diff --git a/lib/bpf/bpf.go b/lib/bpf/bpf.go
index 4b865e0f3d8..144c8c1ad1b 100644
--- a/lib/bpf/bpf.go
+++ b/lib/bpf/bpf.go
@@ -124,23 +124,23 @@ func New(config *Config) (BPF, error) {
 	start := time.Now()
 	log.Debugf("Starting enhanced session recording.")
 
-	// Compile and start BPF programs.
-	s.exec, err = startExec(closeContext, config.CommandBufferSize)
+	// Compile and start BPF programs if they are enabled (buffer size given).
+	s.exec, err = startExec(closeContext, *config.CommandBufferSize)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, trace.Wrap(err)
 	}
-	s.open, err = startOpen(closeContext, config.DiskBufferSize)
+	s.open, err = startOpen(closeContext, *config.DiskBufferSize)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, trace.Wrap(err)
 	}
-	s.conn, err = startConn(closeContext, config.NetworkBufferSize)
+	s.conn, err = startConn(closeContext, *config.NetworkBufferSize)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, trace.Wrap(err)
 	}
 
 	log.Debugf("Started enhanced session recording with buffer sizes (command=%v, "+
 		"disk=%v, network=%v) and cgroup mount path: %v. Took %v.",
-		s.CommandBufferSize, s.DiskBufferSize, s.NetworkBufferSize, s.CgroupPath,
+		*s.CommandBufferSize, *s.DiskBufferSize, *s.NetworkBufferSize, s.CgroupPath,
 		time.Since(start))
 
 	// Start pulling events off the perf buffers and emitting them to the
diff --git a/lib/bpf/command.go b/lib/bpf/command.go
index 0f096d89e85..69929fc7027 100644
--- a/lib/bpf/command.go
+++ b/lib/bpf/command.go
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ func startExec(closeContext context.Context, pageCount int) (*exec, error) {
 		closeContext: closeContext,
 	}
 
+	// If the page count is zero, don't start any BPF module.
+	if pageCount == 0 {
+		return e, nil
+	}
+
 	// Compile the BPF program.
 	e.module = bcc.NewModule(execveSource, []string{})
 	if e.module == nil {
diff --git a/lib/bpf/common.go b/lib/bpf/common.go
index 0c14a62a510..9dd6e3e1d33 100644
--- a/lib/bpf/common.go
+++ b/lib/bpf/common.go
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ type Config struct {
 	Enabled bool
 
 	// CommandBufferSize is the size of the perf buffer for command events.
-	CommandBufferSize int
+	CommandBufferSize *int
 
 	// DiskBufferSize is the size of the perf buffer for disk events.
-	DiskBufferSize int
+	DiskBufferSize *int
 
 	// NetworkBufferSize is the size of the perf buffer for network events.
-	NetworkBufferSize int
+	NetworkBufferSize *int
 
 	// CgroupPath is where the cgroupv2 hierarchy is mounted.
 	CgroupPath string
@@ -99,14 +99,17 @@ type Config struct {
 
