diff --git a/chainregistry.go b/chainregistry.go
index 1a6f9a003..7be92afd9 100644
--- a/chainregistry.go
+++ b/chainregistry.go
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ func initNeutrinoBackend(chainDir string) (*neutrino.ChainService, func(), error
 	}
 
 	dbName := filepath.Join(dbPath, "neutrino.db")
-	db, err := walletdb.Create("bdb", dbName, true)
+	db, err := walletdb.Create("bdb", dbName, !cfg.SyncFreelist)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to create neutrino "+
 			"database: %v", err)
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 0800345cd..dc71a75c9 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ type config struct {
 	LndDir          string   `long:"lnddir" description:"The base directory that contains lnd's data, logs, configuration file, etc."`
 	ConfigFile      string   `short:"C" long:"configfile" description:"Path to configuration file"`
 	DataDir         string   `short:"b" long:"datadir" description:"The directory to store lnd's data within"`
+	SyncFreelist    bool     `long:"sync-freelist" description:"Whether the databases used within lnd should sync their freelist to disk. This is disabled by default resulting in improved memory performance during operation, but with an increase in startup time."`
 	TLSCertPath     string   `long:"tlscertpath" description:"Path to write the TLS certificate for lnd's RPC and REST services"`
 	TLSKeyPath      string   `long:"tlskeypath" description:"Path to write the TLS private key for lnd's RPC and REST services"`
 	TLSExtraIPs     []string `long:"tlsextraip" description:"Adds an extra ip to the generated certificate"`
diff --git a/lnd.go b/lnd.go
index 40cc85c8d..8c0b74aac 100644
--- a/lnd.go
+++ b/lnd.go
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ func Main(lisCfg ListenerCfg) error {
 		graphDir,
 		channeldb.OptionSetRejectCacheSize(cfg.Caches.RejectCacheSize),
 		channeldb.OptionSetChannelCacheSize(cfg.Caches.ChannelCacheSize),
+		channeldb.OptionSetSyncFreelist(cfg.SyncFreelist),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		err := fmt.Errorf("Unable to open channeldb: %v", err)
@@ -1000,7 +1001,7 @@ func waitForWalletPassword(restEndpoints []net.Addr,
 		cfg.AdminMacPath, cfg.ReadMacPath, cfg.InvoiceMacPath,
 	}
 	pwService := walletunlocker.New(
-		chainConfig.ChainDir, activeNetParams.Params, true,
+		chainConfig.ChainDir, activeNetParams.Params, !cfg.SyncFreelist,
 		macaroonFiles,
 	)
 	lnrpc.RegisterWalletUnlockerServer(grpcServer, pwService)
@@ -1094,7 +1095,8 @@ func waitForWalletPassword(restEndpoints []net.Addr,
 			chainConfig.ChainDir, activeNetParams.Params,
 		)
 		loader := wallet.NewLoader(
-			activeNetParams.Params, netDir, true, recoveryWindow,
+			activeNetParams.Params, netDir, !cfg.SyncFreelist,
+			recoveryWindow,
 		)
 
 		// With the seed, we can now use the wallet loader to create