diff --git a/src/ejabberd_bosh.erl b/src/ejabberd_bosh.erl
index 4a552f43c..1ec45a3e2 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_bosh.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_bosh.erl
@@ -739,9 +739,10 @@ bounce_receivers(State, Reason) ->
 		State, Receivers ++ ShapedReceivers).
 
 bounce_els_from_obuf(State) ->
+    Opts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(State#state.host),
     p1_queue:foreach(
       fun({xmlstreamelement, El}) ->
-	      try xmpp:decode(El, ?NS_CLIENT, [ignore_els]) of
+	      try xmpp:decode(El, ?NS_CLIENT, Opts) of
 		  Pkt when ?is_stanza(Pkt) ->
 		      case {xmpp:get_from(Pkt), xmpp:get_to(Pkt)} of
 			  {#jid{}, #jid{}} ->
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_c2s.erl b/src/ejabberd_c2s.erl
index e7ce7b910..1e81f4d1a 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_c2s.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_c2s.erl
@@ -418,8 +418,10 @@ handle_stream_start(StreamStart, #{lserver := LServer} = State) ->
 	    send(State#{lserver => ?MYNAME}, xmpp:serr_host_unknown());
 	true ->
 	    State1 = change_shaper(State),
+	    Opts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(LServer),
+	    State2 = State1#{codec_options => Opts},
 	    ejabberd_hooks:run_fold(
-	      c2s_stream_started, LServer, State1, [StreamStart])
+	      c2s_stream_started, LServer, State2, [StreamStart])
     end.
 
 handle_stream_end(Reason, #{lserver := LServer} = State) ->
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_config.erl b/src/ejabberd_config.erl
index f898936f5..5ec2556f6 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_config.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_config.erl
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@
 	 is_elixir_enabled/0, v_dbs/1, v_dbs_mods/1,
 	 default_db/1, default_db/2, default_ram_db/1, default_ram_db/2,
 	 default_queue_type/1, queue_dir/0, fsm_limit_opts/1,
-	 use_cache/1, cache_size/1, cache_missed/1, cache_life_time/1]).
+	 use_cache/1, cache_size/1, cache_missed/1, cache_life_time/1,
+	 codec_options/1]).
 
 -export([start/2]).
 
@@ -1418,11 +1419,13 @@ opt_type(shared_key) ->
     fun iolist_to_binary/1;
 opt_type(node_start) ->
     fun(I) when is_integer(I), I>=0 -> I end;
+opt_type(validate_stream) ->
+    fun(B) when is_boolean(B) -> B end;
 opt_type(_) ->
     [hide_sensitive_log_data, hosts, language, max_fsm_queue,
      default_db, default_ram_db, queue_type, queue_dir, loglevel,
      use_cache, cache_size, cache_missed, cache_life_time,
-     shared_key, node_start].
+     shared_key, node_start, validate_stream].
 
 -spec may_hide_data(any()) -> any().
 may_hide_data(Data) ->
@@ -1469,3 +1472,10 @@ cache_missed(Host) ->
 %% NOTE: the integer value returned is in *seconds*
 cache_life_time(Host) ->
     get_option({cache_life_time, Host}, 3600).
+
+-spec codec_options(binary() | global) -> [xmpp:decode_option()].
+codec_options(Host) ->
+    case get_option({validate_stream, Host}, false) of
+	true -> [];
+	false -> [ignore_els]
+    end.
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_s2s_in.erl b/src/ejabberd_s2s_in.erl
index 025dc2962..5345727a2 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_s2s_in.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_s2s_in.erl
@@ -169,7 +169,8 @@ handle_stream_start(_StreamStart, #{lserver := LServer} = State) ->
 	    send(State, xmpp:serr_host_unknown());
 	true ->
 	    ServerHost = ejabberd_router:host_of_route(LServer),
-	    State#{server_host => ServerHost}
+	    Opts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(LServer),
+	    State#{server_host => ServerHost, codec_options => Opts}
     end.
 
 handle_stream_end(Reason, #{server_host := LServer} = State) ->
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_service.erl b/src/ejabberd_service.erl
index 7b3543ae2..7016cd77d 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_service.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_service.erl
@@ -116,22 +116,23 @@ handle_stream_start(_StreamStart,
 		      lang := Lang,
 		      host_opts := HostOpts} = State) ->
     case ejabberd_router:is_my_host(RemoteServer) of
-			   true ->
+	true ->
 	    Txt = <<"Unable to register route on existing local domain">>,
 	    xmpp_stream_in:send(State, xmpp:serr_conflict(Txt, Lang));
-			   false ->
+	false ->
 	    NewHostOpts = case dict:is_key(RemoteServer, HostOpts) of
 			      true ->
 				  HostOpts;
 			      false ->
 				  case dict:find(global, HostOpts) of
-				   {ok, GlobalPass} ->
+				      {ok, GlobalPass} ->
 					  dict:from_list([{RemoteServer, GlobalPass}]);
-				   error ->
+				      error ->
 					  HostOpts
-			       end
-		       end,
-	    State#{host_opts => NewHostOpts}
+				  end
+			  end,
+	    CodecOpts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(global),
+	    State#{host_opts => NewHostOpts, codec_options => CodecOpts}
     end.
 
