diff --git a/cmd/blockchaincmd/deploy.go b/cmd/blockchaincmd/deploy.go
index d772696c1..abf84a218 100644
--- a/cmd/blockchaincmd/deploy.go
+++ b/cmd/blockchaincmd/deploy.go
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/contract"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/utils"
-	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/config"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/utils/formatting/address"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/vms/platformvm/fx"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/vms/platformvm/signer"
@@ -82,6 +81,7 @@ var (
 	avagoBinaryPath                 string
 	numBootstrapValidators          int
 	numLocalNodes                   int
+	partialSync                     bool
 	changeOwnerAddress              string
 	subnetOnly                      bool
 	icmSpec                         subnet.ICMSpec
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ so you can take your locally tested Subnet and deploy it on Fuji or Mainnet.`,
 	cmd.Flags().IntVar(&numBootstrapValidators, "num-bootstrap-validators", 0, "(only if --generate-node-id is true) number of bootstrap validators to set up in sovereign L1 validator)")
 	cmd.Flags().IntVar(&numLocalNodes, "num-local-nodes", 5, "number of nodes to be created on local machine")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&changeOwnerAddress, "change-owner-address", "", "address that will receive change if node is no longer L1 validator")
+	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&partialSync, "partial-sync", true, "set primary network partial sync for new validators")
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -542,7 +543,6 @@ func deployBlockchain(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 						return err
 					}
 				}
-				nodeConfig[config.PartialSyncPrimaryNetworkKey] = true
 				// anrSettings, avagoVersionSettings, globalNetworkFlags are empty
 				if err = node.StartLocalNode(
 					app,
@@ -550,6 +550,7 @@ func deployBlockchain(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 					useEtnaDevnet,
 					avagoBinaryPath,
 					uint32(numLocalNodes),
+					partialSync,
 					nodeConfig,
 					anrSettings,
 					avagoVersionSettings,
diff --git a/cmd/nodecmd/create.go b/cmd/nodecmd/create.go
index aa3e589e1..fd0fab29c 100644
--- a/cmd/nodecmd/create.go
+++ b/cmd/nodecmd/create.go
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ will apply to all nodes in the cluster`,
 	cmd.Flags().StringArrayVar(&bootstrapIPs, "bootstrap-ips", []string{}, "IP:port pairs of bootstrap nodes")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&genesisPath, "genesis", "", "path to genesis file")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&upgradePath, "upgrade", "", "path to upgrade file")
+	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&partialSync, "partial-sync", true, "primary network partial sync")
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -231,6 +232,10 @@ func preCreateChecks(clusterName string) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("invalid ip:port pair %s", ipPortPair)
 		}
 	}
+	if globalNetworkFlags.UseDevnet {
+		partialSync = false
+		ux.Logger.PrintToUser("disabling partial sync default for devnet")
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -790,10 +795,12 @@ func createNodes(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 				avalancheGoVersion,
 				bootstrapIDs,
 				bootstrapIPs,
+				partialSync,
 				genesisPath,
 				upgradePath,
 				addMonitoring,
-				publicAccessToHTTPPort); err != nil {
+				publicAccessToHTTPPort,
+			); err != nil {
 				nodeResults.AddResult(host.NodeID, nil, err)
 				ux.SpinFailWithError(spinner, "", err)
 				return
diff --git a/cmd/nodecmd/local.go b/cmd/nodecmd/local.go
index 91a894a0a..2ba631349 100644
--- a/cmd/nodecmd/local.go
+++ b/cmd/nodecmd/local.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/node"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/utils"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/ux"
-	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/config"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/utils/logging"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
@@ -27,6 +26,7 @@ var (
 	stakingSignerKeyPath string
 	numNodes             uint32
 	nodeConfigPath       string
+	partialSync          bool
 )
 
 // const snapshotName = "local_snapshot"
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ status by running avalanche node status local
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&stakingSignerKeyPath, "staking-signer-key-path", "", "path to provided staking signer key for node")
 	cmd.Flags().Uint32Var(&numNodes, "num-nodes", 1, "number of nodes to start")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&nodeConfigPath, "node-config", "", "path to common avalanchego config settings for all nodes")
+	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&partialSync, "partial-sync", true, "primary network partial sync")
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -162,7 +163,6 @@ func localStartNode(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	nodeConfig[config.PartialSyncPrimaryNetworkKey] = true
 
