diff --git a/Chart.yaml b/Chart.yaml
index af543ce..1ebc973 100644
--- a/Chart.yaml
+++ b/Chart.yaml
@@ -34,3 +34,4 @@ dependencies:
   - name: redis
     version: 16.13.2
     repository: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bitnami/charts/archive-full-index/bitnami
+    condition: redis.enabled
diff --git a/templates/configmap-env.yaml b/templates/configmap-env.yaml
index 4d01955..60efedd 100644
--- a/templates/configmap-env.yaml
+++ b/templates/configmap-env.yaml
@@ -35,8 +35,12 @@ data:
   MALLOC_ARENA_MAX: "2"
   NODE_ENV: "production"
   RAILS_ENV: "production"
+  {{- if .Values.redis.enabled }}
   REDIS_HOST: {{ template "mastodon.redis.fullname" . }}-master
-  REDIS_PORT: "6379"
+  {{- else }}
+  REDIS_HOST: {{ required "When the redis chart is disabled .Values.redis.hostname is required" .Values.redis.hostname }}
+  {{- end }}
+  REDIS_PORT: {{ .Values.redis.port | default "6379" | quote }}
   {{- if .Values.mastodon.s3.enabled }}
   S3_BUCKET: {{ .Values.mastodon.s3.bucket }}
   S3_ENABLED: "true"
diff --git a/values.yaml b/values.yaml
index 09f6549..0b926b8 100644
--- a/values.yaml
+++ b/values.yaml
@@ -256,6 +256,11 @@ postgresql:
 
 # https://github.com/bitnami/charts/tree/master/bitnami/redis#parameters
 redis:
+  # disable if you want to use an existing redis instance; in which case the
+  # values below must match those of that external redis instance
+  enabled: true
+  hostname: ""
+  port: 6379
   # -- you must set a password; the password generated by the redis chart will be
   # rotated on each upgrade:
   password: ""