diff --git a/brooklyn-server/core/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/core/entity/BrooklynConfigKeys.java b/brooklyn-server/core/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/core/entity/BrooklynConfigKeys.java
index 974f88cfc4..8915e2535b 100644
--- a/brooklyn-server/core/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/core/entity/BrooklynConfigKeys.java
+++ b/brooklyn-server/core/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/core/entity/BrooklynConfigKeys.java
@@ -97,6 +97,11 @@ public class BrooklynConfigKeys {
      */
     public static final ConfigKey<Boolean> SKIP_ENTITY_INSTALLATION = newBooleanConfigKey("install.skip", "Skip the driver install commands entirely, for pre-installed software");
 
+    /**
+    * This will skip only the customize phase of the lifecycle and then continue with the launching of the entity.
+    */
+    public static final ConfigKey<Boolean> SKIP_ENTITY_CUSTOMIZATION = newBooleanConfigKey("customize.skip", "Skip the driver customize commands entirely");
+
     // The implementation in AbstractSoftwareSshDriver runs this command as an SSH command 
     public static final ConfigKey<String> PRE_INSTALL_COMMAND = ConfigKeys.newStringConfigKey("pre.install.command",
             "Command to be run prior to the install method being called on the driver");
diff --git a/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/AbstractSoftwareProcessDriver.java b/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/AbstractSoftwareProcessDriver.java
index 59dac4ff8b..1abe949d48 100644
--- a/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/AbstractSoftwareProcessDriver.java
+++ b/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/AbstractSoftwareProcessDriver.java
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
 import org.apache.brooklyn.util.exceptions.Exceptions;
 import org.apache.brooklyn.util.os.Os;
 import org.apache.brooklyn.util.stream.ReaderInputStream;
-import org.apache.brooklyn.util.text.Strings;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
@@ -122,6 +121,9 @@ public void start() {
 
             Optional<Boolean> locationInstalled = Optional.fromNullable(getLocation().getConfig(BrooklynConfigKeys.SKIP_ENTITY_INSTALLATION));
             Optional<Boolean> entityInstalled = Optional.fromNullable(entity.getConfig(BrooklynConfigKeys.SKIP_ENTITY_INSTALLATION));
+
+            boolean skipCustomized = Optional.fromNullable(entity.getConfig(BrooklynConfigKeys.SKIP_ENTITY_CUSTOMIZATION)).or(false);
+
             boolean skipInstall = locationInstalled.or(entityInstalled).or(false);
             if (!skipInstall) {
                 DynamicTasks.queue("setup", new Runnable() { public void run() {
@@ -144,10 +146,12 @@ public void start() {
                 runPostInstallCommand();
             }});
 
-            DynamicTasks.queue("customize", new Runnable() { public void run() {
-                waitForConfigKey(BrooklynConfigKeys.CUSTOMIZE_LATCH);
-                customize();
-            }});
+            if (!skipCustomized) {
+                DynamicTasks.queue("customize", new Runnable() { public void run() {
+                    waitForConfigKey(BrooklynConfigKeys.CUSTOMIZE_LATCH);
+                    customize();
+                }});
+            }
 
             DynamicTasks.queue("copy-runtime-resources", new Runnable() { public void run() {
                 waitForConfigKey(BrooklynConfigKeys.RUNTIME_RESOURCES_LATCH);
@@ -163,9 +167,9 @@ public void start() {
                 launch();
             }});
 
-            DynamicTasks.queue("post-launch-command", new Runnable() { public void run() {
-                runPostLaunchCommand();
-            }});
+                DynamicTasks.queue("post-launch-command", new Runnable() { public void run() {
+                    runPostLaunchCommand();
+                }});
         }
 
         DynamicTasks.queue("post-launch", new Runnable() { public void run() {
diff --git a/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/SoftwareProcess.java b/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/SoftwareProcess.java
index b14d6d8e55..e1bd24ada4 100644
--- a/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/SoftwareProcess.java
+++ b/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/SoftwareProcess.java
@@ -308,6 +308,13 @@ private ChildStartableMode(boolean isDisabled, boolean isBackground, boolean isL
  
