diff --git a/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/README.md b/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/README.md
index 820d33266442d..3c350ddabb08f 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/README.md
+++ b/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/README.md
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ plugins: [
       // Possible values are: 'shop' and 'content'.
       // Defaults to ['shop', 'content'].
       includeCollections: ["shop", "content"],
+      // Download Images Locally
+      // set to false if you plan on using shopify's CDN
+      downloadImages: true,
 
       // Allow overriding the default queries
       // This allows you to include/exclude extra fields when sourcing nodes
diff --git a/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/src/gatsby-node.js b/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/src/gatsby-node.js
index b148b7559dc49..171a5606637d9 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/src/gatsby-node.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/src/gatsby-node.js
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ export const sourceNodes = async (
     verbose = true,
     paginationSize = 250,
     includeCollections = [SHOP, CONTENT],
+    downloadImages = true,
     shopifyQueries = {},
   }
 ) => {
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ export const sourceNodes = async (
       cache,
       getCache,
       reporter,
+      downloadImages,
     }
 
     // Arguments used for node creation.
diff --git a/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/src/nodes.js b/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/src/nodes.js
index 2c038e43b9389..a1799334fc541 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/src/nodes.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby-source-shopify/src/nodes.js
@@ -24,15 +24,24 @@ const { createNodeFactory, generateNodeId } = createNodeHelpers({
 
 const downloadImageAndCreateFileNode = async (
   { url, nodeId },
-  { createNode, createNodeId, touchNode, store, cache, getCache, reporter }
+  {
+    createNode,
+    createNodeId,
+    touchNode,
+    store,
+    cache,
+    getCache,
+    reporter,
+    downloadImages,
+  }
 ) => {
-  let fileNodeID
+  if (!downloadImages) return undefined
 
   const mediaDataCacheKey = `${TYPE_PREFIX}__Media__${url}`
   const cacheMediaData = await cache.get(mediaDataCacheKey)
 
   if (cacheMediaData) {
-    fileNodeID = cacheMediaData.fileNodeID
+    const fileNodeID = cacheMediaData.fileNodeID
     touchNode({ nodeId: fileNodeID })
     return fileNodeID
   }
@@ -49,7 +58,7 @@ const downloadImageAndCreateFileNode = async (
   })
 
   if (fileNode) {
-    fileNodeID = fileNode.id
+    const fileNodeID = fileNode.id
     await cache.set(mediaDataCacheKey, { fileNodeID })
     return fileNodeID
   }