diff --git a/topic_manager.go b/topic_manager.go
index 353664f9..fe373d70 100644
--- a/topic_manager.go
+++ b/topic_manager.go
@@ -179,6 +179,12 @@ func (m *topicManager) ensureExists(topic string, npar, rfactor int, config map[
 	}
 	// no topic yet, let's create it
 	if len(partitions) == 0 {
+
+		// (or not)
+		if m.topicManagerConfig.NoCreate {
+			return fmt.Errorf("topic does not exist but the manager is configured with NoCreate, so it will not attempt to create it")
+		}
+
 		return m.createTopic(topic,
 			npar,
 			rfactor,
@@ -361,6 +367,10 @@ type TopicManagerConfig struct {
 	// TMConfigMismatchBehavior configures how configuration mismatches of a topic (replication, num partitions, compaction) should be
 	// treated
 	MismatchBehavior TMConfigMismatchBehavior
+
+	// If set to true, the topic manager will not attempt to create the topic.
+	// This can be used if topic creation should be done externally.
+	NoCreate bool
 }
 
 func (tmc *TopicManagerConfig) streamCleanupPolicy() string {
diff --git a/topic_manager_test.go b/topic_manager_test.go
index e6c3541d..78c2ad60 100644
--- a/topic_manager_test.go
+++ b/topic_manager_test.go
@@ -249,6 +249,28 @@ func TestTM_EnsureStreamExists(t *testing.T) {
 		err := tm.EnsureStreamExists(topic, npar)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 	})
+	t.Run("no-create", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tm, bm, ctrl := createTopicManager(t)
+		defer ctrl.Finish()
+		var (
+			topic   = "some-topic"
+			npar    = 1
+			rfactor = 1
+		)
+
+		tm.topicManagerConfig.Stream.Replication = rfactor
+		tm.topicManagerConfig.Stream.Retention = time.Second
+		tm.topicManagerConfig.NoCreate = true
+
+		bm.client.EXPECT().RefreshMetadata().Return(nil).AnyTimes()
+
+		gomock.InOrder(
+			bm.client.EXPECT().Topics().Return(nil, nil),
+		)
+
+		err := tm.EnsureStreamExists(topic, npar)
+		require.ErrorContains(t, err, "will not attempt to create it")
+	})
 	t.Run("fail", func(t *testing.T) {
 		tm, bm, ctrl := createTopicManager(t)
 		defer ctrl.Finish()