diff --git a/media-converter/src/audioconv.rs b/media-converter/src/audioconv.rs
index 708bdd02..1129e1c5 100644
--- a/media-converter/src/audioconv.rs
+++ b/media-converter/src/audioconv.rs
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ use glib::subclass::prelude::*;
 
 use crate::format_hash;
 use crate::HASH_SEED;
+use crate::discarding_disabled;
 
 use gst;
 use gst::prelude::*;
@@ -233,6 +234,10 @@ impl AudioConverterDumpFozdb {
         if self.already_cleaned {
             return;
         }
+        if discarding_disabled() {
+            self.already_cleaned = true;
+            return;
+        }
         if let Some(fozdb) = &mut self.open(false).fozdb {
             if let Ok(read_fozdb_path) = std::env::var("MEDIACONV_AUDIO_TRANSCODED_FILE") {
                 if let Ok(read_fozdb) = fossilize::StreamArchive::new(&read_fozdb_path, OpenOptions::new().read(true), true /* read-only? */, AUDIOCONV_FOZ_NUM_TAGS) {
diff --git a/media-converter/src/lib.rs b/media-converter/src/lib.rs
index e06eb587..ba0c95dd 100644
--- a/media-converter/src/lib.rs
+++ b/media-converter/src/lib.rs
@@ -141,6 +141,14 @@ impl<'a> Read for BufferedReader<'a> {
     }
 }
 
+fn discarding_disabled() -> bool {
+    let v = match std::env::var("MEDIACONV_DONT_DISCARD") {
+        Err(_) => { return false; },
+        Ok(c) => c,
+    };
+    return v != "0";
+}
+
 fn plugin_init(plugin: &gst::Plugin) -> Result<(), glib::BoolError> {
     videoconv::register(plugin)?;
     audioconvbin::register(plugin)?;
diff --git a/media-converter/src/videoconv.rs b/media-converter/src/videoconv.rs
index 88974975..5576830d 100644
--- a/media-converter/src/videoconv.rs
+++ b/media-converter/src/videoconv.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ use crate::HASH_SEED;
 use crate::box_array;
 use crate::copy_into_array;
 use crate::BufferedReader;
+use crate::discarding_disabled;
 
 use gst;
 use gst::prelude::*;
@@ -157,7 +158,11 @@ impl VideoConverterDumpFozdb {
 
     fn discard_transcoded(&mut self) {
         if self.already_cleaned {
-            return
+            return;
+        }
+        if discarding_disabled() {
+            self.already_cleaned = true;
+            return;
         }
         if let Some(fozdb) = &mut self.open(false).fozdb {
             if let Ok(read_fozdb_path) = std::env::var("MEDIACONV_VIDEO_TRANSCODED_FILE") {