# Can I disable the ML controller?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-disable-the-ml-controller/336206>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Tags:** elastic-stack-machine-learning\
**Created:** [June 16, 2023, 9:45am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-disable-the-ml-controller/336206 "2023-06-16T09:45:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![theistian](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/theistian/32/36975_2.png) [@theistian](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/theistian)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 9:45am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-disable-the-ml-controller/336206/1 "2023-06-16T09:45:57Z")

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Hi!

I'm configuring an ES 8 cluster, and I'm not interested in the ML capabilities so I'm disabling them using

```auto
xpack.ml.enabled: false

```

But when I start the node I still can see the process `/usr/share/elasticsearch/modules/x-pack-ml/platform/linux-x86_64/bin/controller` running.

Is there a way to stop it from starting? Or it has to be running even if the ML capabilities are disabled in node config?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![przemekwitek](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/przemekwitek/32/79526_2.png) [@przemekwitek](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/przemekwitek)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-disable-the-ml-controller/336206/2 "2023-06-21T15:31:07Z")

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Hi,  
AFAIK there is **no** supported way to prevent the ML process from starting.

Having said that, you may try running this inside your ES directory:

```auto
rm -rf modules/x-pack-ml

```

However, as I said, it's not tested nor supported so you might run into unexpected behavior/consequences.  
The reason for these unexpected consequences might be some other ES/Kibana functionality using ML indirectly. If you happen to be using such a functionality, you might get errors in the logs and/or showing up as toasts in the browser.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-disable-the-ml-controller/336206/3 "2023-07-19T15:31:32Z")

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