diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3e1ed6964..df9c15452 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1163,6 +1163,12 @@
           "description": "%cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.configureOnOpen.description%",
           "scope": "resource"
         },
+        "cmake.skipConfigureIfCachePresent": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "default": null,
+          "description": "%cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.skipConfigureIfCachePresent.description%",
+          "scope": "resource"
+        },
         "cmake.cmakeCommunicationMode": {
           "type": "string",
           "default": "automatic",
diff --git a/package.nls.json b/package.nls.json
index acf0a4a00..25b78fc96 100644
--- a/package.nls.json
+++ b/package.nls.json
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.emscriptenSearchDirs.description": "Directories where Emscripten may be installed.",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.copyCompileCommands.description": "Copy compile_commands.json to this location after a successful configure.",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.configureOnOpen.description": "Automatically configure CMake project directories when they are opened.",
+    "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.skipConfigureIfCachePresent.description": "Skip over the configure process if cache is present.",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.cmakeCommunicationMode": "The protocol used to communicate between the extension and CMake",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.ignoreKitEnv.description": "Do not use the kit environment variables when running CMake commands.",
     "cmake-tools.configuration.cmake.buildTask.description": "Build using tasks.json instead of internal process.",
diff --git a/src/cmake-tools.ts b/src/cmake-tools.ts
index 76aeabcab..439182b2f 100644
--- a/src/cmake-tools.ts
+++ b/src/cmake-tools.ts
@@ -732,11 +732,22 @@ export class CMakeTools implements vscode.Disposable, api.CMakeToolsAPI {
    */
   private async _needsReconfigure(): Promise<boolean> {
     const drv = await this.getCMakeDriverInstance();
-    if (!drv || await drv.checkNeedsReconfigure()) {
+    if (!drv) {
       return true;
-    } else {
+    }
+
+    const needsReconfigure: boolean = await drv.checkNeedsReconfigure();
+
+    const skipConfigureIfCachePresent = this.workspaceContext.config.skipConfigureIfCachePresent;
+    if (skipConfigureIfCachePresent && needsReconfigure && await fs.exists(drv.cachePath)) {
+      log.info(localize('warn.skip.configure.when.cache.present',
+                          'The extension determined that a configuration is needed at this moment \
+                          but we are skipping because the setting cmake.skipConfigureWhenCachePresent is ON. \
+                          Make sure the CMake cache is in sync with the latest configuration changes.'));
       return false;
     }
+
+    return needsReconfigure;
   }
 
   async ensureConfigured(): Promise<number|null> {
@@ -748,7 +759,7 @@ export class CMakeTools implements vscode.Disposable, api.CMakeToolsAPI {
     if (!await this.maybeAutoSaveAll()) {
       return -1;
     }
-    if (await drv.checkNeedsReconfigure()) {
+    if (await this._needsReconfigure()) {
       return this.configure();
     } else {
       return 0;
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index 23853aafe..7d42c7d15 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export interface ExtensionConfigurationSettings {
   emscriptenSearchDirs: string[];
   copyCompileCommands: string|null;
   configureOnOpen: boolean|null;
+  skipConfigureIfCachePresent: boolean|null;
   useCMakeServer: boolean;
   cmakeCommunicationMode: CMakeCommunicationMode;
   ignoreKitEnv: boolean;
@@ -199,6 +200,8 @@ export class ConfigurationReader implements vscode.Disposable {
 
   get configureOnOpen() { return this.configData.configureOnOpen; }
 
+  get skipConfigureIfCachePresent() { return this.configData.skipConfigureIfCachePresent; }
+
   get useCMakeServer(): boolean { return this.configData.useCMakeServer; }
 
   get cmakeCommunicationMode(): CMakeCommunicationMode {
@@ -279,6 +282,7 @@ export class ConfigurationReader implements vscode.Disposable {
     emscriptenSearchDirs: new vscode.EventEmitter<string[]>(),
     copyCompileCommands: new vscode.EventEmitter<string|null>(),
     configureOnOpen: new vscode.EventEmitter<boolean|null>(),
+    skipConfigureIfCachePresent: new vscode.EventEmitter<boolean|null>(),
     useCMakeServer: new vscode.EventEmitter<boolean>(),
     cmakeCommunicationMode: new vscode.EventEmitter<CMakeCommunicationMode>(),
     ignoreKitEnv: new vscode.EventEmitter<boolean>(),
diff --git a/test/unit-tests/config.test.ts b/test/unit-tests/config.test.ts
index 71fd43f86..d6ae571db 100644
--- a/test/unit-tests/config.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit-tests/config.test.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ function createConfig(conf: Partial<ExtensionConfigurationSettings>): Configurat
     emscriptenSearchDirs: [],
     copyCompileCommands: null,
     configureOnOpen: null,
+    skipConfigureIfCachePresent: null,
     useCMakeServer: true,
     cmakeCommunicationMode: 'automatic',
     ignoreKitEnv: false,