diff --git a/core/src/rpc.rs b/core/src/rpc.rs
index 58e53cef5f..3a944245f4 100644
--- a/core/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/core/src/rpc.rs
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ pub struct JsonRpcConfig {
     pub faucet_addr: Option<SocketAddr>,
     pub health_check_slot_distance: u64,
     pub enable_bigtable_ledger_storage: bool,
+    pub enable_bigtable_ledger_upload: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
diff --git a/core/src/rpc_service.rs b/core/src/rpc_service.rs
index 5f29052870..c3fa270793 100644
--- a/core/src/rpc_service.rs
+++ b/core/src/rpc_service.rs
@@ -272,20 +272,24 @@ impl JsonRpcService {
             .build()
             .expect("Runtime");
 
-        let bigtable_ledger_storage = if config.enable_bigtable_ledger_storage {
-            runtime
-                .block_on(solana_storage_bigtable::LedgerStorage::new(false))
-                .map(|x| {
-                    info!("BigTable ledger storage initialized");
-                    Some(x)
-                })
-                .unwrap_or_else(|err| {
-                    error!("Failed to initialize BigTable ledger storage: {:?}", err);
-                    None
-                })
-        } else {
-            None
-        };
+        let bigtable_ledger_storage =
+            if config.enable_bigtable_ledger_storage || config.enable_bigtable_ledger_upload {
+                runtime
+                    .block_on(solana_storage_bigtable::LedgerStorage::new(
+                        config.enable_bigtable_ledger_upload,
+                    ))
+                    .map(|x| {
+                        info!("BigTable ledger storage initialized");
+                        Some(x)
+                    })
+                    .unwrap_or_else(|err| {
+                        error!("Failed to initialize BigTable ledger storage: {:?}", err);
+                        None
+                    })
+            } else {
+                None
+            };
+
         let request_processor = JsonRpcRequestProcessor::new(
             config,
             bank_forks.clone(),
diff --git a/validator/src/main.rs b/validator/src/main.rs
index b36624baab..b366636beb 100644
--- a/validator/src/main.rs
+++ b/validator/src/main.rs
@@ -653,6 +653,13 @@ pub fn main() {
                 .help("Fetch historical transaction info from a BigTable instance \
                        as a fallback to local ledger data"),
         )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::with_name("enable_bigtable_ledger_upload")
+                .long("enable-bigtable-ledger-upload")
+                .requires("enable_rpc_transaction_history")
+                .takes_value(false)
+                .help("Upload new confirmed blocks into a BigTable instance"),
+        )
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("health_check_slot_distance")
                 .long("health-check-slot-distance")
@@ -970,6 +977,7 @@ pub fn main() {
             enable_rpc_transaction_history: matches.is_present("enable_rpc_transaction_history"),
             enable_bigtable_ledger_storage: matches
                 .is_present("enable_rpc_bigtable_ledger_storage"),
+            enable_bigtable_ledger_upload: matches.is_present("enable_bigtable_ledger_upload"),
             identity_pubkey: identity_keypair.pubkey(),
             faucet_addr: matches.value_of("rpc_faucet_addr").map(|address| {
                 solana_net_utils::parse_host_port(address).expect("failed to parse faucet address")