 get_password_fun(#{remote_server := RemoteServer,
diff --git a/src/mod_admin_extra.erl b/src/mod_admin_extra.erl
index ec7376e1d..8d530e5c8 100644
--- a/src/mod_admin_extra.erl
+++ b/src/mod_admin_extra.erl
@@ -1549,7 +1549,8 @@ send_stanza(FromString, ToString, Stanza) ->
 	#xmlel{} = El = fxml_stream:parse_element(Stanza),
 	From = jid:decode(FromString),
 	To = jid:decode(ToString),
-	Pkt = xmpp:decode(El, ?NS_CLIENT, [ignore_els]),
+	CodecOpts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(From#jid.lserver),
+	Pkt = xmpp:decode(El, ?NS_CLIENT, CodecOpts),
 	ejabberd_router:route(xmpp:set_from_to(Pkt, From, To))
     catch _:{xmpp_codec, Why} ->
 	    io:format("incorrect stanza: ~s~n", [xmpp:format_error(Why)]),
diff --git a/src/mod_announce.erl b/src/mod_announce.erl
index 6db1e4529..e9da1d9c7 100644
--- a/src/mod_announce.erl
+++ b/src/mod_announce.erl
@@ -715,7 +715,8 @@ send_motd({#presence{type = available},
     Mod = gen_mod:db_mod(LServer, ?MODULE),
     case get_motd(Mod, LServer) of
 	{ok, Packet} ->
-	    try xmpp:decode(Packet, ?NS_CLIENT, [ignore_els]) of
+	    CodecOpts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(LServer),
+	    try xmpp:decode(Packet, ?NS_CLIENT, CodecOpts) of
 		Msg ->
 		    case is_motd_user(Mod, LUser, LServer) of
 			false ->
@@ -806,7 +807,8 @@ get_stored_motd(LServer) ->
     Mod = gen_mod:db_mod(LServer, ?MODULE),
     case get_motd(Mod, LServer) of
         {ok, Packet} ->
-	    try xmpp:decode(Packet, ?NS_CLIENT, [ignore_els]) of
+	    CodecOpts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(LServer),
+	    try xmpp:decode(Packet, ?NS_CLIENT, CodecOpts) of
 		#message{body = Body, subject = Subject} ->
 		    {xmpp:get_text(Subject), xmpp:get_text(Body)}
 	    catch _:{xmpp_codec, Why} ->
diff --git a/src/mod_delegation.erl b/src/mod_delegation.erl
index 350a2db37..9822e81fd 100644
--- a/src/mod_delegation.erl
+++ b/src/mod_delegation.erl
@@ -261,9 +261,10 @@ process_iq(#iq{to = To, lang = Lang, sub_els = [SubEl]} = IQ, Type) ->
 process_iq_result(#iq{from = From, to = To, id = ID, lang = Lang} = IQ,
 		  #iq{type = result} = ResIQ) ->
     try
+	CodecOpts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(To#jid.lserver),
 	#delegation{forwarded = #forwarded{sub_els = [SubEl]}} =
 	    xmpp:get_subtag(ResIQ, #delegation{}),
-	case xmpp:decode(SubEl, ?NS_CLIENT, [ignore_els]) of
+	case xmpp:decode(SubEl, ?NS_CLIENT, CodecOpts) of
 	    #iq{from = To, to = From, type = Type, id = ID} = Reply
 	      when Type == error; Type == result ->
 		ejabberd_router:route(Reply)
diff --git a/src/mod_mam.erl b/src/mod_mam.erl
index 8e8f57171..97033bafb 100644
--- a/src/mod_mam.erl
+++ b/src/mod_mam.erl
@@ -918,7 +918,8 @@ select(LServer, JidRequestor, JidArchive, Query, RSM, MsgType) ->
 msg_to_el(#archive_msg{timestamp = TS, packet = El, nick = Nick,
 		       peer = Peer, id = ID},
 	  MsgType, JidRequestor, #jid{lserver = LServer} = JidArchive) ->
-    try xmpp:decode(El, ?NS_CLIENT, [ignore_els]) of
+    CodecOpts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(LServer),
+    try xmpp:decode(El, ?NS_CLIENT, CodecOpts) of
 	Pkt1 ->
 	    Pkt2 = set_stanza_id(Pkt1, JidArchive, ID),
 	    Pkt3 = maybe_update_from_to(
diff --git a/src/mod_offline.erl b/src/mod_offline.erl
index d9f66843e..6b32fc98c 100644
--- a/src/mod_offline.erl
+++ b/src/mod_offline.erl
@@ -596,7 +596,8 @@ get_offline_els(LUser, LServer) ->
 -spec offline_msg_to_route(binary(), #offline_msg{}) ->
 				  {route, message()} | error.
 offline_msg_to_route(LServer, #offline_msg{from = From, to = To} = R) ->
-    try xmpp:decode(R#offline_msg.packet, ?NS_CLIENT, [ignore_els]) of
