diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 29220c3..adc7bd9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,19 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [0.4.2] - 2026-02-02
+
+### Added
+
+- Option to disable early mode in admin settings (Metrics tab)
+- Support for `WP_PROMETHEUS_DISABLE_EARLY_MODE` environment variable
+- Early mode status display in settings
+
+### Changed
+
+- Early mode can now be disabled for users who need the `wp_prometheus_collect_metrics` hook for custom metrics
+- Updated translations with new early mode strings (English and German)
+
 ## [0.4.1] - 2026-02-02
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index f6c518f..8fadf55 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -291,6 +291,24 @@ add_action( 'wp_prometheus_collect_metrics', function( $collector ) {
 
 ## Session History
 
+### 2026-02-02 - Early Mode Toggle (v0.4.2)
+
+- Added option to disable early mode for users who need extensibility
+- Implementation:
+  - Added `wp_prometheus_disable_early_mode` WordPress option
+  - Added `WP_PROMETHEUS_DISABLE_EARLY_MODE` environment variable support
+  - Option check in `wp_prometheus_early_metrics_check()` before early interception
+  - Environment variable accepts `1`, `true`, `yes`, `on` (case-insensitive)
+- Admin UI in Metrics tab:
+  - "Early Mode" section with description of functionality
+  - Checkbox to disable early metrics interception
+  - Environment override notice when env var is set
+  - Current status indicator showing early mode state
+- **Key Learning**: Balancing compatibility vs extensibility
+  - Early mode fixes memory issues but disables `wp_prometheus_collect_metrics` hook
+  - Users with custom metrics need the hook, so early mode must be optional
+  - Default remains enabled (safe) with explicit opt-out for advanced users
+
 ### 2026-02-02 - Plugin Compatibility Fix (v0.4.1)
 
