diff --git a/runtime/doc/news.txt b/runtime/doc/news.txt
index d47a39fdc9..ea340105d3 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/news.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/news.txt
@@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ the same range instances now compare equal.
 
 OPTIONS
 
+• 'ttyfast' can be disabled during startup by setting the environment variable
+  `NVIM_NOTTYFAST` to disable automatic background detection.
 • 'scrolloffpad' allows vertically centering cursor at the end of file.
 • 'winpinned' prevents window from closing unless specifically targeted.
 
diff --git a/runtime/doc/options.txt b/runtime/doc/options.txt
index af3d8d57b3..a106b6065e 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/options.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/options.txt
@@ -7010,6 +7010,16 @@ A jump table for the options with a short description can be found at |Q_op|.
 	used for CTRL-\ CTRL-N and CTRL-\ CTRL-G when part of a command has
 	been typed.
 
+				*'ttyfast'* *'tf'* *'nottyfast'* *'notf'*
+'ttyfast' 'tf'		boolean	(default on)
+			global
+	Assume that the underlying terminal can respond quickly to queries
+	required by features such as 'background' detection.
+
+	Nvim issues terminal queries before reading the user's |config| file,
+	so disabling this option there will not work. Set $NVIM_NOTTYFAST
+	before starting Nvim to disable terminal queries.
+
 					*'undodir'* *'udir'* *E5003*
 'undodir' 'udir'	string	(default "$XDG_STATE_HOME/nvim/undo//")
 			global
diff --git a/runtime/doc/vim_diff.txt b/runtime/doc/vim_diff.txt
index 67a87a3c4e..1d3e61b54a 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/vim_diff.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/vim_diff.txt
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ Defaults                                            *defaults* *nvim-defaults*
   host terminal
 - 'ttimeout' is enabled
 - 'ttimeoutlen' defaults to 50
-- 'ttyfast' is always set
+- 'ttyfast' is set by default, but it can be unset during startup by setting
+  the environment variable `NVIM_NOTTYFAST` to adjust the startup sequence for
+  slow environments.
 - 'undodir' defaults to ~/.local/state/nvim/undo// (|xdg|), auto-created
 - 'viewoptions' includes "unix,slash", excludes "options"
 - 'viminfo' includes "!"
@@ -877,7 +879,6 @@ Options:
 - *'toolbar'* *'tb'*
 - *'toolbariconsize'* *'tbis'*
 - *'ttybuiltin'* *'tbi'* *'nottybuiltin'* *'notbi'*
-- *'ttyfast'* *'tf'* *'nottyfast'* *'notf'*
 - *'ttymouse'* *'ttym'*
 - *'ttyscroll'* *'tsl'*
 - *'ttytype'* *'tty'*
diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/_core/defaults.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/_core/defaults.lua
index 80327e0fc7..40c2304a1a 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/_core/defaults.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/_core/defaults.lua
@@ -847,7 +847,10 @@ do
     --- ignored in the calculations.
     ---
     --- [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luma_%28video%29
-    do
+    ---
+    --- In slow environments (e.g. SSH with high latency), this will increase
+    --- startup time and produce a warning, so users may want to disable it.
+    if vim.o.ttyfast then
       --- Parse a string of hex characters as a color.
       ---
       --- The string can contain 1 to 4 hex characters. The returned value is
@@ -999,7 +1002,7 @@ do
         and os.getenv('NVIM_TEST') == nil
       then
         vim.notify(
-          'defaults.lua: Did not detect DSR response from terminal. This results in a slower startup time.',
+          "defaults.lua: Did not detect DSR response from terminal for 'background' detection. This results in a slower startup time. To disable this and other 'ttyfast' features during startup, set the environment variable NVIM_NOTTYFAST",
           vim.log.levels.WARN,
           { _truncate = true }
         )
@@ -1017,7 +1020,7 @@ do
         -- The TUI was able to determine truecolor support or $COLORTERM explicitly indicates
         -- truecolor support
         setoption('termguicolors', true)
-      elseif colorterm == nil or colorterm == '' then
+      elseif (colorterm == nil or colorterm == '') and vim.o.ttyfast then
         -- Neither the TUI nor $COLORTERM indicate that truecolor is supported, so query the
         -- terminal
         local caps = {} ---@type table<string, boolean>
diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/options.gen.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/options.gen.lua
index 29bab51233..724432cddb 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/options.gen.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/options.gen.lua
@@ -7555,6 +7555,19 @@ vim.o.ttm = vim.o.ttimeoutlen
 vim.go.ttimeoutlen = vim.o.ttimeoutlen
 vim.go.ttm = vim.go.ttimeoutlen
 
