diff --git a/plugins/inputs/mongodb/README.md b/plugins/inputs/mongodb/README.md
index 5e0f304d6..cce93dc07 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/mongodb/README.md
+++ b/plugins/inputs/mongodb/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@
   ##   mongodb://10.10.3.33:18832,
   servers = ["mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017"]
 
+  ## When true, collect cluster status.
+  ## Note that the query that counts jumbo chunks triggers a COLLSCAN, which
+  ## may have an impact on performance.
+  # gather_cluster_status = true
+
   ## When true, collect per database stats
   # gather_perdb_stats = false
 
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/mongodb/mongodb.go b/plugins/inputs/mongodb/mongodb.go
index 967ccbe5f..016515ea9 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/mongodb/mongodb.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/mongodb/mongodb.go
@@ -17,12 +17,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 type MongoDB struct {
-	Servers          []string
-	Ssl              Ssl
-	mongos           map[string]*Server
-	GatherPerdbStats bool
-	GatherColStats   bool
-	ColStatsDbs      []string
+	Servers             []string
+	Ssl                 Ssl
+	mongos              map[string]*Server
+	GatherClusterStatus bool
+	GatherPerdbStats    bool
+	GatherColStats      bool
+	ColStatsDbs         []string
 	tlsint.ClientConfig
 
 	Log telegraf.Logger
@@ -41,6 +42,11 @@ var sampleConfig = `
   ##   mongodb://10.10.3.33:18832,
   servers = ["mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017"]
 
+  ## When true, collect cluster status
+  ## Note that the query that counts jumbo chunks triggers a COLLSCAN, which
+  ## may have an impact on performance.
+  # gather_cluster_status = true
+
   ## When true, collect per database stats
   # gather_perdb_stats = false
 
@@ -177,14 +183,17 @@ func (m *MongoDB) gatherServer(server *Server, acc telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 		}
 		server.Session = sess
 	}
-	return server.gatherData(acc, m.GatherPerdbStats, m.GatherColStats, m.ColStatsDbs)
+	return server.gatherData(acc, m.GatherClusterStatus, m.GatherPerdbStats, m.GatherColStats, m.ColStatsDbs)
 }
 
 func init() {
 	inputs.Add("mongodb", func() telegraf.Input {
 		return &MongoDB{
-			ColStatsDbs: []string{"local"},
-			mongos:      make(map[string]*Server),
+			mongos:              make(map[string]*Server),
+			GatherClusterStatus: true,
+			GatherPerdbStats:    false,
+			GatherColStats:      false,
+			ColStatsDbs:         []string{"local"},
 		}
 	})
 }
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/mongodb/mongodb_server.go b/plugins/inputs/mongodb/mongodb_server.go
index be3916b5e..5af48c10a 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/mongodb/mongodb_server.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/mongodb/mongodb_server.go
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ func (s *Server) gatherCollectionStats(colStatsDbs []string) (*ColStats, error)
 	return results, nil
 }
 
-func (s *Server) gatherData(acc telegraf.Accumulator, gatherDbStats bool, gatherColStats bool, colStatsDbs []string) error {
+func (s *Server) gatherData(acc telegraf.Accumulator, gatherClusterStatus bool, gatherDbStats bool, gatherColStats bool, colStatsDbs []string) error {
 	s.Session.SetMode(mgo.Eventual, true)
 	s.Session.SetSocketTimeout(0)
 
@@ -218,9 +218,13 @@ func (s *Server) gatherData(acc telegraf.Accumulator, gatherDbStats bool, gather
 		}
 	}
 
-	clusterStatus, err := s.gatherClusterStatus()
-	if err != nil {
-		s.Log.Debugf("Unable to gather cluster status: %s", err.Error())
+	var clusterStatus *ClusterStatus
+	if gatherClusterStatus {
+		status, err := s.gatherClusterStatus()
+		if err != nil {
+			s.Log.Debugf("Unable to gather cluster status: %s", err.Error())
+		}
+		clusterStatus = status
 	}
 
 	shardStats, err := s.gatherShardConnPoolStats()