diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index f6ae19f..e4e81ce 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
             <artifactId>mockito-core</artifactId>
-            <version>2.23.0</version>
+            <version>4.8.0</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
     </dependencies>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/sling/feature/extension/content/ContentHandler.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/sling/feature/extension/content/ContentHandler.java
index 80e2553..7815993 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/sling/feature/extension/content/ContentHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/sling/feature/extension/content/ContentHandler.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
 import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.URL;
 import java.nio.file.Paths;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
 import java.util.TreeMap;
 
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.vault.fs.io.ImportOptions;
+import org.apache.jackrabbit.vault.packaging.PackageException;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.vault.packaging.PackageExistsException;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.vault.packaging.PackageId;
 import org.apache.jackrabbit.vault.packaging.registry.ExecutionPlanBuilder;
@@ -48,13 +50,15 @@
 import org.apache.sling.feature.launcher.spi.extensions.ExtensionHandler;
 
 public class ContentHandler implements ExtensionHandler {
+    static final String SKIP_EXECUTIONPLANS_MSG = "ContentHandler set up to skip building of executionplans - only configuring FSPackageRegistry";
     public static final String PACKAGEREGISTRY_HOME = "packageregistry.home";
+    public static final String SKIP_EXECUTIONPLANS_PROP = "skipexecutionplans";
 
     private static final String REPOSITORY_HOME = "repository.home";
 
     private static final String REGISTRY_FOLDER = "packageregistry";
 
-    private static ExecutionPlanBuilder buildExecutionPlan(Collection<Artifact> artifacts, Set<PackageId> satisfiedPackages, LauncherPrepareContext prepareContext, File registryHome) throws Exception {
+    static ExecutionPlanBuilder buildExecutionPlan(Collection<Artifact> artifacts, Set<PackageId> satisfiedPackages, LauncherPrepareContext prepareContext, File registryHome) throws IOException, PackageException  {
 
         List<File> packageReferences = new ArrayList<>();
 
@@ -97,42 +101,61 @@ public boolean handle(ExtensionContext context, Extension extension) throws Exce
         File registryHome = getRegistryHomeDir(context);
         if (extension.getType() == ExtensionType.ARTIFACTS
                 && extension.getName().equals(Extension.EXTENSION_NAME_CONTENT_PACKAGES)) {
-            Map<Integer, Collection<Artifact>> orderedArtifacts = new TreeMap<>();
-            for (final Artifact a : extension.getArtifacts()) {
-                int order;
-                // content-packages without explicit start-order to be installed last
-                if (a.getMetadata().get(Artifact.KEY_START_ORDER) != null) {
-                    order = a.getStartOrder();
-                } else {
-                    order = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
+            if(skipBuildExecutionPlans()){
+                context.getLogger().info(SKIP_EXECUTIONPLANS_MSG);
+            } else {
+                List<String> executionPlans = new ArrayList<>();
+                Map<Integer, Collection<Artifact>> orderedArtifacts = getOrderedArtifacts(extension);
+                Set<PackageId> satisfiedPackages = new HashSet<>();
+                for (Collection<Artifact> artifacts : orderedArtifacts.values()) {
+                    ExecutionPlanBuilder builder = buildExecutionPlan(artifacts, satisfiedPackages, context, registryHome);
+                    ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+                    builder.save(baos);
+                    executionPlans.add(baos.toString("UTF-8"));
                 }
-                orderedArtifacts.computeIfAbsent(order, id -> new ArrayList<>()).add(a);
+                configurePackageInit(context, registryHome, executionPlans);
             }
-            List<String> executionPlans = new ArrayList<>();
-            Set<PackageId> satisfiedPackages = new HashSet<>();
-            for (Object key : orderedArtifacts.keySet()) {
-                Collection<Artifact> artifacts = orderedArtifacts.get(key);
-                ExecutionPlanBuilder builder = buildExecutionPlan(artifacts, satisfiedPackages, context, registryHome);
-                ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-                builder.save(baos);
-                executionPlans.add(baos.toString("UTF-8"));
-            }
-            // Workaround for too bold relocation mechanism - corresponding details at https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/MSHADE-156
-            final Configuration initcfg = new Configuration("org.apache.sling.jcr.packageinit.impl.ExecutionPlanRepoInitializer");
-            initcfg.getProperties().put("executionplans", executionPlans.toArray(new String[executionPlans.size()]));
-            initcfg.getProperties().put("statusfilepath", registryHome.getAbsolutePath() + "/executedplans.file");
-            context.addConfiguration(initcfg.getPid(), null, initcfg.getProperties());
-            // Workaround for too bold relocation mechanism - corresponding details at https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/MSHADE-156
-            final Configuration registrycfg = new Configuration("org.UNSHADE.apache.jackrabbit.vault.packaging.registry.impl.FSPackageRegistry");
-            registrycfg.getProperties().put("homePath", registryHome.getPath());
-            context.addConfiguration(registrycfg.getPid(), null, registrycfg.getProperties());
-
+            configureFSRegistry(context, registryHome);
             return true;
         } else {
             return false;
         }
     }
 
