diff --git a/flowspec/forms.py b/flowspec/forms.py
index 856ab6ce97e74ad423b5d0247a7ecefd7509c3d5..997a4500ed1c8147612a10a65b00faf5789034b8 100644
--- a/flowspec/forms.py
+++ b/flowspec/forms.py
@@ -188,8 +188,9 @@ class RouteForm(forms.ModelForm):
                 existing_routes = existing_routes.filter(pk__in=route_pk_list)
         else:
             existing_routes = existing_routes.filter(port=None)
-        for route in existing_routes:
-            if name != route.name:
+        if not settings.DISABLE_RULE_OVERLAP_CHECK:
+           for route in existing_routes:
+             if name != route.name:
                 existing_url = reverse('edit-route', args=[route.name])
                 if IPNetwork(destination) in IPNetwork(route.destination) or IPNetwork(route.destination) in IPNetwork(destination):
                     raise forms.ValidationError('Found an exact %s rule, %s with destination prefix %s<br>To avoid overlapping try editing rule <a href=\'%s\'>%s</a>' % (route.status, route.name, route.destination, existing_url, route.name))
diff --git a/flowspec/validators.py b/flowspec/validators.py
index efa55b2ae827870a0029ebb90bdc80b9b9c83413..fce7796f6ab0e5cd85de42c14ec2b626d695928f 100644
--- a/flowspec/validators.py
+++ b/flowspec/validators.py
@@ -183,23 +183,24 @@ def check_if_rule_exists(fields, queryset):
     :rtype: tuple(bool, str)
     """
 
-    routes = queryset.filter(
-        source=fields.get('source'),
-        destination=IPNetwork(fields.get('destination')).compressed,
-    )
-    if routes:
-        ids = [str(item[0]) for item in routes.values_list('pk')]
-        return (
-            True, _('Rule(s) regarding those addresses already exist '
-                    'with id(s) {}. Please edit those instead'.format(', '.join(ids))))
-
-    routes = Route.objects.filter(
-        source=fields.get('source'),
-        destination=IPNetwork(fields.get('destination')).compressed,
-    )
-    for route in routes:
-        return (
-            True, _('Rule(s) regarding those addresses already exist '
-                    'but you cannot edit them. Please refer to the '
-                    'application\'s administrators for further clarification'))
+    if not settings.DISABLE_RULE_OVERLAP_CHECK: 
+	    routes = queryset.filter(
+		source=fields.get('source'),
+		destination=IPNetwork(fields.get('destination')).compressed,
+	    )
+	    if routes:
+		ids = [str(item[0]) for item in routes.values_list('pk')]
+		return (
+		    True, _('Rule(s) regarding those addresses already exist '
+			    'with id(s) {}. Please edit those instead'.format(', '.join(ids))))
+	     
+	    routes = Route.objects.filter(
+		source=fields.get('source'),
+		destination=IPNetwork(fields.get('destination')).compressed,
+	    )
+	    for route in routes:
+		return (
+		    True, _('Rule(s) regarding those addresses already exist '
+			    'but you cannot edit them. Please refer to the '
+			    'application\'s administrators for further clarification'))
     return (False, None)
diff --git a/flowspy/settings_local.py.dist b/flowspy/settings_local.py.dist
index a542706fa26bbacc8b900c40a16b38e33fe84188..2f3c71814b125125d90b23c2ebee2c475474c86b 100644
--- a/flowspy/settings_local.py.dist
+++ b/flowspy/settings_local.py.dist
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ ACCOUNT_ACTIVATION_DAYS = 7
 # Define subnets that should not have any rules applied whatsoever
 #PROTECTED_SUBNETS = ['10.10.0.0/16']
 PROTECTED_SUBNETS = []
-#MAX_RULE_EXPIRE_DAYS = 10
+# max number of days into the future that is allowed to pick in rule expiration datepicker
 MAX_RULE_EXPIRE_DAYS = 30
 
 # Add two whois servers in order to be able to get all the subnets for an AS.
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ SNMP_MAX_SAMPLECOUNT = 12
 # Age of inactive routes that can be already removed (in seconds)
 SNMP_REMOVE_RULES_AFTER = 3600
 
-
+DISABLE_RULE_OVERLAP_CHECK = True
 
 ##############################################################################
 ##############################################################################