diff --git a/doc/source/configuration.rst b/doc/source/configuration.rst
index b611757d6..e0e29ee63 100644
--- a/doc/source/configuration.rst
+++ b/doc/source/configuration.rst
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ Options
    they exceed this value.  This option specifies how many will be
    kept (usually you will see one more, as deletion happens before
    starting a new build).  By default, the last 7 old build logs are
-   kept.
+   kept.  Set this to ``-1`` to disable removal of logs.
 
 .. attr:: zookeeper-servers
    :type: list
diff --git a/nodepool/builder.py b/nodepool/builder.py
index e8561920e..80d044dc8 100644
--- a/nodepool/builder.py
+++ b/nodepool/builder.py
@@ -592,6 +592,8 @@ class BuildWorker(BaseWorker):
         return log_dir
 
     def _pruneBuildLogs(self, name):
+        if self._config.build_log_retention < 0:
+            return
         log_dir = self._getBuildLogRoot(name)
         keep = max(self._config.build_log_retention, 1)
         existing = sorted(os.listdir(log_dir))
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/retention-disable-ac0c43d3912c1311.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/retention-disable-ac0c43d3912c1311.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..61b95be55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/retention-disable-ac0c43d3912c1311.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Setting ``build-log-retention`` to ``-1`` will disable the removal of
+    old build logs.