diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_configfs.c b/drivers/target/target_core_configfs.c
index 70657fd56440..a34a86652b96 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_configfs.c
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_configfs.c
@@ -533,6 +533,7 @@ DEF_CONFIGFS_ATTRIB_SHOW(emulate_3pc);
 DEF_CONFIGFS_ATTRIB_SHOW(pi_prot_type);
 DEF_CONFIGFS_ATTRIB_SHOW(hw_pi_prot_type);
 DEF_CONFIGFS_ATTRIB_SHOW(pi_prot_format);
+DEF_CONFIGFS_ATTRIB_SHOW(pi_prot_verify);
 DEF_CONFIGFS_ATTRIB_SHOW(enforce_pr_isids);
 DEF_CONFIGFS_ATTRIB_SHOW(is_nonrot);
 DEF_CONFIGFS_ATTRIB_SHOW(emulate_rest_reord);
@@ -823,6 +824,7 @@ static ssize_t pi_prot_type_store(struct config_item *item,
 		ret = dev->transport->init_prot(dev);
 		if (ret) {
 			da->pi_prot_type = old_prot;
+			da->pi_prot_verify = (bool) da->pi_prot_type;
 			return ret;
 		}
 
@@ -830,6 +832,7 @@ static ssize_t pi_prot_type_store(struct config_item *item,
 		dev->transport->free_prot(dev);
 	}
 
+	da->pi_prot_verify = (bool) da->pi_prot_type;
 	pr_debug("dev[%p]: SE Device Protection Type: %d\n", dev, flag);
 	return count;
 }
@@ -872,6 +875,35 @@ static ssize_t pi_prot_format_store(struct config_item *item,
 	return count;
 }
 
+static ssize_t pi_prot_verify_store(struct config_item *item,
+		const char *page, size_t count)
+{
+	struct se_dev_attrib *da = to_attrib(item);
+	bool flag;
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = strtobool(page, &flag);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
+
+	if (!flag) {
+		da->pi_prot_verify = flag;
+		return count;
+	}
+	if (da->hw_pi_prot_type) {
+		pr_warn("DIF protection enabled on underlying hardware,"
+			" ignoring\n");
+		return count;
+	}
+	if (!da->pi_prot_type) {
+		pr_warn("DIF protection not supported by backend, ignoring\n");
+		return count;
+	}
+	da->pi_prot_verify = flag;
+
+	return count;
+}
+
 static ssize_t force_pr_aptpl_store(struct config_item *item,
 		const char *page, size_t count)
 {
@@ -1067,6 +1099,7 @@ CONFIGFS_ATTR(, emulate_3pc);
 CONFIGFS_ATTR(, pi_prot_type);
 CONFIGFS_ATTR_RO(, hw_pi_prot_type);
 CONFIGFS_ATTR(, pi_prot_format);
+CONFIGFS_ATTR(, pi_prot_verify);
 CONFIGFS_ATTR(, enforce_pr_isids);
 CONFIGFS_ATTR(, is_nonrot);
 CONFIGFS_ATTR(, emulate_rest_reord);
@@ -1104,6 +1137,7 @@ struct configfs_attribute *sbc_attrib_attrs[] = {
 	&attr_pi_prot_type,
 	&attr_hw_pi_prot_type,
 	&attr_pi_prot_format,
+	&attr_pi_prot_verify,
 	&attr_enforce_pr_isids,
 	&attr_is_nonrot,
 	&attr_emulate_rest_reord,
diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_file.c b/drivers/target/target_core_file.c
index dd8f32055266..1bf6c31e4c21 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_file.c
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_file.c
@@ -554,7 +554,8 @@ fd_execute_rw(struct se_cmd *cmd, struct scatterlist *sgl, u32 sgl_nents,
 		ret = fd_do_rw(cmd, file, dev->dev_attrib.block_size,
 			       sgl, sgl_nents, cmd->data_length, 0);
 
-		if (ret > 0 && cmd->prot_type && dev->dev_attrib.pi_prot_type) {
+		if (ret > 0 && cmd->prot_type && dev->dev_attrib.pi_prot_type &&
+		    dev->dev_attrib.pi_prot_verify) {
 			u32 sectors = cmd->data_length >>
 					ilog2(dev->dev_attrib.block_size);
 
@@ -564,7 +565,8 @@ fd_execute_rw(struct se_cmd *cmd, struct scatterlist *sgl, u32 sgl_nents,
 				return rc;
 		}
 	} else {
-		if (cmd->prot_type && dev->dev_attrib.pi_prot_type) {
+		if (cmd->prot_type && dev->dev_attrib.pi_prot_type &&
+		    dev->dev_attrib.pi_prot_verify) {
 			u32 sectors = cmd->data_length >>
 					ilog2(dev->dev_attrib.block_size);
 
diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_rd.c b/drivers/target/target_core_rd.c
index ddc216c9f1f6..5f23f341f8d3 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_rd.c
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_rd.c
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ static sense_reason_t rd_do_prot_rw(struct se_cmd *cmd, bool is_read)
 	u32 prot_offset, prot_page;
 	u32 prot_npages __maybe_unused;
 	u64 tmp;
-	sense_reason_t rc = TCM_LOGICAL_UNIT_COMMUNICATION_FAILURE;
+	sense_reason_t rc = 0;
 
 	tmp = cmd->t_task_lba * se_dev->prot_length;
 	prot_offset = do_div(tmp, PAGE_SIZE);
@@ -423,13 +423,14 @@ static sense_reason_t rd_do_prot_rw(struct se_cmd *cmd, bool is_read)
 	prot_sg = &prot_table->sg_table[prot_page -
 					prot_table->page_start_offset];
 
-	if (is_read)
-		rc = sbc_dif_verify(cmd, cmd->t_task_lba, sectors, 0,
-				    prot_sg, prot_offset);
-	else
-		rc = sbc_dif_verify(cmd, cmd->t_task_lba, sectors, 0,
-				    cmd->t_prot_sg, 0);
-
+	if (se_dev->dev_attrib.pi_prot_verify) {
+		if (is_read)
+			rc = sbc_dif_verify(cmd, cmd->t_task_lba, sectors, 0,
+					    prot_sg, prot_offset);
+		else
+			rc = sbc_dif_verify(cmd, cmd->t_task_lba, sectors, 0,
+					    cmd->t_prot_sg, 0);
+	}
 	if (!rc)
 		sbc_dif_copy_prot(cmd, sectors, is_read, prot_sg, prot_offset);
 
diff --git a/include/target/target_core_base.h b/include/target/target_core_base.h
index ccfad0e9c2cd..0c1dce2ac6f0 100644
--- a/include/target/target_core_base.h
+++ b/include/target/target_core_base.h
@@ -664,6 +664,7 @@ struct se_dev_attrib {
 	int		pi_prot_format;
 	enum target_prot_type pi_prot_type;
 	enum target_prot_type hw_pi_prot_type;
+	int		pi_prot_verify;
 	int		enforce_pr_isids;
 	int		force_pr_aptpl;
 	int		is_nonrot;