diff --git a/tests/test_timestamp.py b/tests/test_timestamp.py
index c432cfad69e..d566d4ae869 100644
--- a/tests/test_timestamp.py
+++ b/tests/test_timestamp.py
@@ -646,3 +646,18 @@ def test_ready_raise_attribute_error(self, mock_ready, mock_logger):
         nt.assert_true(task.ready())
         mock_logger.error.assert_any_call('Failed to get task status! Exception message:')
         mock_logger.error.assert_any_call(msg)
+
+
+class TestEnableTimestampGuard(OsfTestCase):
+    """When ENABLE_TIMESTAMP is False, add_token and check_file_timestamp must
+    return immediately, so that no request is sent to the timestamp authority.
+    """
+
+    @mock.patch('website.util.timestamp.settings.ENABLE_TIMESTAMP', False)
+    def test_add_token_disabled(self):
+        # Args are never touched when the guard is effective.
+        nt.assert_is_none(timestamp.add_token(None, None, None))
+
+    @mock.patch('website.util.timestamp.settings.ENABLE_TIMESTAMP', False)
+    def test_check_file_timestamp_disabled(self):
+        nt.assert_is_none(timestamp.check_file_timestamp(None, None, None))
diff --git a/website/util/timestamp.py b/website/util/timestamp.py
index 9076ff8504c..111eb4c77dd 100644
--- a/website/util/timestamp.py
+++ b/website/util/timestamp.py
@@ -317,6 +317,8 @@ def get_full_list(uid, pid, node):
     return provider_list
 
 def check_file_timestamp(uid, node, data, verify_external_only=False):
+    if not settings.ENABLE_TIMESTAMP:
+        return None
     user = OSFUser.objects.get(id=uid)
     file_node = BaseFileNode.objects.get(_id=data['file_id'])
     if not userkey_generation_check(user._id):
@@ -525,6 +527,8 @@ def cancel_celery_task(node):
     return result
 
 def add_token(uid, node, data):
+    if not settings.ENABLE_TIMESTAMP:
+        return None
     try:
         user = OSFUser.objects.get(id=uid)
         file_node = BaseFileNode.objects.get(_id=data['file_id'])