diff --git a/docs/generated/settings/settings-for-tenants.txt b/docs/generated/settings/settings-for-tenants.txt
index eb954afb7d2b..8689ac8c921f 100644
--- a/docs/generated/settings/settings-for-tenants.txt
+++ b/docs/generated/settings/settings-for-tenants.txt
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ sql.stats.histogram_collection.enabled	boolean	true	histogram collection mode	te
 sql.stats.histogram_samples.count	integer	10000	number of rows sampled for histogram construction during table statistics collection	tenant-rw
 sql.stats.multi_column_collection.enabled	boolean	true	multi-column statistics collection mode	tenant-rw
 sql.stats.non_default_columns.min_retention_period	duration	24h0m0s	minimum retention period for table statistics collected on non-default columns	tenant-rw
-sql.stats.persisted_rows.max	integer	1000000	maximum number of rows of statement and transaction statistics that will be persisted in the system tables	tenant-rw
+sql.stats.persisted_rows.max	integer	1000000	maximum number of rows of statement and transaction statistics that will be persisted in the system tables before compaction begins	tenant-rw
 sql.stats.post_events.enabled	boolean	false	if set, an event is logged for every CREATE STATISTICS job	tenant-rw
 sql.stats.response.max	integer	20000	the maximum number of statements and transaction stats returned in a CombinedStatements request	tenant-rw
 sql.stats.response.show_internal.enabled	boolean	false	controls if statistics for internal executions should be returned by the CombinedStatements and if internal sessions should be returned by the ListSessions endpoints. These endpoints are used to display statistics on the SQL Activity pages	tenant-rw
diff --git a/docs/generated/settings/settings.html b/docs/generated/settings/settings.html
index ecc6ef2f0611..9a1595c67e31 100644
--- a/docs/generated/settings/settings.html
+++ b/docs/generated/settings/settings.html
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@
 <tr><td><div id="setting-sql-stats-histogram-samples-count" class="anchored"><code>sql.stats.histogram_samples.count</code></div></td><td>integer</td><td><code>10000</code></td><td>number of rows sampled for histogram construction during table statistics collection</td><td>Serverless/Dedicated/Self-Hosted</td></tr>
 <tr><td><div id="setting-sql-stats-multi-column-collection-enabled" class="anchored"><code>sql.stats.multi_column_collection.enabled</code></div></td><td>boolean</td><td><code>true</code></td><td>multi-column statistics collection mode</td><td>Serverless/Dedicated/Self-Hosted</td></tr>
 <tr><td><div id="setting-sql-stats-non-default-columns-min-retention-period" class="anchored"><code>sql.stats.non_default_columns.min_retention_period</code></div></td><td>duration</td><td><code>24h0m0s</code></td><td>minimum retention period for table statistics collected on non-default columns</td><td>Serverless/Dedicated/Self-Hosted</td></tr>
-<tr><td><div id="setting-sql-stats-persisted-rows-max" class="anchored"><code>sql.stats.persisted_rows.max</code></div></td><td>integer</td><td><code>1000000</code></td><td>maximum number of rows of statement and transaction statistics that will be persisted in the system tables</td><td>Serverless/Dedicated/Self-Hosted</td></tr>
+<tr><td><div id="setting-sql-stats-persisted-rows-max" class="anchored"><code>sql.stats.persisted_rows.max</code></div></td><td>integer</td><td><code>1000000</code></td><td>maximum number of rows of statement and transaction statistics that will be persisted in the system tables before compaction begins</td><td>Serverless/Dedicated/Self-Hosted</td></tr>
 <tr><td><div id="setting-sql-stats-post-events-enabled" class="anchored"><code>sql.stats.post_events.enabled</code></div></td><td>boolean</td><td><code>false</code></td><td>if set, an event is logged for every CREATE STATISTICS job</td><td>Serverless/Dedicated/Self-Hosted</td></tr>
 <tr><td><div id="setting-sql-stats-response-max" class="anchored"><code>sql.stats.response.max</code></div></td><td>integer</td><td><code>20000</code></td><td>the maximum number of statements and transaction stats returned in a CombinedStatements request</td><td>Serverless/Dedicated/Self-Hosted</td></tr>
 <tr><td><div id="setting-sql-stats-response-show-internal-enabled" class="anchored"><code>sql.stats.response.show_internal.enabled</code></div></td><td>boolean</td><td><code>false</code></td><td>controls if statistics for internal executions should be returned by the CombinedStatements and if internal sessions should be returned by the ListSessions endpoints. These endpoints are used to display statistics on the SQL Activity pages</td><td>Serverless/Dedicated/Self-Hosted</td></tr>
diff --git a/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/cluster_settings.go b/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/cluster_settings.go
index 61c7db7794b7..273b3b209318 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/cluster_settings.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/cluster_settings.go
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ var SQLStatsFlushJitter = settings.RegisterFloatSetting(
 var SQLStatsMaxPersistedRows = settings.RegisterIntSetting(
 	settings.TenantWritable,
 	"sql.stats.persisted_rows.max",
-	"maximum number of rows of statement and transaction"+
-		" statistics that will be persisted in the system tables",
+	"maximum number of rows of statement and transaction statistics that "+
+		"will be persisted in the system tables before compaction begins",
 	1000000, /* defaultValue */
 ).WithPublic()
 
