diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 9f32854b4765..bad8733568fb 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -318,10 +318,12 @@ Configuration options related to k0s's [control plane load balancing] feature
 
 Configuration options related to keepalived in [control plane load balancing]
 
-| Element          | Description                                                                                                 |
-| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `vrrpInstances`  | Configuration options related to the VRRP. This is an array which allows to configure multiple virtual IPs. |
-| `virtualServers` | Configuration options related LoadBalancing. This is an array which allows to configure multiple LBs.       |
+| Element                  | Description                                                                                                                     |
+| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| `vrrpInstances`          | Configuration options related to the VRRP. This is an array which allows to configure multiple virtual IPs.                     |
+| `virtualServers`         | Configuration options related LoadBalancing. This is an array which allows to configure multiple LBs.                           |
+| `userSpaceProxyBindPort` | The port the userspace proxy will bind to. This port is for internal use only, but listens on every interface. Default: `6444`  |
+| `disableLoadBalancer`    | Disables the load balancer. Default: `false`                                                                                    |
 
 ##### `spec.network.controlPlaneLoadBalancing.keepalived.vrrpInstances`
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/iface/iface.go b/internal/pkg/iface/iface.go
index 30a689c86de8..a022712cfbfe 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/iface/iface.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/iface/iface.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func FirstPublicAddress() (string, error) {
 		}
 		for a := range addresses {
 			// check the address type and skip if loopback
-			if a != nil && !a.IP.IsLoopback() {
+			if !a.IP.IsLoopback() {
 				if a.IP.To4() != nil {
 					return a.IP.String(), nil
 				}
diff --git a/pkg/apis/k0s/v1beta1/cplb.go b/pkg/apis/k0s/v1beta1/cplb.go
index 4cbe55bf6a61..b36de59ba25a 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/k0s/v1beta1/cplb.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/k0s/v1beta1/cplb.go
@@ -68,13 +68,16 @@ type KeepalivedSpec struct {
 	// which allows to configure multiple load balancers.
 	VirtualServers VirtualServers `json:"virtualServers,omitempty"`
 	// UserspaceProxyPort is the port where the userspace proxy will bind
-	// to. This port is only exposed on the localhost interface and is only
-	// used internally. Defaults to 6444.
+	// to. This port is only used internally, but listens on every interface.
+	// Defaults to 6444
 	// +kubebuilder:default=6444
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:Minimum=1
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:Maximum=65535
 	// +optional
 	UserSpaceProxyPort int `json:"userSpaceProxyBindPort,omitempty"`
+	// DisableLoadBalancer disables the load balancer.
+	// +optional
+	DisableLoadBalancer bool `json:"disableLoadBalancer,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // VRRPInstances is a list of VRRPInstance
diff --git a/pkg/component/controller/cplb/cplb_linux.go b/pkg/component/controller/cplb/cplb_linux.go
index fd88df64ef58..6ab33317ebe8 100644
--- a/pkg/component/controller/cplb/cplb_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/component/controller/cplb/cplb_linux.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func (k *Keepalived) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if len(k.Config.VRRPInstances) > 0 || len(k.Config.VirtualServers) > 0 {
+	if !k.Config.DisableLoadBalancer && (len(k.Config.VRRPInstances) > 0 || len(k.Config.VirtualServers) > 0) {
 		k.log.Info("Starting CPLB reconciler")
 		updateCh := make(chan struct{}, 1)
 		k.reconciler = NewCPLBReconciler(k.KubeConfigPath, updateCh)
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ func (k *Keepalived) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 			}
 		}()
 	}
+
 	return k.supervisor.Supervise()
 }
 
diff --git a/static/_crds/k0s/k0s.k0sproject.io_clusterconfigs.yaml b/static/_crds/k0s/k0s.k0sproject.io_clusterconfigs.yaml
index d1d5f2ffd58f..13544d1e7a04 100644
--- a/static/_crds/k0s/k0s.k0sproject.io_clusterconfigs.yaml
+++ b/static/_crds/k0s/k0s.k0sproject.io_clusterconfigs.yaml
@@ -508,12 +508,15 @@ spec:
                           Keepalived contains configuration options related to the "Keepalived" type
                           of load balancing.
                         properties:
+                          disableLoadBalancer:
+                            description: DisableLoadBalancer disables the load balancer.
+                            type: boolean
                           userSpaceProxyBindPort:
                             default: 6444
                             description: |-
                               UserspaceProxyPort is the port where the userspace proxy will bind
-                              to. This port is only exposed on the localhost interface and is only
-                              used internally. Defaults to 6444.
+                              to. This port is only used internally, but listens on every interface.
+                              Defaults to 6444
                             maximum: 65535
                             minimum: 1
                             type: integer