diff --git a/externs/shaka/player.js b/externs/shaka/player.js
index c1b9db6e7e..bdaf20b6f9 100644
--- a/externs/shaka/player.js
+++ b/externs/shaka/player.js
@@ -2295,6 +2295,7 @@ shaka.extern.TextDisplayerConfiguration;
  *   cmsd: shaka.extern.CmsdConfiguration,
  *   lcevc: shaka.extern.LcevcConfiguration,
  *   offline: shaka.extern.OfflineConfiguration,
+ *   ignoreHardwareResolution: boolean,
  *   preferredAudioLanguage: string,
  *   preferredAudioLabel: string,
  *   preferredTextLanguage: string,
@@ -2345,6 +2346,11 @@ shaka.extern.TextDisplayerConfiguration;
  *   (Low Complexity Enhancement Video Codec)
  * @property {shaka.extern.OfflineConfiguration} offline
  *   Offline configuration and settings.
+ * @property {boolean} ignoreHardwareResolution
+ *   Do not detect the hardware resolution.  For some niche cases where content
+ *   is only available at resolutions beyond the device's native resolution,
+ *   and you are confident it can be decoded and downscaled, this flag can
+ *   allow playback when it would otherwise fail.
  * @property {string} preferredAudioLanguage
  *   The preferred language to use for audio tracks.  If not given it will use
  *   the <code>'main'</code> track.
diff --git a/lib/player.js b/lib/player.js
index e7e2260c4b..2da180088c 100644
--- a/lib/player.js
+++ b/lib/player.js
@@ -2077,7 +2077,8 @@ shaka.Player = class extends shaka.util.FakeEventTarget {
     // Avoid having to detect the resolution again if it has already been
     // detected or set
     if (this.maxHwRes_.width == Infinity &&
-        this.maxHwRes_.height == Infinity) {
+        this.maxHwRes_.height == Infinity &&
+        !this.config_.ignoreHardwareResolution) {
       const maxResolution =
           await shaka.util.Platform.detectMaxHardwareResolution();
       this.maxHwRes_.width = maxResolution.width;
diff --git a/lib/util/player_configuration.js b/lib/util/player_configuration.js
index 385d168b2d..fb42624e12 100644
--- a/lib/util/player_configuration.js
+++ b/lib/util/player_configuration.js
@@ -474,6 +474,7 @@ shaka.util.PlayerConfiguration = class {
       cmsd: cmsd,
       lcevc: lcevc,
       ads: ads,
+      ignoreHardwareResolution: false,
     };
 
     // Add this callback so that we can reference the preferred audio language
diff --git a/test/demo/demo_unit.js b/test/demo/demo_unit.js
index 40d4efdcbd..9ffa5a35ab 100644
--- a/test/demo/demo_unit.js
+++ b/test/demo/demo_unit.js
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ describe('Demo', () => {
     function checkConfig(checkValueNameFn) {
       const configPrimitives = new Set(['number', 'string', 'boolean']);
       const exceptions = new Set()
+          .add('ignoreHardwareResolution')
           .add('playRangeStart')
           .add('playRangeEnd')
           .add('manifest.dash.keySystemsByURI')