diff --git a/HISTORY.rst b/HISTORY.rst
index 759e36dc..6992470d 100644
--- a/HISTORY.rst
+++ b/HISTORY.rst
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ PlatformIO Core 5
 
 - Improved support for private packages in `PlatformIO Registry <https://registry.platformio.org/>`__
 - Improved checking of available Internet connection for IPv6-only workstations (`pull #4151 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/4151>`_)
+- Respect disabling debugging server from "platformio.ini" passing an empty value to the `debug_server <https://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/projectconf/section_env_debug.html#debug-server>`__ option
 
 5.2.4 (2021-12-15)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/platformio/debug/config/base.py b/platformio/debug/config/base.py
index bcafa8fd..db7ddfba 100644
--- a/platformio/debug/config/base.py
+++ b/platformio/debug/config/base.py
@@ -153,7 +153,14 @@ class DebugConfigBase:  # pylint: disable=too-many-instance-attributes
         raise DebugInvalidOptionsError("Could not load a build configuration")
 
     def _configure_server(self):
+        # user disabled server in platformio.ini
+        if "debug_server" in self.env_options and not self.env_options.get(
+            "debug_server"
+        ):
+            return None
+
         result = None
+
         # specific server per a system
         if isinstance(self.tool_settings.get("server", {}), list):
             for item in self.tool_settings["server"][:]: