer/pkg/common/common.go
+++ b/installer/pkg/common/common.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ func DefaultEnv(cfg *config.Config) []corev1.EnvVar {
 
 func TracingEnv(context *RenderContext) (res []corev1.EnvVar) {
 	if context.Config.Observability.Tracing == nil {
+		res = append(res, corev1.EnvVar{Name: "JAEGER_DISABLED", Value: "true"})
 		return
 	}