 	return node.StartLocalNode(
 		app,
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ func localStartNode(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		globalNetworkFlags.UseEtnaDevnet,
 		avalanchegoBinaryPath,
 		numNodes,
+		partialSync,
 		nodeConfig,
 		anrSettings,
 		avaGoVersionSetting,
diff --git a/pkg/docker/config.go b/pkg/docker/config.go
index 16c26f827..8a8a303c9 100644
--- a/pkg/docker/config.go
+++ b/pkg/docker/config.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 type AvalancheGoConfigOptions struct {
 	BootstrapIPs      []string
 	BootstrapIDs      []string
+	PartialSync       bool
 	GenesisPath       string
 	UpgradePath       string
 	AllowPublicAccess bool
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ func prepareAvalanchegoConfig(
 	if avalancheGoConfig.AllowPublicAccess || utils.IsE2E() {
 		avagoConf.HTTPHost = "0.0.0.0"
 	}
+	avagoConf.PartialSync = avalancheGoConfig.PartialSync
 	avagoConf.BootstrapIPs = strings.Join(avalancheGoConfig.BootstrapIPs, ",")
 	avagoConf.BootstrapIDs = strings.Join(avalancheGoConfig.BootstrapIDs, ",")
 	if avalancheGoConfig.GenesisPath != "" {
diff --git a/pkg/docker/ssh.go b/pkg/docker/ssh.go
index 7c7b83223..aab8a089c 100644
--- a/pkg/docker/ssh.go
+++ b/pkg/docker/ssh.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ func ComposeSSHSetupNode(
 	avalancheGoVersion string,
 	avalanchegoBootstrapIDs []string,
 	avalanchegoBootstrapIPs []string,
+	partialSync bool,
 	avalanchegoGenesisFilePath string,
 	avalanchegoUpgradeFilePath string,
 	withMonitoring bool,
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ func ComposeSSHSetupNode(
 		AvalancheGoConfigOptions{
 			BootstrapIDs:      avalanchegoBootstrapIDs,
 			BootstrapIPs:      avalanchegoBootstrapIPs,
+			PartialSync:       partialSync,
 			GenesisPath:       avalanchegoGenesisFilePath,
 			UpgradePath:       avalanchegoUpgradeFilePath,
 			AllowPublicAccess: publicAccessToHTTPPort,
diff --git a/pkg/node/local.go b/pkg/node/local.go
index a8acef90c..354c38743 100644
--- a/pkg/node/local.go
+++ b/pkg/node/local.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-network-runner/client"
 	anrutils "github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-network-runner/utils"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/api/info"
+	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/config"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/ids"
 	avagoconstants "github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/utils/constants"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/utils/logging"
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ func StartLocalNode(
 	useEtnaDevnet bool,
 	avalanchegoBinaryPath string,
 	numNodes uint32,
+	partialSync bool,
 	nodeConfig map[string]interface{},
 	anrSettings ANRSettings,
 	avaGoVersionSetting AvalancheGoVersionSettings,
@@ -237,6 +239,10 @@ func StartLocalNode(
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	if partialSync {
+		nodeConfig[config.PartialSyncPrimaryNetworkKey] = true
+	}
+
 	nodeConfigBytes, err := json.Marshal(nodeConfig)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/pkg/remoteconfig/avalanche.go b/pkg/remoteconfig/avalanche.go
index a51c140f9..777539fe9 100644
--- a/pkg/remoteconfig/avalanche.go
+++ b/pkg/remoteconfig/avalanche.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type AvalancheConfigInputs struct {
 	TrackSubnets               string
 	BootstrapIDs               string
 	BootstrapIPs               string
+	PartialSync                bool
 	GenesisPath                string
 	UpgradePath                string
 	ProposerVMUseCurrentHeight bool
diff --git a/pkg/remoteconfig/templates/avalanche-node.tmpl b/pkg/remoteconfig/templates/avalanche-node.tmpl
index 45d7849fd..dfd9e318e 100644
--- a/pkg/remoteconfig/templates/avalanche-node.tmpl
+++ b/pkg/remoteconfig/templates/avalanche-node.tmpl
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 	"index-enabled": {{.IndexEnabled}},
 	"proposervm-use-current-height-bool": {{.ProposerVMUseCurrentHeight}},
 	"network-id": "{{if .NetworkID}}{{.NetworkID}}{{else}}fuji{{end}}",
+	"partial-sync-primary-network": "{{ .PartialSync }}",
 {{- if .BootstrapIDs }}
 	"bootstrap-ids": "{{ .BootstrapIDs }}",
 {{- end }}
diff --git a/pkg/ssh/ssh.go b/pkg/ssh/ssh.go
index 2339643e2..858c6c72e 100644
--- a/pkg/ssh/ssh.go
+++ b/pkg/ssh/ssh.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/remoteconfig"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/utils"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/ux"
+	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/config"
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/ids"
 
 	"github.com/ava-labs/avalanche-cli/pkg/constants"
@@ -587,6 +588,13 @@ func RunSSHRenderAvalancheNodeConfig(
 		bootstrapIPs, _ := utils.StringValue(remoteAvagoConf, "bootstrap-ips")
 		avagoConf.BootstrapIDs = bootstrapIDs
 		avagoConf.BootstrapIPs = bootstrapIPs
+		partialSyncI, ok := remoteAvagoConf[config.PartialSyncPrimaryNetworkKey]
+		if ok {
+			partialSync, ok := partialSyncI.(bool)
+			if ok {
+				avagoConf.PartialSync = partialSync
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	// ready to render node config
 	nodeConf, err := remoteconfig.RenderAvalancheNodeConfig(avagoConf)