diff --git a/components/esp_matter/Kconfig b/components/esp_matter/Kconfig
index 2bc9d6ddc..e2c03190c 100644
--- a/components/esp_matter/Kconfig
+++ b/components/esp_matter/Kconfig
@@ -228,4 +228,14 @@ menu "ESP Matter"
             If enabled, we will start Matter server when calling esp_matter::start()
             If disabled, the Matter server will not be initialized in esp_matter::start()
 
+    config ESP_MATTER_ENABLE_OPENTHREAD
+        bool "Initialize Thread stack and start Thread task when starting ESP-Matter"
+        default y
+        help
+            Enabled this option to initialize Thread stack and start Thread task when calling
+            esp_matter::start()
+
+            Disable this option to initialize Thread stack and start Thread task with more
+            flexibility.
+
 endmenu
diff --git a/components/esp_matter/esp_matter_core.cpp b/components/esp_matter/esp_matter_core.cpp
index bbcddfa33..3549563cf 100644
--- a/components/esp_matter/esp_matter_core.cpp
+++ b/components/esp_matter/esp_matter_core.cpp
@@ -961,6 +961,7 @@ static esp_err_t chip_init(event_callback_t callback, intptr_t callback_arg)
        PlatformMgr().AddEventHandler(callback, callback_arg);
     }
 #if CHIP_DEVICE_CONFIG_ENABLE_THREAD
+#ifdef CONFIG_ESP_MATTER_ENABLE_OPENTHREAD
     if (ThreadStackMgr().InitThreadStack() != CHIP_NO_ERROR) {
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to initialize Thread stack");
         return ESP_FAIL;
@@ -986,6 +987,7 @@ static esp_err_t chip_init(event_callback_t callback, intptr_t callback_arg)
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to launch Thread task");
         return ESP_FAIL;
     }
+#endif // CONFIG_ESP_MATTER_ENABLE_OPENTHREAD
 #endif // CHIP_DEVICE_CONFIG_ENABLE_THREAD
 
 #if CONFIG_ESP_MATTER_ENABLE_MATTER_SERVER