+    private Map<Integer, Collection<Artifact>> getOrderedArtifacts(Extension extension) {
+        Map<Integer, Collection<Artifact>> orderedArtifacts = new TreeMap<>();
+        for (final Artifact a : extension.getArtifacts()) {
+            int order;
+            // content-packages without explicit start-order to be installed last
+            if (a.getMetadata().get(Artifact.KEY_START_ORDER) != null) {
+                order = a.getStartOrder();
+            } else {
+                order = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
+            }
+            orderedArtifacts.computeIfAbsent(order, id -> new ArrayList<>()).add(a);
+        }
+        return orderedArtifacts;
+    }
+
+    private void configureFSRegistry(ExtensionContext context, File registryHome) {
+         // Workaround for too bold relocation mechanism - corresponding details at https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/MSHADE-156
+        final Configuration registrycfg = new Configuration("org.UNSHADE.apache.jackrabbit.vault.packaging.registry.impl.FSPackageRegistry");
+        registrycfg.getProperties().put("homePath", registryHome.getPath());
+        context.addConfiguration(registrycfg.getPid(), null, registrycfg.getProperties());
+    }
+
+    private void configurePackageInit(ExtensionContext context, File registryHome, List<String> executionPlans) {
+         // Workaround for too bold relocation mechanism - corresponding details at https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/MSHADE-156
+        final Configuration initcfg = new Configuration("org.apache.sling.jcr.packageinit.impl.ExecutionPlanRepoInitializer");
+        initcfg.getProperties().put("executionplans", executionPlans.toArray(new String[executionPlans.size()]));
+        initcfg.getProperties().put("statusfilepath", registryHome.getAbsolutePath() + "/executedplans.file");
+        context.addConfiguration(initcfg.getPid(), null, initcfg.getProperties());
+    }
+
+    private boolean skipBuildExecutionPlans() {
+        return Boolean.getBoolean(SKIP_EXECUTIONPLANS_PROP);
+    }
+
     private File getRegistryHomeDir(ExtensionContext context) {
         //read repository- home from framework properties (throw exception if repo.home not set)
         String registryPath = System.getProperty(PACKAGEREGISTRY_HOME);
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/sling/feature/extension/content/ContentHandlerTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/sling/feature/extension/content/ContentHandlerTest.java
index 64ae766..986dffd 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/sling/feature/extension/content/ContentHandlerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/sling/feature/extension/content/ContentHandlerTest.java
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.any;
 import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.eq;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.spy;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@
 import org.apache.sling.feature.ExtensionState;
 import org.apache.sling.feature.ExtensionType;
 import org.apache.sling.feature.launcher.spi.extensions.ExtensionContext;
+import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -43,6 +46,8 @@
 import org.mockito.Mock;
 import org.mockito.junit.MockitoJUnitRunner;
 
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+
 @RunWith(MockitoJUnitRunner.class)
 public class ContentHandlerTest {
 
@@ -148,4 +153,28 @@ public void testMultipleStartOrders() throws Exception {
         assertEquals(expected_1, executionplans[1]);
         assertFalse(dictIt.hasNext());
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testSkipBuilding() throws Exception {
+        ContentHandler ch = spy(new ContentHandler());
+        System.setProperty(ContentHandler.PACKAGEREGISTRY_HOME, testFolder.getRoot().toString());
+        System.setProperty(ContentHandler.SKIP_EXECUTIONPLANS_PROP, "true");
+        Extension ext = new Extension(ExtensionType.ARTIFACTS, "content-packages", ExtensionState.OPTIONAL);
+        
+        Artifact artifact_a = new Artifact(TEST_PACKAGE_AID_A_10);
+        Artifact artifact_b = new Artifact(TEST_PACKAGE_AID_B_10);
+        Artifact artifact_c = new Artifact(TEST_PACKAGE_AID_C_10);
+        ext.getArtifacts().add(artifact_a);
+        ext.getArtifacts().add(artifact_b);
+        ext.getArtifacts().add(artifact_c);
+
+        Logger log = mock(Logger.class);
+        when(extensionContext.getLogger()).thenReturn(log);
+
+        ch.handle(extensionContext, ext);
+        ArgumentCaptor<String> argumentCaptor = ArgumentCaptor.forClass(String.class); 
+        verify(log).info(argumentCaptor.capture());
+        Assert.assertEquals(ContentHandler.SKIP_EXECUTIONPLANS_MSG, argumentCaptor.getValue());
+    }
+    
 }