 - Fixed memory exhaustion (1GB limit) when wp-fedistream (Twig-based) plugin is active
diff --git a/languages/wp-prometheus-de_CH.mo b/languages/wp-prometheus-de_CH.mo
index 94f2636..0ec05dd 100644
Binary files a/languages/wp-prometheus-de_CH.mo and b/languages/wp-prometheus-de_CH.mo differ
diff --git a/languages/wp-prometheus-de_CH.po b/languages/wp-prometheus-de_CH.po
index aa79840..4dd24e4 100644
--- a/languages/wp-prometheus-de_CH.po
+++ b/languages/wp-prometheus-de_CH.po
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # This file is distributed under the GPL v2 or later.
 msgid ""
 msgstr ""
-"Project-Id-Version: WP Prometheus 0.4.0\n"
+"Project-Id-Version: WP Prometheus 0.4.2\n"
 "Report-Msgid-Bugs-To: https://src.bundespruefstelle.ch/magdev/wp-prometheus/issues\n"
 "POT-Creation-Date: 2026-02-02T00:00:00+00:00\n"
 "PO-Revision-Date: 2026-02-02T00:00:00+00:00\n"
@@ -879,3 +879,43 @@ msgstr "APCu funktioniert. Speicher: %s belegt."
 #: src/Metrics/StorageFactory.php
 msgid "APCu fetch operation returned unexpected value."
 msgstr "APCu-Abrufoperation hat unerwarteten Wert zurueckgegeben."
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early Mode"
+msgstr "Fruehzeitiger Modus"
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode intercepts /metrics requests before full WordPress initialization. This prevents memory exhaustion issues caused by some plugins (e.g., Twig-based themes/plugins) but disables the wp_prometheus_collect_metrics hook for custom metrics."
+msgstr "Der fruehzeitige Modus faengt /metrics-Anfragen vor der vollstaendigen WordPress-Initialisierung ab. Dies verhindert Speichererschoepfungsprobleme, die durch einige Plugins verursacht werden (z.B. Twig-basierte Themes/Plugins), deaktiviert jedoch den wp_prometheus_collect_metrics-Hook fuer benutzerdefinierte Metriken."
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode is configured via WP_PROMETHEUS_DISABLE_EARLY_MODE environment variable. Admin settings will be ignored."
+msgstr "Der fruehzeitige Modus ist ueber die Umgebungsvariable WP_PROMETHEUS_DISABLE_EARLY_MODE konfiguriert. Admin-Einstellungen werden ignoriert."
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Disable Early Mode"
+msgstr "Fruehzeitigen Modus deaktivieren"
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Disable early metrics interception"
+msgstr "Fruehzeitige Metriken-Abfangung deaktivieren"
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "When disabled, metrics are collected through normal WordPress template loading. This enables the wp_prometheus_collect_metrics hook for custom metrics but may cause issues with some plugins."
+msgstr "Wenn deaktiviert, werden Metriken ueber das normale WordPress-Template-Laden erfasst. Dies aktiviert den wp_prometheus_collect_metrics-Hook fuer benutzerdefinierte Metriken, kann jedoch Probleme mit einigen Plugins verursachen."
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode is active (this request was served via early interception)"
+msgstr "Fruehzeitiger Modus ist aktiv (diese Anfrage wurde ueber fruehzeitige Abfangung verarbeitet)"
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode is disabled"
+msgstr "Fruehzeitiger Modus ist deaktiviert"
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode is enabled (active for /metrics requests)"
+msgstr "Fruehzeitiger Modus ist aktiviert (aktiv fuer /metrics-Anfragen)"
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Clear all accumulated runtime metric data (HTTP requests, database queries). This is useful for testing or starting fresh."
+msgstr "Alle gesammelten Laufzeit-Metrikdaten loeschen (HTTP-Anfragen, Datenbank-Abfragen). Dies ist nuetzlich zum Testen oder fuer einen Neuanfang."
diff --git a/languages/wp-prometheus.pot b/languages/wp-prometheus.pot
index 52a8a1c..2e86aa8 100644
--- a/languages/wp-prometheus.pot
+++ b/languages/wp-prometheus.pot
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # This file is distributed under the GPL v2 or later.
 msgid ""
 msgstr ""
-"Project-Id-Version: WP Prometheus 0.4.0\n"
+"Project-Id-Version: WP Prometheus 0.4.2\n"
 "Report-Msgid-Bugs-To: https://src.bundespruefstelle.ch/magdev/wp-prometheus/issues\n"
 "POT-Creation-Date: 2026-02-02T00:00:00+00:00\n"
 "MIME-Version: 1.0\n"
@@ -876,3 +876,43 @@ msgstr ""
 #: src/Metrics/StorageFactory.php
 msgid "APCu fetch operation returned unexpected value."
 msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early Mode"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode intercepts /metrics requests before full WordPress initialization. This prevents memory exhaustion issues caused by some plugins (e.g., Twig-based themes/plugins) but disables the wp_prometheus_collect_metrics hook for custom metrics."
+msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode is configured via WP_PROMETHEUS_DISABLE_EARLY_MODE environment variable. Admin settings will be ignored."
+msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Disable Early Mode"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Disable early metrics interception"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "When disabled, metrics are collected through normal WordPress template loading. This enables the wp_prometheus_collect_metrics hook for custom metrics but may cause issues with some plugins."
+msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode is active (this request was served via early interception)"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode is disabled"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Early mode is enabled (active for /metrics requests)"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: src/Admin/Settings.php
+msgid "Clear all accumulated runtime metric data (HTTP requests, database queries). This is useful for testing or starting fresh."
+msgstr ""
diff --git a/src/Admin/Settings.php b/src/Admin/Settings.php
index 8ee4167..0761488 100644
--- a/src/Admin/Settings.php
+++ b/src/Admin/Settings.php
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ class Settings {
 			'sanitize_callback' => array( $this, 'sanitize_metrics' ),
 		) );
 
