diff --git a/fullnode/src/main.rs b/fullnode/src/main.rs
index ad5ead6486..f84e38c7ee 100644
--- a/fullnode/src/main.rs
+++ b/fullnode/src/main.rs
@@ -163,6 +163,12 @@ fn main() {
                 .takes_value(true)
                 .help("RPC port to use for this node"),
         )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::with_name("enable_rpc_exit")
+                .long("enable-rpc-exit")
+                .takes_value(false)
+                .help("Enable the JSON RPC 'fullnodeExit' API.  Only enable in a debug environment"),
+        )
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("signer")
                 .short("s")
@@ -210,6 +216,10 @@ fn main() {
     fullnode_config.voting_disabled = no_signer;
     let use_only_bootstrap_leader = matches.is_present("no_leader_rotation");
 
+    if matches.is_present("enable_rpc_exit") {
+        fullnode_config.rpc_config = solana::rpc::JsonRpcConfig::TestOnlyAllowRpcFullnodeExit;
+    }
+
     let gossip_addr = {
         let mut addr = solana_netutil::parse_port_or_addr(
             matches.value_of("gossip_port"),