     AttributeSensor<String> PID_FILE = Sensors.newStringSensor("softwareprocess.pid.file", "PID file");
 
+    @Beta
+    public static class StartSoftwareParameters {
+        @Beta /** @since 0.9.0 */
+        public static final ConfigKey<Boolean> SKIP_INSTALLATION = ConfigKeys.newConfigKey(Boolean.class, "skipInstallation",
+            "Just launch the process without installation and customization, if stopped; default false", false);
+    }
+
     @Beta
     public static class RestartSoftwareParameters {
         @Beta /** @since 0.7.0 semantics of parameters to restart being explored */
diff --git a/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/lifecycle/MachineLifecycleEffectorTasks.java b/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/lifecycle/MachineLifecycleEffectorTasks.java
index 5e0beb6510..4d987e9a93 100644
--- a/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/lifecycle/MachineLifecycleEffectorTasks.java
+++ b/brooklyn-server/software/base/src/main/java/org/apache/brooklyn/entity/software/base/lifecycle/MachineLifecycleEffectorTasks.java
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
 import org.apache.brooklyn.entity.machine.ProvidesProvisioningFlags;
 import org.apache.brooklyn.entity.software.base.SoftwareProcess;
 import org.apache.brooklyn.entity.software.base.SoftwareProcess.RestartSoftwareParameters;
+import org.apache.brooklyn.entity.software.base.SoftwareProcess.StartSoftwareParameters;
 import org.apache.brooklyn.entity.software.base.SoftwareProcess.StopSoftwareParameters;
 import org.apache.brooklyn.entity.software.base.SoftwareProcess.RestartSoftwareParameters.RestartMachineMode;
 import org.apache.brooklyn.entity.software.base.SoftwareProcess.StopSoftwareParameters.StopMode;
@@ -140,7 +141,10 @@ public void attachLifecycleEffectors(Entity entity) {
      * the behaviour in this lifecycle class instance.
      */
     public Effector<Void> newStartEffector() {
-        return Effectors.effector(Startable.START).impl(newStartEffectorTask()).build();
+        return Effectors.effector(Startable.START)
+                .parameter(StartSoftwareParameters.SKIP_INSTALLATION)
+                .impl(newStartEffectorTask())
+                .build();
     }
 
     /** @see {@link #newStartEffector()} */
@@ -183,6 +187,12 @@ public EffectorBody<Void> newStartEffectorTask() {
             public Void call(ConfigBag parameters) {
                 Collection<? extends Location> locations  = null;
 
+                Boolean isSkipInstallation = parameters.get(StartSoftwareParameters.SKIP_INSTALLATION);
+                if (isSkipInstallation != null && isSkipInstallation) {
+                    entity().config().set(BrooklynConfigKeys.SKIP_ENTITY_INSTALLATION, isSkipInstallation);
+                    entity().config().set(BrooklynConfigKeys.SKIP_ENTITY_CUSTOMIZATION, isSkipInstallation);
+                }
+
                 Object locationsRaw = parameters.getStringKey(LOCATIONS.getName());
                 locations = Locations.coerceToCollection(entity().getManagementContext(), locationsRaw);
 
@@ -203,6 +213,12 @@ private class StartEffectorBody extends EffectorBody<Void> {
         public Void call(ConfigBag parameters) {
             Collection<? extends Location> locations = null;
 
+            Boolean isSkipInstallation = parameters.get(StartSoftwareParameters.SKIP_INSTALLATION);
+            if (isSkipInstallation != null && isSkipInstallation) {
+                entity().config().set(BrooklynConfigKeys.SKIP_ENTITY_INSTALLATION, isSkipInstallation);
+                entity().config().set(BrooklynConfigKeys.SKIP_ENTITY_CUSTOMIZATION, isSkipInstallation);
+            }
+
             Object locationsRaw = parameters.getStringKey(LOCATIONS.getName());
             locations = Locations.coerceToCollection(entity().getManagementContext(), locationsRaw);