diff --git a/src/analytics/features/types.ts b/src/analytics/features/types.ts
index 283ef37088..b890873a37 100644
--- a/src/analytics/features/types.ts
+++ b/src/analytics/features/types.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export enum Features {
   ComposerLanguageDetectionEnable = 'composer:language_detection:enable',
   PostGalleryEmbedEnable = 'post_gallery_embed:enable',
   PostThreadKnownLikersEnable = 'post_thread:known_likers:enable',
+  PostThreadKnownLikersFetchEnable = 'post_thread:known_likers:fetch:enable',
 
   AATest = 'aa-test',
 }
diff --git a/src/screens/PostThread/components/LikesStat.tsx b/src/screens/PostThread/components/LikesStat.tsx
index 22e3fa4a32..4316b0b9b9 100644
--- a/src/screens/PostThread/components/LikesStat.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/PostThread/components/LikesStat.tsx
@@ -39,8 +39,15 @@ export function LikesStat({post}: {post: AppBskyFeedDefs.PostView}) {
   const ax = useAnalytics()
 
   const likeCount = post.likeCount ?? 0
+  /*
+   * Kill switch for the getLikes sample request itself, separate from the
+   * display gate below.
+   */
+  const fetchEnabled = ax.features.enabled(
+    ax.features.PostThreadKnownLikersFetchEnable,
+  )
   const {data} = useLikedBySampleQuery({
-    uri: hasSession && likeCount > 0 ? post.uri : undefined,
+    uri: fetchEnabled && hasSession && likeCount > 0 ? post.uri : undefined,
   })
 
   if (likeCount === 0) return null