diff --git a/include/types/global.h b/include/types/global.h
index 7862e91c6..0c3c8adb1 100644
--- a/include/types/global.h
+++ b/include/types/global.h
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
 #define GTUNE_USE_EPOLL          (1<<2)
 #define GTUNE_USE_KQUEUE         (1<<3)
 #define GTUNE_USE_SEPOLL         (1<<4)
+/* platform-specific options */
+#define GTUNE_USE_SPLICE         (1<<5)
 
 
 /* FIXME : this will have to be redefined correctly */
diff --git a/src/backend.c b/src/backend.c
index 573e7994f..be3dcf6a8 100644
--- a/src/backend.c
+++ b/src/backend.c
@@ -1675,7 +1675,8 @@ int connect_server(struct session *s)
 	}
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_HAP_TCPSPLICE
-	if ((s->fe->options & s->be->options) & PR_O_TCPSPLICE) {
+	if ((global.tune.options & GTUNE_USE_SPLICE) &&
+	    (s->fe->options & s->be->options) & PR_O_TCPSPLICE) {
 		/* TCP splicing supported by both FE and BE */
 		tcp_splice_initfd(s->req->prod->fd, fd);
 	}
diff --git a/src/cfgparse.c b/src/cfgparse.c
index 6defe9e92..f98d07e0a 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.c
+++ b/src/cfgparse.c
@@ -302,6 +302,9 @@ int cfg_parse_global(const char *file, int linenum, char **args, int inv)
 	else if (!strcmp(args[0], "nopoll")) {
 		global.tune.options &= ~GTUNE_USE_POLL;
 	}
+	else if (!strcmp(args[0], "nosplice")) {
+		global.tune.options &= ~GTUNE_USE_SPLICE;
+	}
 	else if (!strcmp(args[0], "quiet")) {
 		global.mode |= MODE_QUIET;
 	}
diff --git a/src/haproxy.c b/src/haproxy.c
index 0c16e14f9..abf6eef2b 100644
--- a/src/haproxy.c
+++ b/src/haproxy.c
@@ -220,6 +220,9 @@ void usage(char *name)
 #endif
 #if defined(ENABLE_POLL)
 		"        -dp disables poll() usage even when available\n"
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_HAP_LINUX_SPLICE) || defined(CONFIG_HAP_TCPSPLICE)
+		"        -dS disables splice usage (broken on old kernels)\n"
 #endif
 		"        -sf/-st [pid ]* finishes/terminates old pids. Must be last arguments.\n"
 		"\n",
@@ -421,6 +424,9 @@ void init(int argc, char **argv)
 #if defined(ENABLE_KQUEUE)
 	global.tune.options |= GTUNE_USE_KQUEUE;
 #endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_HAP_LINUX_SPLICE) || defined(CONFIG_HAP_TCPSPLICE)
+	global.tune.options |= GTUNE_USE_SPLICE;
+#endif
 
 	pid = getpid();
 	progname = *argv;
@@ -456,6 +462,10 @@ void init(int argc, char **argv)
 #if defined(ENABLE_KQUEUE)
 			else if (*flag == 'd' && flag[1] == 'k')
 				global.tune.options &= ~GTUNE_USE_KQUEUE;
+#endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_HAP_LINUX_SPLICE) || defined(CONFIG_HAP_TCPSPLICE)
+			else if (*flag == 'd' && flag[1] == 'S')
+				global.tune.options &= ~GTUNE_USE_SPLICE;
 #endif
 			else if (*flag == 'V')
 				arg_mode |= MODE_VERBOSE;
@@ -1011,11 +1021,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_HAP_TCPSPLICE
-	if (global.last_checks & LSTCHK_TCPSPLICE) {
+	if ((global.tune.options & GTUNE_USE_SPLICE) && (global.last_checks & LSTCHK_TCPSPLICE)) {
 		if (tcp_splice_start() < 0) {
 			Alert("[%s.main()] Cannot enable tcp_splice.\n"
 			      "  Make sure you have enough permissions and that the module is loadable.\n"
-			      "  Alternatively, you may disable the 'tcpsplice' options in the configuration.\n"
+			      "  Alternatively, you may disable the 'tcpsplice' options in the configuration\n"
+			      "  or add 'nosplice' in the global section, or start with '-dS'.\n"
 			      "", argv[0], global.gid);
 			protocol_unbind_all();
 			exit(1);
diff --git a/src/session.c b/src/session.c
index c7dbf6f8a..d1bc052aa 100644
--- a/src/session.c
+++ b/src/session.c
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@
 #include <proto/stream_sock.h>
 #include <proto/task.h>
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_HAP_TCPSPLICE
+#include <libtcpsplice.h>
+#endif
 
 struct pool_head *pool2_session;
 struct list sessions;
@@ -315,7 +318,8 @@ void sess_establish(struct session *s, struct stream_interface *si)
 			s->do_log(s);
 		}
 #ifdef CONFIG_HAP_TCPSPLICE
-		if ((s->fe->options & s->be->options) & PR_O_TCPSPLICE) {
+		if ((global.tune.options & GTUNE_USE_SPLICE) &&
+		    (s->fe->options & s->be->options) & PR_O_TCPSPLICE) {
 			/* TCP splicing supported by both FE and BE */
 			tcp_splice_splicefd(req->prod->fd, si->fd, 0);
 		}
@@ -761,6 +765,7 @@ void process_session(struct task *t, int *next)
 	    !s->req->analysers && !(s->req->flags & BF_HIJACK)) {
 		/* check if it is wise to enable kernel splicing on the request buffer */
 		if (!(s->req->flags & BF_KERN_SPLICING) &&
+		    (global.tune.options & GTUNE_USE_SPLICE) &&
 		    (pipes_used < global.maxpipes) &&
 		    (((s->fe->options2|s->be->options2) & PR_O2_SPLIC_REQ) ||
 		     (((s->fe->options2|s->be->options2) & PR_O2_SPLIC_AUT) &&
@@ -884,6 +889,7 @@ void process_session(struct task *t, int *next)
 	    !s->rep->analysers && !(s->rep->flags & BF_HIJACK)) {
 		/* check if it is wise to enable kernel splicing on the response buffer */
 		if (!(s->rep->flags & BF_KERN_SPLICING) &&
+		    (global.tune.options & GTUNE_USE_SPLICE) &&
 		    (pipes_used < global.maxpipes) &&
 		    (((s->fe->options2|s->be->options2) & PR_O2_SPLIC_RTR) ||
 		     (((s->fe->options2|s->be->options2) & PR_O2_SPLIC_AUT) &&