diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/allocator/BalancedShardsAllocator.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/allocator/BalancedShardsAllocator.java
index a85d80c971c..6dde296c186 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/allocator/BalancedShardsAllocator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/allocator/BalancedShardsAllocator.java
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ public class BalancedShardsAllocator extends AbstractComponent implements Shards
             }
             final RoutingNodes.UnassignedShards unassigned = routingNodes.unassigned().transactionBegin();
             boolean changed = initialize(routingNodes, unassigned);
-            if (!changed) {
+            if (!changed && allocation.deciders().canRebalance(allocation).type() == Type.YES) {
                 NodeSorter sorter = newNodeSorter();
                 if (nodes.size() > 1) { /* skip if we only have one node */
                     for (String index : buildWeightOrderedIndidces(Operation.BALANCE, sorter)) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/AllocationDecider.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/AllocationDecider.java
index a99e1b87fbe..a6204485d7d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/AllocationDecider.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/AllocationDecider.java
@@ -80,4 +80,13 @@ public abstract class AllocationDecider extends AbstractComponent {
     public Decision canAllocate(RoutingNode node, RoutingAllocation allocation) {
         return Decision.ALWAYS;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a {@link Decision} whether the cluster can execute
+     * re-balanced operations at all.
+     * {@link Decision#ALWAYS}.
+     */
+    public Decision canRebalance(RoutingAllocation allocation) {
+        return Decision.ALWAYS;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/AllocationDeciders.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/AllocationDeciders.java
index cccbc11535f..f57c48e8a75 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/AllocationDeciders.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/AllocationDeciders.java
@@ -157,4 +157,23 @@ public class AllocationDeciders extends AllocationDecider {
         }
         return ret;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public Decision canRebalance(RoutingAllocation allocation) {
+        Decision.Multi ret = new Decision.Multi();
+        for (AllocationDecider allocationDecider : allocations) {
+            Decision decision = allocationDecider.canRebalance(allocation);
+            // short track if a NO is returned.
+            if (decision == Decision.NO) {
+                if (!allocation.debugDecision()) {
+                    return decision;
+                } else {
+                    ret.add(decision);
+                }
+            } else if (decision != Decision.ALWAYS) {
+                ret.add(decision);
+            }
+        }
+        return ret;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/ClusterRebalanceAllocationDecider.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/ClusterRebalanceAllocationDecider.java
index fc263ee8bd2..f0480c4af7c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/ClusterRebalanceAllocationDecider.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/ClusterRebalanceAllocationDecider.java
@@ -135,6 +135,11 @@ public class ClusterRebalanceAllocationDecider extends AllocationDecider {
 
     @Override
     public Decision canRebalance(ShardRouting shardRouting, RoutingAllocation allocation) {
+        return canRebalance(allocation);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Decision canRebalance(RoutingAllocation allocation) {
         if (type == ClusterRebalanceType.INDICES_PRIMARIES_ACTIVE) {
             // check if there are unassigned primaries.
             if ( allocation.routingNodes().hasUnassignedPrimaries() ) {