diff --git a/docs/src/developing/test-validator.md b/docs/src/developing/test-validator.md
index 5585dd260..72dea3ea4 100644
--- a/docs/src/developing/test-validator.md
+++ b/docs/src/developing/test-validator.md
@@ -151,3 +151,19 @@ JSON RPC URL: http://127.0.0.1:8899
   [commitment levels](clients/jsonrpc-api#configuring-state-commitment),
   slot height of the last snapshot, transaction count,
   [voting authority](/running-validator/vote-accounts#vote-authority) balance
+
+## Appendix II: Runtime Features
+
+By default, the test validator runs with all [runtime features](programming-model/runtime#features) activated.
+
+You can verify this using the [Solana command-line tools](cli/install-solana-cli-tools.md):
+
+```bash
+solana feature status -ul
+```
+
+Since this may not always be desired, especially when testing programs meant for deployment to mainnet, the CLI provides an option to deactivate specific features:
+
+```bash
+solana-test-validator --deactivate-feature <FEATURE_PUBKEY_1> --deactivate-feature <FEATURE_PUBKEY_2>
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs b/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs
index 293c83724..799a3936d 100644
--- a/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs
+++ b/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs
@@ -325,6 +325,15 @@ fn main() {
                 .long("no-accounts-db-caching")
                 .help("Disables accounts caching"),
         )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::with_name("deactivate_feature")
+                .long("deactivate-feature")
+                .takes_value(true)
+                .value_name("FEATURE_PUBKEY")
+                .validator(is_pubkey)
+                .multiple(true)
+                .help("deactivate this feature in genesis.")
+        )
         .get_matches();
 
     let output = if matches.is_present("quiet") {
@@ -549,6 +558,8 @@ fn main() {
         });
     }
 
+    let features_to_deactivate = pubkeys_of(&matches, "deactivate_feature").unwrap_or_default();
+
     if TestValidatorGenesis::ledger_exists(&ledger_path) {
         for (name, long) in &[
             ("bpf_program", "--bpf-program"),
@@ -558,6 +569,7 @@ fn main() {
             ("ticks_per_slot", "--ticks-per-slot"),
             ("slots_per_epoch", "--slots-per-epoch"),
             ("faucet_sol", "--faucet-sol"),
+            ("deactivate_feature", "--deactivate-feature"),
         ] {
             if matches.is_present(name) {
                 println!("{} argument ignored, ledger already exists", long);
@@ -626,7 +638,8 @@ fn main() {
         .bpf_jit(!matches.is_present("no_bpf_jit"))
         .rpc_port(rpc_port)
         .add_programs_with_path(&programs_to_load)
-        .add_accounts_from_json_files(&accounts_to_load);
+        .add_accounts_from_json_files(&accounts_to_load)
+        .deactivate_features(&features_to_deactivate);
 
     if !accounts_to_clone.is_empty() {
         genesis.clone_accounts(