@@ -129,3 +129,14 @@ var CompactionJobRowsToDeletePerTxn = settings.RegisterIntSetting(
 	10000,
 	settings.NonNegativeInt,
 )
+
+// sqlStatsLimitTableSizeEnabled is the cluster setting that enables the
+// sql stats system tables to grow past the number of rows set by
+// sql.stats.persisted_row.max.
+var sqlStatsLimitTableSizeEnabled = settings.RegisterBoolSetting(
+	settings.TenantWritable,
+	"sql.stats.limit_table_size.enabled",
+	"controls whether we allow statement and transaction statistics tables "+
+		"to grow past sql.stats.persisted_rows.max",
+	true,
+)
diff --git a/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/flush.go b/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/flush.go
index 6ba6b8e955f0..17b729a80a4e 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/flush.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/flush.go
@@ -73,7 +73,13 @@ func (s *PersistedSQLStats) Flush(ctx context.Context) {
 	aggregatedTs := s.ComputeAggregatedTs()
 
 	// We only check the statement count as there should always be at least as many statements as transactions.
-	limitReached, err := s.StmtsLimitSizeReached(ctx)
+	limitReached := false
+
+	var err error
+	if sqlStatsLimitTableSizeEnabled.Get(&s.SQLStats.GetClusterSettings().SV) {
+		limitReached, err = s.StmtsLimitSizeReached(ctx)
+	}
+
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf(ctx, "encountered an error at flush, checking for statement statistics size limit: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/flush_test.go b/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/flush_test.go
index 7cf4210c7f21..ae0bb1d2737e 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/flush_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/sqlstats/persistedsqlstats/flush_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	gosql "database/sql"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
+	"strconv"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -499,12 +500,28 @@ func TestSQLStatsPersistedLimitReached(t *testing.T) {
 	sqlConn.Exec(t, "SELECT 1, 2, 3, 4")
 	sqlConn.Exec(t, "SELECT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5")
 	sqlConn.Exec(t, "SELECT 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7")
-	pss.Flush(ctx)
-	stmtStatsCountFlush3, txnStatsCountFlush3 := countStats(t, sqlConn)
 
-	// 5. Assert that neither table has grown in length.
-	require.Equal(t, stmtStatsCountFlush3, stmtStatsCountFlush2)
-	require.Equal(t, txnStatsCountFlush3, txnStatsCountFlush2)
+	for _, enforceLimitEnabled := range []bool{true, false} {
+		boolStr := strconv.FormatBool(enforceLimitEnabled)
+		t.Run("enforce-limit-"+boolStr, func(t *testing.T) {
+
+			sqlConn.Exec(t, "SET CLUSTER SETTING sql.stats.limit_table_size.enabled = "+boolStr)
+
+			pss.Flush(ctx)
+
+			stmtStatsCountFlush3, txnStatsCountFlush3 := countStats(t, sqlConn)
+
+			if enforceLimitEnabled {
+				// Assert that neither table has grown in length.
+				require.Equal(t, stmtStatsCountFlush3, stmtStatsCountFlush2)
+				require.Equal(t, txnStatsCountFlush3, txnStatsCountFlush2)
+			} else {
+				// Assert that tables were allowed to grow.
+				require.Greater(t, stmtStatsCountFlush3, stmtStatsCountFlush2)
+				require.Greater(t, txnStatsCountFlush3, txnStatsCountFlush2)
+			}
+		})
+	}
 }
 
 func TestSQLStatsReadLimitSizeOnLockedTable(t *testing.T) {