diff --git a/core/subscription.c b/core/subscription.c
index 1c9a3c3b..2e5ec358 100644
--- a/core/subscription.c
+++ b/core/subscription.c
@@ -310,6 +310,9 @@ struct uwsgi_subscribe_node *uwsgi_add_subscribe_node(struct uwsgi_subscribe_slo
 	if ((usr->address_len > 0xff || usr->address_len == 0) && (usr->vassal_len > 0xff || usr->vassal_len == 0))
 		return NULL;
 
+	if (uwsgi.subscription_vassal_required && usr->vassal_len == 0)
+		return NULL;
+
 	if (current_slot) {
 #ifdef UWSGI_SSL
 		if (uwsgi.subscriptions_sign_check_dir && !uwsgi_subscription_sign_check(current_slot, usr)) {
diff --git a/core/uwsgi.c b/core/uwsgi.c
index 9845f534..190b0fb9 100755
--- a/core/uwsgi.c
+++ b/core/uwsgi.c
@@ -635,6 +635,7 @@ static struct uwsgi_option uwsgi_base_options[] = {
 	{"subscription-notify-socket", required_argument, 0, "set the notification socket for subscriptions", uwsgi_opt_set_str, &uwsgi.subscription_notify_socket, UWSGI_OPT_MASTER},
 	{"subscription-mountpoints", required_argument, 0, "enable mountpoints support for subscription system", uwsgi_opt_set_int, &uwsgi.subscription_mountpoints, UWSGI_OPT_MASTER},
 	{"subscription-mountpoint", required_argument, 0, "enable mountpoints support for subscription system", uwsgi_opt_set_int, &uwsgi.subscription_mountpoints, UWSGI_OPT_MASTER},
+	{"subscription-vassal-required", no_argument, 0, "require a vassal field for each subscription packet", uwsgi_opt_true, &uwsgi.subscription_vassal_required, UWSGI_OPT_MASTER},
 
 #ifdef UWSGI_SSL
 	{"legion", required_argument, 0, "became a member of a legion", uwsgi_opt_legion, NULL, UWSGI_OPT_MASTER},
diff --git a/uwsgi.h b/uwsgi.h
index 0cd62307..0a16f58e 100755
--- a/uwsgi.h
+++ b/uwsgi.h
@@ -2813,6 +2813,7 @@ struct uwsgi_server {
 	int emperor_command_socket_fd;
 	int emperor_wait_for_command;
 	struct uwsgi_string_list *emperor_wait_for_command_ignore;
+	int subscription_vassal_required;
 };
 
 struct uwsgi_rpc {