diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 895b9cb4..d9b9984a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -187,6 +187,11 @@ The following additional capabilities might be needed:
   which is the preferred way, but only available since Linux v6.6.
   See: https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/0ce7c12e88cf
 
+## Cgroup Discovery
+
+Use `--cgroup.disable-fanotify` to force walk-based cgroup discovery instead of
+fanotify; the exporter will then not require or use fanotify on the cgroup mount.
+
 ## External BTF Support
 
 Execution of eBPF programs requires kernel data types normally available
diff --git a/cgroup/monitor.go b/cgroup/monitor.go
index 90248ce9..13ed8205 100644
--- a/cgroup/monitor.go
+++ b/cgroup/monitor.go
@@ -27,20 +27,21 @@ type Monitor struct {
 }
 
 // NewMonitor returns a new cgroup monitor for a given path
-func NewMonitor(path string) (*Monitor, error) {
-	fm, err := newFanotifyMonitor(path)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("Using on-demand resolution for cgroups (fanotify not available)")
-
-		wm, err := newWalkerMonitor(path)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+func NewMonitor(path string, disableFanotify bool) (*Monitor, error) {
+	if !disableFanotify {
+		if fm, err := newFanotifyMonitor(path); err == nil {
+			return &Monitor{inner: fm}, nil
 		}
-
-		return &Monitor{inner: wm}, nil
+		log.Printf("Using on-demand resolution for cgroups (fanotify not available)")
+	} else {
+		log.Printf("Using on-demand resolution for cgroups (fanotify disabled by flag)")
 	}
 
-	return &Monitor{inner: fm}, nil
+	wm, err := newWalkerMonitor(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &Monitor{inner: wm}, nil
 }
 
 // Resolve resolves an id to a path for a cgroup
diff --git a/cgroup/monitor_test.go b/cgroup/monitor_test.go
index b85fdb11..75031a6d 100644
--- a/cgroup/monitor_test.go
+++ b/cgroup/monitor_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ func TestMonitor(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			kind: "Monitor",
 			factory: func(path string) (monitor, error) {
-				return NewMonitor(path)
+				return NewMonitor(path, false)
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			kind: "Monitor (fanotify disabled)",
+			factory: func(path string) (monitor, error) {
+				return NewMonitor(path, true)
 			},
 		},
 		{
diff --git a/cmd/ebpf_exporter/main.go b/cmd/ebpf_exporter/main.go
index 054b7ece..d0c96f5d 100644
--- a/cmd/ebpf_exporter/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ebpf_exporter/main.go
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ func main() {
 	capabilities := kingpin.Flag("capabilities.keep", "Comma separated list of capabilities to keep (cap_syslog, cap_bpf, etc.), 'all' or 'none'").Default("all").String()
 	btfPath := kingpin.Flag("btf.path", "Optional BTF file path.").Default("").String()
 	skipCacheSize := kingpin.Flag("config.skip-cache-size", "Size of the LRU skip cache").Int()
+	cgroupDisableFanotify := kingpin.Flag("cgroup.disable-fanotify", "Disable fanotify-based cgroup discovery; use walk-based discovery only.").Default("false").Bool()
 	kingpin.Version(version.Print("ebpf_exporter"))
 	kingpin.HelpFlag.Short('h')
 	kingpin.Parse()
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	notify("creating exporter...")
 
-	e, err := exporter.New(configs, *skipCacheSize, tracing.NewProvider(processor), *btfPath)
+	e, err := exporter.New(configs, *skipCacheSize, tracing.NewProvider(processor), *btfPath, *cgroupDisableFanotify)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Error creating exporter: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/exporter/exporter.go b/exporter/exporter.go
index e673b4fc..aa12bb38 100644
--- a/exporter/exporter.go
+++ b/exporter/exporter.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ type Exporter struct {
 }
 
 // New creates a new exporter with the provided config
-func New(configs []config.Config, skipCacheSize int, tracingProvider tracing.Provider, btfPath string) (*Exporter, error) {
+func New(configs []config.Config, skipCacheSize int, tracingProvider tracing.Provider, btfPath string, cgroupDisableFanotify bool) (*Exporter, error) {
 	enabledConfigsDesc := prometheus.NewDesc(
 		prometheus.BuildFQName(prometheusNamespace, "", "enabled_configs"),
 		"The set of enabled configs",
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func New(configs []config.Config, skipCacheSize int, tracingProvider tracing.Pro
 		decoderErrorCount.WithLabelValues(config.Name).Add(0.0)
 	}
 
-	monitor, err := cgroup.NewMonitor("/sys/fs/cgroup")
+	monitor, err := cgroup.NewMonitor("/sys/fs/cgroup", cgroupDisableFanotify)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating cgroup monitor: %w", err)
 	}