 // CheckAndSetDefaults checks BPF configuration.
 func (c *Config) CheckAndSetDefaults() error {
-	if c.CommandBufferSize == 0 {
-		c.CommandBufferSize = defaults.PerfBufferPageCount
+	var perfBufferPageCount = defaults.PerfBufferPageCount
+	var openPerfBufferPageCount = defaults.OpenPerfBufferPageCount
+
+	if c.CommandBufferSize == nil {
+		c.CommandBufferSize = &perfBufferPageCount
 	}
-	if c.DiskBufferSize == 0 {
-		c.DiskBufferSize = defaults.OpenPerfBufferPageCount
+	if c.DiskBufferSize == nil {
+		c.DiskBufferSize = &openPerfBufferPageCount
 	}
-	if c.NetworkBufferSize == 0 {
-		c.NetworkBufferSize = defaults.PerfBufferPageCount
+	if c.NetworkBufferSize == nil {
+		c.NetworkBufferSize = &perfBufferPageCount
 	}
 	if c.CgroupPath == "" {
 		c.CgroupPath = defaults.CgroupPath
diff --git a/lib/bpf/common_test.go b/lib/bpf/common_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..083545a5c5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/bpf/common_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 Gravitational, Inc.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package bpf
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/gravitational/teleport/lib/defaults"
+	"github.com/gravitational/teleport/lib/utils"
+
+	"gopkg.in/check.v1"
+)
+
+type CommonSuite struct{}
+
+var _ = fmt.Printf
+var _ = check.Suite(&CommonSuite{})
+
+func (s *CommonSuite) SetUpSuite(c *check.C) {
+	utils.InitLoggerForTests()
+}
+func (s *CommonSuite) TearDownSuite(c *check.C) {}
+func (s *CommonSuite) SetUpTest(c *check.C)     {}
+func (s *CommonSuite) TearDownTest(c *check.C)  {}
+
+// TestCheckAndSetDefaults makes sure defaults are set when the user does not
+// provide values for the page sizes and hard coded values (like zero or a
+// specific page size) are respected when given.
+func (s *CommonSuite) TestCheckAndSetDefaults(c *check.C) {
+	var perfBufferPageCount = defaults.PerfBufferPageCount
+	var openPerfBufferPageCount = defaults.OpenPerfBufferPageCount
+	var zeroPageCount = 0
+
+	var tests = []struct {
+		inConfig  *Config
+		outConfig *Config
+	}{
+		// Empty values get defaults.
+		{
+			inConfig: &Config{
+				CommandBufferSize: nil,
+				DiskBufferSize:    nil,
+				NetworkBufferSize: nil,
+			},
+			outConfig: &Config{
+				CommandBufferSize: &perfBufferPageCount,
+				DiskBufferSize:    &openPerfBufferPageCount,
+				NetworkBufferSize: &perfBufferPageCount,
+			},
+		},
+		// Values are not wiped out with defaults.
+		{
+			inConfig: &Config{
+				CommandBufferSize: &zeroPageCount,
+				DiskBufferSize:    &zeroPageCount,
+				NetworkBufferSize: &perfBufferPageCount,
+			},
+			outConfig: &Config{
+				CommandBufferSize: &zeroPageCount,
+				DiskBufferSize:    &zeroPageCount,
+				NetworkBufferSize: &perfBufferPageCount,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		err := tt.inConfig.CheckAndSetDefaults()
+		c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+		c.Assert(*tt.inConfig.CommandBufferSize, check.Equals, *tt.outConfig.CommandBufferSize)
+		c.Assert(*tt.inConfig.DiskBufferSize, check.Equals, *tt.outConfig.DiskBufferSize)
+		c.Assert(*tt.inConfig.NetworkBufferSize, check.Equals, *tt.outConfig.NetworkBufferSize)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/lib/bpf/disk.go b/lib/bpf/disk.go
index 93a75758cfd..04701c0cca1 100644
--- a/lib/bpf/disk.go
+++ b/lib/bpf/disk.go
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ func startOpen(closeContext context.Context, pageCount int) (*open, error) {
 		closeContext: closeContext,
 	}
 
+	// If the page count is zero, don't start any BPF module.
+	if pageCount == 0 {
+		return e, nil
+	}
+
 	// Compile the BPF program.
 	e.module = bcc.NewModule(openSource, []string{})
 	if e.module == nil {
diff --git a/lib/bpf/network.go b/lib/bpf/network.go
index 7e8c1487b73..c1fdf4f2fd6 100644
--- a/lib/bpf/network.go
+++ b/lib/bpf/network.go
@@ -118,6 +118,11 @@ func startConn(closeContext context.Context, pageCount int) (*conn, error) {
 		closeContext: closeContext,
 	}
 
+	// If the page count is zero, don't start any BPF module.
+	if pageCount == 0 {
+		return e, nil
+	}
+
 	e.module = bcc.NewModule(connSource, []string{})
 	if e.module == nil {
 		return nil, trace.BadParameter("failed to load libbcc")
diff --git a/lib/config/fileconf.go b/lib/config/fileconf.go
index edd19d00f9c..3c94ccc788e 100644
--- a/lib/config/fileconf.go
+++ b/lib/config/fileconf.go
@@ -725,13 +725,13 @@ type BPF struct {
 	Enabled string `yaml:"enabled"`
 
 	// CommandBufferSize is the size of the perf buffer for command events.
-	CommandBufferSize int `yaml:"command_buffer_size"`
+	CommandBufferSize *int `yaml:"command_buffer_size,omitempty"`
 
 	// DiskBufferSize is the size of the perf buffer for disk events.
-	DiskBufferSize int `yaml:"disk_buffer_size"`
+	DiskBufferSize *int `yaml:"disk_buffer_size,omitempty"`
 
 	// NetworkBufferSize is the size of the perf buffer for network events.
-	NetworkBufferSize int `yaml:"network_buffer_size"`
+	NetworkBufferSize *int `yaml:"network_buffer_size,omitempty"`
 
 	// CgroupPath controls where cgroupv2 hierarchy is mounted.
 	CgroupPath string `yaml:"cgroup_path"`