diff --git a/config/data.php b/config/data.php
index 6a0c70862..361daf59b 100644
--- a/config/data.php
+++ b/config/data.php
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@
      * store should be used.
      */
     'structure_caching' => [
+        'enabled' => env('DATA_STRUCTURE_CACHE_ENABLED', true),
         'directories' => [app_path('Data')],
         'cache' => [
             'store' => env('CACHE_DRIVER', 'file'),
diff --git a/docs/advanced-usage/performance.md b/docs/advanced-usage/performance.md
index f113e93a5..6bcf3aeb3 100644
--- a/docs/advanced-usage/performance.md
+++ b/docs/advanced-usage/performance.md
@@ -63,3 +63,5 @@ When using reflection discovery, the base directory and root namespace can be co
 ```
 
 You can read more about reflection discovery [here](https://github.com/spatie/php-structure-discoverer#parsers).
+
+Caching can be disabled e.g. for development or test environments by setting `DATA_STRUCTURE_CACHE_ENABLED=false` in .env
diff --git a/src/LaravelDataServiceProvider.php b/src/LaravelDataServiceProvider.php
index 276c676c4..5e7e08e7c 100644
--- a/src/LaravelDataServiceProvider.php
+++ b/src/LaravelDataServiceProvider.php
@@ -24,15 +24,22 @@ public function configurePackage(Package $package): void
 
     public function packageRegistered(): void
     {
-        $this->app->singleton(
-            DataStructureCache::class,
-            fn () => new DataStructureCache(config('data.structure_caching.cache'))
-        );
-
-        $this->app->singleton(
-            DataConfig::class,
-            fn () => $this->app->make(DataStructureCache::class)->getConfig() ?? new DataConfig(config('data'))
-        );
+        if (config('data.structure_caching.enabled')) {
+            $this->app->singleton(
+                DataStructureCache::class,
+                fn () => new DataStructureCache(config('data.structure_caching.cache'))
+            );
+
+            $this->app->singleton(
+                DataConfig::class,
+                fn () => $this->app->make(DataStructureCache::class)->getConfig() ?? new DataConfig(config('data'))
+            );
+        } else {
+            $this->app->singleton(
+                DataConfig::class,
+                fn () => new DataConfig(config('data'))
+            );
+        }
 
         /** @psalm-suppress UndefinedInterfaceMethod */
         $this->app->beforeResolving(BaseData::class, function ($class, $parameters, $app) {