+    CodecOpts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(LServer),
+    try xmpp:decode(R#offline_msg.packet, ?NS_CLIENT, CodecOpts) of
 	Pkt ->
 	    Pkt1 = xmpp:set_from_to(Pkt, From, To),
 	    Pkt2 = add_delay_info(Pkt1, LServer, R#offline_msg.timestamp),
@@ -611,10 +612,11 @@ offline_msg_to_route(LServer, #offline_msg{from = From, to = To} = R) ->
 -spec read_messages(binary(), binary()) -> [{binary(), message()}].
 read_messages(LUser, LServer) ->
     Mod = gen_mod:db_mod(LServer, ?MODULE),
+    CodecOpts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(LServer),
     lists:flatmap(
       fun({Seq, From, To, TS, El}) ->
 	      Node = integer_to_binary(Seq),
-	      try xmpp:decode(El, ?NS_CLIENT, [ignore_els]) of
+	      try xmpp:decode(El, ?NS_CLIENT, CodecOpts) of
 		  Pkt ->
 		      Node = integer_to_binary(Seq),
 		      Pkt1 = add_delay_info(Pkt, LServer, TS),
diff --git a/src/mod_privilege.erl b/src/mod_privilege.erl
index 8f2f446ee..ceed74d31 100644
--- a/src/mod_privilege.erl
+++ b/src/mod_privilege.erl
@@ -276,9 +276,10 @@ get_permissions(ServerHost) ->
 forward_message(#message{to = To} = Msg) ->
     ServerHost = To#jid.lserver,
     Lang = xmpp:get_lang(Msg),
+    CodecOpts = ejabberd_config:codec_options(ServerHost),
     try xmpp:try_subtag(Msg, #privilege{}) of
 	#privilege{forwarded = #forwarded{sub_els = [SubEl]}} ->
-	    try xmpp:decode(SubEl, ?NS_CLIENT, [ignore_els]) of
+	    try xmpp:decode(SubEl, ?NS_CLIENT, CodecOpts) of
 		#message{} = NewMsg ->
 		    case NewMsg#message.from of
 			#jid{lresource = <<"">>, lserver = ServerHost} ->
diff --git a/src/xmpp_stream_in.erl b/src/xmpp_stream_in.erl
index 6e07e9006..4f8be911e 100644
--- a/src/xmpp_stream_in.erl
+++ b/src/xmpp_stream_in.erl
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ init([Module, {_SockMod, Socket}, Opts]) ->
 		      stream_encrypted => Encrypted,
 		      stream_version => {1,0},
 		      stream_authenticated => false,
+		      codec_options => [ignore_els],
 		      xmlns => ?NS_CLIENT,
 		      lang => <<"">>,
 		      user => <<"">>,
@@ -342,9 +343,9 @@ handle_info({'$gen_event', El}, #{stream_state := wait_for_stream} = State) ->
 	  false -> send_pkt(State1, xmpp:serr_invalid_xml())
       end);
 handle_info({'$gen_event', {xmlstreamelement, El}},
-	    #{xmlns := NS, mod := Mod} = State) ->
+	    #{xmlns := NS, mod := Mod, codec_options := Opts} = State) ->
     noreply(
-      try xmpp:decode(El, NS, [ignore_els]) of
+      try xmpp:decode(El, NS, Opts) of
 	  Pkt ->
 	      State1 = try Mod:handle_recv(El, Pkt, State)
 		       catch _:undef -> State
diff --git a/src/xmpp_stream_out.erl b/src/xmpp_stream_out.erl
index ce67d4231..b2367a09b 100644
--- a/src/xmpp_stream_out.erl
+++ b/src/xmpp_stream_out.erl
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ init([Mod, _SockMod, From, To, Opts]) ->
 	      lang => <<"">>,
 	      remote_server => To,
 	      xmlns => ?NS_SERVER,
+	      codec_options => [ignore_els],
 	      stream_direction => out,
 	      stream_timeout => {timer:seconds(30), Time},
 	      stream_id => new_id(),
@@ -347,9 +348,9 @@ handle_info({'$gen_event', {xmlstreamerror, Reason}}, #{lang := Lang}= State) ->
 	      send_pkt(State1, Err)
       end);
 handle_info({'$gen_event', {xmlstreamelement, El}},
-	    #{xmlns := NS, mod := Mod} = State) ->
+	    #{xmlns := NS, mod := Mod, codec_options := Opts} = State) ->
     noreply(
-      try xmpp:decode(El, NS, [ignore_els]) of
+      try xmpp:decode(El, NS, Opts) of
 	  Pkt ->
 	      State1 = try Mod:handle_recv(El, Pkt, State)
 		       catch _:undef -> State