+		register_setting( 'wp_prometheus_metrics_settings', 'wp_prometheus_disable_early_mode', array(
+			'type'              => 'boolean',
+			'sanitize_callback' => 'rest_sanitize_boolean',
+			'default'           => false,
+		) );
+
 		// Auth token section.
 		add_settings_section(
 			'wp_prometheus_auth_section',
@@ -420,6 +426,66 @@ class Settings {
 			<span id="wp-prometheus-reset-spinner" class="spinner" style="float: none;"></span>
 		</p>
 		<div id="wp-prometheus-reset-message" style="display: none; margin-top: 10px;"></div>
+
+		<hr style="margin: 30px 0;">
+
+		<?php $this->render_early_mode_section(); ?>
+		<?php
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Render early mode section.
+	 *
+	 * @return void
+	 */
+	private function render_early_mode_section(): void {
+		$disabled       = get_option( 'wp_prometheus_disable_early_mode', false );
+		$env_override   = false !== getenv( 'WP_PROMETHEUS_DISABLE_EARLY_MODE' );
+		$early_active   = defined( 'WP_PROMETHEUS_EARLY_METRICS' ) && WP_PROMETHEUS_EARLY_METRICS;
+		?>
+		<h3><?php esc_html_e( 'Early Mode', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?></h3>
+		<p class="description">
+			<?php esc_html_e( 'Early mode intercepts /metrics requests before full WordPress initialization. This prevents memory exhaustion issues caused by some plugins (e.g., Twig-based themes/plugins) but disables the wp_prometheus_collect_metrics hook for custom metrics.', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?>
+		</p>
+
+		<?php if ( $env_override ) : ?>
+			<div class="notice notice-info inline" style="padding: 12px; margin: 15px 0;">
+				<strong><?php esc_html_e( 'Environment Override Active', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?></strong>
+				<p><?php esc_html_e( 'Early mode is configured via WP_PROMETHEUS_DISABLE_EARLY_MODE environment variable. Admin settings will be ignored.', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?></p>
+			</div>
+		<?php endif; ?>
+
+		<table class="form-table" role="presentation">
+			<tr>
+				<th scope="row"><?php esc_html_e( 'Disable Early Mode', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?></th>
+				<td>
+					<label>
+						<input type="checkbox" name="wp_prometheus_disable_early_mode" value="1"
+							<?php checked( $disabled ); ?>
+							<?php disabled( $env_override ); ?>>
+						<?php esc_html_e( 'Disable early metrics interception', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?>
+					</label>
+					<p class="description">
+						<?php esc_html_e( 'When disabled, metrics are collected through normal WordPress template loading. This enables the wp_prometheus_collect_metrics hook for custom metrics but may cause issues with some plugins.', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?>
+					</p>
+				</td>
+			</tr>
+			<tr>
+				<th scope="row"><?php esc_html_e( 'Current Status', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?></th>
+				<td>
+					<?php if ( $early_active ) : ?>
+						<span class="dashicons dashicons-yes-alt" style="color: green;"></span>
+						<?php esc_html_e( 'Early mode is active (this request was served via early interception)', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?>
+					<?php elseif ( $disabled || $env_override ) : ?>
+						<span class="dashicons dashicons-dismiss" style="color: gray;"></span>
+						<?php esc_html_e( 'Early mode is disabled', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?>
+					<?php else : ?>
+						<span class="dashicons dashicons-yes-alt" style="color: green;"></span>
+						<?php esc_html_e( 'Early mode is enabled (active for /metrics requests)', 'wp-prometheus' ); ?>
+					<?php endif; ?>
+				</td>
+			</tr>
+		</table>
 		<?php
 	}
 
diff --git a/wp-prometheus.php b/wp-prometheus.php
index f2d4ee1..3f06af6 100644
--- a/wp-prometheus.php
+++ b/wp-prometheus.php
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * Plugin Name: WP Prometheus
  * Plugin URI: https://src.bundespruefstelle.ch/magdev/wp-prometheus
  * Description: Prometheus metrics endpoint for WordPress with extensible hooks for custom metrics.
- * Version: 0.4.1
+ * Version: 0.4.2
  * Requires at least: 6.4
  * Requires PHP: 8.3
  * Author: Marco Graetsch
@@ -37,6 +37,18 @@ function wp_prometheus_early_metrics_check(): void {
         return;
     }
 
+    // Check if early mode is disabled via environment variable.
+    $env_disable = getenv( 'WP_PROMETHEUS_DISABLE_EARLY_MODE' );
+    if ( false !== $env_disable && in_array( strtolower( $env_disable ), array( '1', 'true', 'yes', 'on' ), true ) ) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Check if early mode is disabled via option.
+    // We can use get_option() here because WordPress core is already loaded.
+    if ( get_option( 'wp_prometheus_disable_early_mode', false ) ) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     // Check if autoloader exists.
     $autoloader = __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';
     if ( ! file_exists( $autoloader ) ) {
@@ -118,7 +130,7 @@ wp_prometheus_early_metrics_check();
  *
  * @var string
  */
-define( 'WP_PROMETHEUS_VERSION', '0.4.1' );
+define( 'WP_PROMETHEUS_VERSION', '0.4.2' );
 
 /**
  * Plugin file path.