+--- Assume that the underlying terminal can respond quickly to queries
+--- required by features such as 'background' detection.
+---
+--- Nvim issues terminal queries before reading the user's `config` file,
+--- so disabling this option there will not work. Set $NVIM_NOTTYFAST
+--- before starting Nvim to disable terminal queries.
+---
+--- @type boolean
+vim.o.ttyfast = true
+vim.o.tf = vim.o.ttyfast
+vim.go.ttyfast = vim.o.ttyfast
+vim.go.tf = vim.go.ttyfast
+
 --- List of directory names for undo files, separated with commas.
 --- See 'backupdir' for details of the format.
 --- "." means using the directory of the file.  The undo file name for
diff --git a/runtime/scripts/optwin.lua b/runtime/scripts/optwin.lua
index ff5bd8d7f6..940a41164c 100644
--- a/runtime/scripts/optwin.lua
+++ b/runtime/scripts/optwin.lua
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@ local options_list = {
     { 'busy', N_ 'buffer is busy' },
     { 'termpastefilter', N_ 'characters removed when pasting into terminal window' },
     { 'scrollback', N_ 'number of lines kept beyond the visible screen in terminal buffer' },
+    { 'ttyfast', N_ 'assume terminal responds quickly, enabling more features' },
   },
 }
 
diff --git a/src/nvim/option.c b/src/nvim/option.c
index a392412d53..c23a6855aa 100644
--- a/src/nvim/option.c
+++ b/src/nvim/option.c
@@ -407,6 +407,12 @@ void set_init_1(bool clean_arg)
   // Expand environment variables and things like "~" for the defaults.
   set_init_expand_env();
 
+  // Allow disabling ttyfast during startup to disable features such as
+  // automatic background detection over slow connections.
+  if (os_env_exists("NVIM_NOTTYFAST", false)) {
+    set_option_value_give_err(kOptTtyfast, BOOLEAN_OPTVAL(false), 0);
+  }
+
   save_file_ff(curbuf);         // Buffer is unchanged
 
   // Detect use of mlterm.
diff --git a/src/nvim/option_vars.h b/src/nvim/option_vars.h
index c57020b553..226f4ad242 100644
--- a/src/nvim/option_vars.h
+++ b/src/nvim/option_vars.h
@@ -553,6 +553,7 @@ EXTERN char *p_tsr;             ///< 'thesaurus'
 EXTERN int p_tgc;               ///< 'termguicolors'
 EXTERN int p_ttimeout;          ///< 'ttimeout'
 EXTERN OptInt p_ttm;            ///< 'ttimeoutlen'
+EXTERN int p_tf;                ///< 'ttyfast'
 EXTERN char *p_udir;            ///< 'undodir'
 EXTERN int p_udf;               ///< 'undofile'
 EXTERN OptInt p_ul;             ///< 'undolevels'
diff --git a/src/nvim/options.lua b/src/nvim/options.lua
index 3ab60f0af9..9192a1ee51 100644
--- a/src/nvim/options.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/options.lua
@@ -9777,12 +9777,20 @@ local options = {
     {
       abbreviation = 'tf',
       defaults = true,
+      desc = [=[
+        Assume that the underlying terminal can respond quickly to queries
+        required by features such as 'background' detection.
+        
+        Nvim issues terminal queries before reading the user's |config| file,
+        so disabling this option there will not work. Set $NVIM_NOTTYFAST
+        before starting Nvim to disable terminal queries.
+      ]=],
       full_name = 'ttyfast',
       no_mkrc = true,
       scope = { 'global' },
-      short_desc = N_('Deprecated'),
+      short_desc = N_('assume terminal responds quickly, enabling more features'),
       type = 'boolean',
-      immutable = true,
+      varname = 'p_tf',
     },
     {
       abbreviation = 'udir',
diff --git a/test/functional/plugin/optwin_spec.lua b/test/functional/plugin/optwin_spec.lua
index 2cfed64588..2e9a990fee 100644
--- a/test/functional/plugin/optwin_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/plugin/optwin_spec.lua
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ describe('optwin.lua', function()
       'pastetoggle',
       'langnoremap',
       'opendevice',
-      'ttyfast',
       'remap',
       'hkmap',
       'hkmapp',
diff --git a/test/functional/terminal/tui_spec.lua b/test/functional/terminal/tui_spec.lua
index e97597f521..77660d8b23 100644
--- a/test/functional/terminal/tui_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/terminal/tui_spec.lua
@@ -3326,7 +3326,7 @@ describe('TUI', function()
     end)
     local child_session = n.connect(child_server)
     local expected_msg =
-      'defaults.lua: Did not detect DSR response from terminal. This results in a slower startup time.'
+      "defaults.lua: Did not detect DSR response from terminal for 'background' detection. This results in a slower startup time. To disable this and other 'ttyfast' features during startup, set the environment variable NVIM_NOTTYFAST"
     retry(nil, 4000, function()
       eq({ true, { mode = 'n', blocking = false } }, { child_session:request('nvim_get_mode') })
       if not is_os('win') then -- ConPTY provides DSR response on Windows?