diff --git a/hostapd/config_file.c b/hostapd/config_file.c
index ca7969537..467d39fc9 100644
--- a/hostapd/config_file.c
+++ b/hostapd/config_file.c
@@ -1334,6 +1334,8 @@ struct hostapd_config * hostapd_config_read(const char *fname)
 			bss->isolate = atoi(pos);
 		} else if (os_strcmp(buf, "ap_max_inactivity") == 0) {
 			bss->ap_max_inactivity = atoi(pos);
+		} else if (os_strcmp(buf, "skip_inactivity_poll") == 0) {
+			bss->skip_inactivity_poll = atoi(pos);
 		} else if (os_strcmp(buf, "country_code") == 0) {
 			os_memcpy(conf->country, pos, 2);
 			/* FIX: make this configurable */
diff --git a/hostapd/hostapd.conf b/hostapd/hostapd.conf
index 5272d5850..4e6202b2e 100644
--- a/hostapd/hostapd.conf
+++ b/hostapd/hostapd.conf
@@ -339,6 +339,12 @@ wmm_ac_vo_acm=0
 # the STA with a data frame.
 # default: 300 (i.e., 5 minutes)
 #ap_max_inactivity=300
+#
+# The inactivity polling can be disabled to disconnect stations based on
+# inactivity timeout so that idle stations are more likely to be disconnected
+# even if they are still in range of the AP. This can be done by setting
+# skip_inactivity_poll to 1 (default 0).
+#skip_inactivity_poll=0
 
 # Disassociate stations based on excessive transmission failures or other
 # indications of connection loss. This depends on the driver capabilities and
diff --git a/src/ap/ap_config.h b/src/ap/ap_config.h
index cc7122c20..485092d9a 100644
--- a/src/ap/ap_config.h
+++ b/src/ap/ap_config.h
@@ -340,6 +340,7 @@ struct hostapd_bss_config {
 	int p2p;
 
 	int disassoc_low_ack;
+	int skip_inactivity_poll;
 
 #define TDLS_PROHIBIT BIT(0)
 #define TDLS_PROHIBIT_CHAN_SWITCH BIT(1)
diff --git a/src/ap/sta_info.c b/src/ap/sta_info.c
index 27ab25856..972a72367 100644
--- a/src/ap/sta_info.c
+++ b/src/ap/sta_info.c
@@ -301,12 +301,16 @@ void ap_handle_timer(void *eloop_ctx, void *timeout_ctx)
 				"inactive too long: %d sec, max allowed: %d",
 				MAC2STR(sta->addr), inactive_sec,
 				hapd->conf->ap_max_inactivity);
+
+			if (hapd->conf->skip_inactivity_poll)
+				sta->timeout_next = STA_DISASSOC;
 		}
 	}
 
 	if ((sta->flags & WLAN_STA_ASSOC) &&
 	    sta->timeout_next == STA_DISASSOC &&
-	    !(sta->flags & WLAN_STA_PENDING_POLL)) {
+	    !(sta->flags & WLAN_STA_PENDING_POLL) &&
+	    !hapd->conf->skip_inactivity_poll) {
 		wpa_msg(hapd->msg_ctx, MSG_DEBUG, "Station " MACSTR
 			" has ACKed data poll", MAC2STR(sta->addr));
 		/* data nullfunc frame poll did not produce TX errors; assume