diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/Realms.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/Realms.java
index ab2bf6a4457..b4449ddb8f4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/Realms.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/Realms.java
@@ -58,7 +58,13 @@ public class Realms extends AbstractComponent implements Iterable<Realm> {
             }
             Realm.Factory factory = factories.get(type);
             if (factory == null) {
-                throw new ShieldSettingsException("Unknown reaml type [" + type + "] set for realm [" + name + "]");
+                throw new ShieldSettingsException("Unknown realm type [" + type + "] set for realm [" + name + "]");
+            }
+            if (!realmSettings.getAsBoolean("enabled", true)) {
+                if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+                    logger.debug("realm [{}] type [{}] is disabled", name, type);
+                }
+                continue;
             }
             if (factory.internal()) {
                 // this is an internal realm factory, let's make sure we didn't already registered one
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/RealmsTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/RealmsTests.java
index 6f5e0780a0e..de839a03564 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/RealmsTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/authc/RealmsTests.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public class RealmsTests extends ElasticsearchTestCase {
         for (int i = 0; i < factories.size() - 1; i++) {
             orders.add(i);
         }
-        Collections.shuffle(orders);
+        Collections.shuffle(orders, getRandom());
         Map<Integer, Integer> orderToIndex = new HashMap<>();
         for (int i = 0; i < factories.size() - 1; i++) {
             builder.put("shield.authc.realms.realm_" + i + ".type", "type_" + i);
@@ -87,6 +87,50 @@ public class RealmsTests extends ElasticsearchTestCase {
         assertThat(iter.hasNext(), is(false));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testDisabledRealmsAreNotAdded() throws Exception {
+        ImmutableSettings.Builder builder = ImmutableSettings.builder();
+        List<Integer> orders = new ArrayList<>(factories.size() - 1);
+        for (int i = 0; i < factories.size() - 1; i++) {
+            orders.add(i);
+        }
+        Collections.shuffle(orders, getRandom());
+        Map<Integer, Integer> orderToIndex = new HashMap<>();
+        for (int i = 0; i < factories.size() - 1; i++) {
+            builder.put("shield.authc.realms.realm_" + i + ".type", "type_" + i);
+            builder.put("shield.authc.realms.realm_" + i + ".order", orders.get(i));
+            boolean enabled = randomBoolean();
+            builder.put("shield.authc.realms.realm_" + i + ".enabled", enabled);
+            if (enabled) {
+                orderToIndex.put(orders.get(i), i);
+                logger.error("put [{}] -> [{}]", orders.get(i), i);
+            }
+        }
+
+        Settings settings = builder.build();
+        Realms realms = new Realms(settings, factories);
+        Iterator<Realm> iterator = realms.iterator();
+
+        int count = 0;
+        while (iterator.hasNext()) {
+            Realm realm = iterator.next();
+            Integer index = orderToIndex.get(realm.order());
+            if (index == null) {
+                // Default realm is inserted when factories size is 1 and enabled is false
+                assertThat(realm.type(), equalTo(ESUsersRealm.TYPE));
+                assertThat(realm.name(), equalTo("default_" + ESUsersRealm.TYPE));
+                assertThat(iterator.hasNext(), is(false));
+            } else {
+                assertThat(realm.type(), equalTo("type_" + index));
+                assertThat(realm.name(), equalTo("realm_" + index));
+                assertThat(settings.getAsBoolean("shield.authc.realms.realm_" + index + ".enabled", true), equalTo(Boolean.TRUE));
+                count++;
+            }
+        }
+
+        assertThat(count, equalTo(orderToIndex.size()));
+    }
+
     static class DummyRealm extends Realm {
 
         public DummyRealm(String type, String name, Settings settings) {