diff --git a/dao-api/src/main/java/com/linkedin/metadata/dao/BaseLocalDAO.java b/dao-api/src/main/java/com/linkedin/metadata/dao/BaseLocalDAO.java
index 07e76c7cb..c7d2b44b7 100644
--- a/dao-api/src/main/java/com/linkedin/metadata/dao/BaseLocalDAO.java
+++ b/dao-api/src/main/java/com/linkedin/metadata/dao/BaseLocalDAO.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package com.linkedin.metadata.dao;
 
+import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
 import com.linkedin.common.AuditStamp;
 import com.linkedin.common.urn.Urn;
 import com.linkedin.data.schema.validation.CoercionMode;
@@ -123,6 +124,9 @@ static class AddResult<ASPECT extends RecordTemplate> {
   // Always emit MAE on every update regardless if there's any actual change in value
   private boolean _alwaysEmitAuditEvent = false;
 
+  // Whether to emit the general MAE. This takes precedence over _alwaysEmitAuditEvent if general audit events are disabled.
+  private boolean _enableGeneralAuditEvent = true;
+
   private boolean _emitAspectSpecificAuditEvent = false;
 
   private boolean _alwaysEmitAspectSpecificAuditEvent = false;
@@ -250,6 +254,15 @@ public void enableModelValidationOnWrite(boolean enabled) {
     _modelValidationOnWrite = enabled;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Enables or disables the emission of general audit events.
+   */
+  public void enableGeneralAuditEvent(boolean generalAuditEventEnabled) {
+    Preconditions.checkState(generalAuditEventEnabled || _emitAspectSpecificAuditEvent,
+        "Emission of general audit events cannot be disabled without enabling aspect-specific audit events");
+    _enableGeneralAuditEvent = generalAuditEventEnabled;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Sets if MAE should be always emitted after each update even if there's no actual value change.
    */
@@ -381,7 +394,7 @@ public <ASPECT extends RecordTemplate> ASPECT add(@Nonnull URN urn, @Nonnull Cla
     final ASPECT newValue = result.getNewValue();
 
     // Produce MAE after a successful update
-    if (_alwaysEmitAuditEvent || oldValue != newValue) {
+    if (_enableGeneralAuditEvent && (_alwaysEmitAuditEvent || oldValue != newValue)) {
       _producer.produceMetadataAuditEvent(urn, oldValue, newValue);
     }
 
diff --git a/dao-api/src/test/java/com/linkedin/metadata/dao/BaseLocalDAOTest.java b/dao-api/src/test/java/com/linkedin/metadata/dao/BaseLocalDAOTest.java
index 3ea55dec7..4f8863edf 100644
--- a/dao-api/src/test/java/com/linkedin/metadata/dao/BaseLocalDAOTest.java
+++ b/dao-api/src/test/java/com/linkedin/metadata/dao/BaseLocalDAOTest.java
@@ -259,6 +259,64 @@ public void testMAEWithNullValue() throws URISyntaxException {
     verifyNoMoreInteractions(_mockEventProducer);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testGeneralMAEDisabled() throws URISyntaxException {
+    FooUrn urn = new FooUrn(1);
+    AspectFoo foo = new AspectFoo().setValue("foo");
+    _dummyLocalDAO.setEmitAspectSpecificAuditEvent(true);
+    _dummyLocalDAO.enableGeneralAuditEvent(false);
+
+    expectGetLatest(urn, AspectFoo.class,
+        Arrays.asList(makeAspectEntry(null, null), makeAspectEntry(foo, _dummyAuditStamp)));
+
+    _dummyLocalDAO.add(urn, foo, _dummyAuditStamp);
+    _dummyLocalDAO.delete(urn, AspectFoo.class, _dummyAuditStamp);
+    verify(_mockEventProducer, times(0)).produceMetadataAuditEvent(urn, null, foo);
+    verify(_mockEventProducer, times(1)).produceAspectSpecificMetadataAuditEvent(urn, null, foo);
+    verifyNoMoreInteractions(_mockEventProducer);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testGeneralMAEDefaultsEnabled() throws URISyntaxException {
+    FooUrn urn = new FooUrn(1);
+    AspectFoo foo = new AspectFoo().setValue("foo");
+
+    expectGetLatest(urn, AspectFoo.class,
+        Arrays.asList(makeAspectEntry(null, null), makeAspectEntry(foo, _dummyAuditStamp)));
+
+    _dummyLocalDAO.add(urn, foo, _dummyAuditStamp);
+    _dummyLocalDAO.delete(urn, AspectFoo.class, _dummyAuditStamp);
+    verify(_mockEventProducer, times(1)).produceMetadataAuditEvent(urn, null, foo);
+    verify(_mockEventProducer, times(0)).produceAspectSpecificMetadataAuditEvent(urn, null, foo);
+    verifyNoMoreInteractions(_mockEventProducer);
+  }
+
+  @Test(expectedExceptions = {
+      IllegalStateException.class},
+      expectedExceptionsMessageRegExp = "Emission of general audit events cannot be disabled without enabling aspect-specific audit events")
+  public void testCannotDisableGeneralMAEWithoutEnablingAspectMAE() {
+    _dummyLocalDAO.setEmitAspectSpecificAuditEvent(false);
+    _dummyLocalDAO.enableGeneralAuditEvent(false);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testMAEDualWrite() throws URISyntaxException {
+    FooUrn urn = new FooUrn(1);
+    AspectFoo foo = new AspectFoo().setValue("foo");
+
+    expectGetLatest(urn, AspectFoo.class,
+        Arrays.asList(makeAspectEntry(null, null), makeAspectEntry(foo, _dummyAuditStamp)));
+
+    _dummyLocalDAO.setEmitAspectSpecificAuditEvent(true);
+
+    _dummyLocalDAO.add(urn, foo, _dummyAuditStamp);
+    _dummyLocalDAO.delete(urn, AspectFoo.class, _dummyAuditStamp);
+    verify(_mockEventProducer, times(1)).produceMetadataAuditEvent(urn, null, foo);
+    verify(_mockEventProducer, times(1)).produceAspectSpecificMetadataAuditEvent(urn, null, foo);
+    verifyNoMoreInteractions(_mockEventProducer);
+
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testAddSamePreUpdateHookTwice() {
     BiConsumer<FooUrn, AspectFoo> hook = (urn, foo) -> {