diff --git a/src/config/server.rs b/src/config/server.rs
index 9a3b507b6b5..2914b2c4c9c 100644
--- a/src/config/server.rs
+++ b/src/config/server.rs
@@ -93,6 +93,10 @@ pub struct Server {
     /// The expected audience claim (`aud`) for the Trusted Publishing
     /// token exchange.
     pub trustpub_audience: String,
+
+    /// Disables API token creation when set to any non-empty value.
+    /// The value is used as the error message returned to users.
+    pub disable_token_creation: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl Server {
@@ -128,6 +132,8 @@ impl Server {
     ///   endpoint even with a healthy database pool.
     /// - `BLOCKED_ROUTES`: A comma separated list of HTTP route patterns that are manually blocked
     ///   by an operator (e.g. `/crates/{crate_id}/{version}/download`).
+    /// - `DISABLE_TOKEN_CREATION`: If set to any non-empty value, disables API token creation
+    ///   and uses the value as the error message returned to users.
     ///
     /// # Panics
     ///
@@ -195,6 +201,7 @@ impl Server {
 
         let domain_name = dotenvy::var("DOMAIN_NAME").unwrap_or_else(|_| "crates.io".into());
         let trustpub_audience = var("TRUSTPUB_AUDIENCE")?.unwrap_or_else(|| domain_name.clone());
+        let disable_token_creation = var("DISABLE_TOKEN_CREATION")?.filter(|s| !s.is_empty());
 
         Ok(Server {
             db: DatabasePools::full_from_environment(&base)?,
@@ -245,6 +252,7 @@ impl Server {
             html_render_cache_max_capacity: var_parsed("HTML_RENDER_CACHE_CAP")?.unwrap_or(1024),
             content_security_policy: Some(content_security_policy.parse()?),
             trustpub_audience,
+            disable_token_creation,
         })
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/controllers/token.rs b/src/controllers/token.rs
index 5d29ed98c90..cc4a49414e1 100644
--- a/src/controllers/token.rs
+++ b/src/controllers/token.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ use anyhow::Context;
 
 use crate::app::AppState;
 use crate::auth::AuthCheck;
+use crate::middleware::real_ip::RealIp;
 use crate::models::token::{CrateScope, EndpointScope};
-use crate::util::errors::{AppResult, bad_request};
+use crate::util::errors::{AppResult, bad_request, custom};
 use crate::util::token::PlainToken;
 use axum::Json;
 use axum::extract::{Path, Query};
@@ -20,12 +21,12 @@ use diesel::dsl::{IntervalDsl, now};
 use diesel::prelude::*;
 use diesel::sql_types::Timestamptz;
 use diesel_async::RunQueryDsl;
-use http::StatusCode;
 use http::request::Parts;
+use http::{StatusCode, header};
 use minijinja::context;
 use secrecy::ExposeSecret;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use tracing::error;
+use tracing::{error, warn};
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
 pub struct GetParams {
@@ -127,6 +128,26 @@ pub async fn create_api_token(
 
     let user = auth.user();
 
+    // Check if token creation is disabled
+    if let Some(disable_message) = &app.config.disable_token_creation {
+        let client_ip = parts.extensions.get::<RealIp>().map(|ip| ip.to_string());
+        let client_ip = client_ip.as_deref().unwrap_or("unknown");
+
+        let mut headers = parts.headers.clone();
+        headers.remove(header::AUTHORIZATION);
+        headers.remove(header::COOKIE);
+
+        warn!(
+            network.client.ip = client_ip,
+            http.headers = ?headers,
+            "Blocked token creation for user `{}` (id: {}) due to disabled flag (token name: `{}`)",
+            user.gh_login, user.id, new.api_token.name
+        );
+
+        let message = disable_message.clone();
+        return Err(custom(StatusCode::SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE, message));
+    }
+
     let max_token_per_user = 500;
     let count: i64 = ApiToken::belonging_to(user)
         .count()
diff --git a/src/tests/routes/me/tokens/create.rs b/src/tests/routes/me/tokens/create.rs
index 03504a3e9d1..312595b9724 100644
--- a/src/tests/routes/me/tokens/create.rs
+++ b/src/tests/routes/me/tokens/create.rs
@@ -279,3 +279,21 @@ async fn create_token_with_expiry_date() {
 
     assert_snapshot!(app.emails_snapshot().await);
 }
+
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
+async fn create_token_disabled() {
+    const ERROR_MESSAGE: &str =
+        "Token creation is temporarily disabled due to an ongoing phishing campaign";
+
+    let (app, _, user) = TestApp::init()
+        .with_config(|config| {
+            config.disable_token_creation = Some(ERROR_MESSAGE.to_string());
+        })
+        .with_user()
+        .await;
+
+    let response = user.put::<()>("/api/v1/me/tokens", NEW_BAR).await;
+    assert_snapshot!(response.status(), @"503 Service Unavailable");
+    assert_snapshot!(response.text(), @r#"{"errors":[{"detail":"Token creation is temporarily disabled due to an ongoing phishing campaign"}]}"#);
+    assert!(app.emails().await.is_empty());
+}
diff --git a/src/tests/util/test_app.rs b/src/tests/util/test_app.rs
index f3da1ac4131..4ef98d4c0c8 100644
--- a/src/tests/util/test_app.rs
+++ b/src/tests/util/test_app.rs
@@ -526,6 +526,7 @@ fn simple_config() -> config::Server {
         html_render_cache_max_capacity: 1024,
         content_security_policy: None,
         trustpub_audience: AUDIENCE.to_string(),
+        disable_token_creation: None,
     }
 }