diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index 934322df..9a1b0644 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ NamespaceOptions defines parameters for an M3DB namespace. See https://m3db.gith
 | snapshotEnabled | SnapshotEnabled controls whether snapshotting is enabled. | bool | false |
 | retentionOptions | RetentionOptions sets the retention parameters. | [RetentionOptions](#retentionoptions) | false |
 | indexOptions | IndexOptions sets the indexing parameters. | [IndexOptions](#indexoptions) | false |
+| coldWritesEnabled | ColdWritesEnabled controls whether cold writes are enabled. | bool | false |
 
 [Back to TOC](#table-of-contents)
 
diff --git a/pkg/apis/m3dboperator/v1alpha1/namespace.go b/pkg/apis/m3dboperator/v1alpha1/namespace.go
index babfe5da..f2f5ff51 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/m3dboperator/v1alpha1/namespace.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/m3dboperator/v1alpha1/namespace.go
@@ -90,4 +90,7 @@ type NamespaceOptions struct {
 
 	// IndexOptions sets the indexing parameters.
 	IndexOptions IndexOptions `json:"indexOptions,omitempty"`
+
+	// ColdWritesEnabled controls whether cold writes are enabled.
+	ColdWritesEnabled bool `json:"coldWritesEnabled,omitempty"`
 }
diff --git a/pkg/controller/add_cluster_test.go b/pkg/controller/add_cluster_test.go
index 6be70cb1..30d6c0d5 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/add_cluster_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/add_cluster_test.go
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ import (
 
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 
-	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
 	"github.com/rakyll/statik/fs"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
 )
 
 func registerValidConfigMap(content string) error {
diff --git a/pkg/controller/update_cluster_test.go b/pkg/controller/update_cluster_test.go
index 97340ccf..a6e877f8 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/update_cluster_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/update_cluster_test.go
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ import (
 
 	myspec "github.com/m3db/m3db-operator/pkg/apis/m3dboperator/v1alpha1"
 	crdfake "github.com/m3db/m3db-operator/pkg/client/clientset/versioned/fake"
-	"github.com/m3db/m3db-operator/pkg/k8sops/m3db"
 	"github.com/m3db/m3db-operator/pkg/k8sops/labels"
+	"github.com/m3db/m3db-operator/pkg/k8sops/m3db"
 	"github.com/m3db/m3db-operator/pkg/k8sops/podidentity"
 	"github.com/m3db/m3db-operator/pkg/m3admin"
 
diff --git a/pkg/k8sops/m3db/config_map_test.go b/pkg/k8sops/m3db/config_map_test.go
index 575ab8df..b9a9e640 100644
--- a/pkg/k8sops/m3db/config_map_test.go
+++ b/pkg/k8sops/m3db/config_map_test.go
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ import (
 
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 
-	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
 	"github.com/rakyll/statik/fs"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
 )
 
 func registerValidConfigMap() error {
diff --git a/pkg/m3admin/namespace/namespace.go b/pkg/m3admin/namespace/namespace.go
index 04013325..0fbdc132 100644
--- a/pkg/m3admin/namespace/namespace.go
+++ b/pkg/m3admin/namespace/namespace.go
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ func m3dbNamespaceOptsFromSpec(opts *myspec.NamespaceOptions) (*m3ns.NamespaceOp
 		RetentionOptions:  retentionOpts,
 		SnapshotEnabled:   opts.SnapshotEnabled,
 		IndexOptions:      indexOpts,
+		ColdWritesEnabled: opts.ColdWritesEnabled,
 	}, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/m3admin/namespace/presets.go b/pkg/m3admin/namespace/presets.go
index 1294ab17..d809be47 100644
--- a/pkg/m3admin/namespace/presets.go
+++ b/pkg/m3admin/namespace/presets.go
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ var (
 			Enabled:   true,
 			BlockSize: (2 * time.Hour).String(),
 		},
+		ColdWritesEnabled: false,
 	}
 
 	presetOneMinuteFourtyDaysIndexed = myspec.NamespaceOptions{
@@ -82,5 +83,6 @@ var (
 			Enabled:   true,
 			BlockSize: (24 * time.Hour).String(),
 		},
+		ColdWritesEnabled: false,
 	}
 )