diff --git a/playbooks/roles/registry/tasks/main.yaml b/playbooks/roles/registry/tasks/main.yaml
index 356b55a85d..10e80b5fc4 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/registry/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/registry/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -42,9 +42,11 @@
 - name: Run docker prune to cleanup unneeded images
   shell:
     cmd: docker image prune -f
-- name: Install cron to garbage collect the registry daily
-  cron:
-    name: "docker registry garbage-collect"
-    minute: "0"
-    hour: "0"
-    job: "/usr/bin/docker exec registrydocker_registry_1 zuul-registry prune"
+# Temporarily disable to aid debug of mysteriously absent blobs
+# -corvus 2019-10-09
+# - name: Install cron to garbage collect the registry daily
+#   cron:
+#     name: "docker registry garbage-collect"
+#     minute: "0"
+#     hour: "0"
+#     job: "/usr/bin/docker exec registrydocker_registry_1 zuul-registry prune"