diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8ccb4e78c8..2efe8b6c0e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,15 +48,9 @@ If your Next.js project was already deployed to Netlify pre-3.0.0, use the Netli
   package = "@netlify/plugin-nextjs"
 ```
 
-Note: the plugin does not run for statically exported Next.js sites (aka sites that use `next export`). To use the plugin, you should use the `[build]` config in the .toml snippet above. Be sure to exclude `next export` from your build script.
-
- You can also add context-specific properties and environment variables to your `netlify.toml`. Read more about [deploy contexts](https://docs.netlify.com/configure-builds/file-based-configuration/#deploy-contexts) in our docs. For example:
-
-```toml
-[context.production.environment]
-NEXT_SERVERLESS = "true"
-NODE_ENV = "production"
-```
+Note: the plugin does not run for statically exported Next.js sites (aka sites that use `next export`). To use the plugin, you should use the `[build]` config in the .toml snippet above. Be sure to exclude `next export` from your build script. 
+The plugin will attempt to detect if the site uses static export or Storybook, and will not run for either. If you want to disable the auto-detection, you can set the `NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN` environment variable to `true` or `false`. 
+Setting it to `true` or `1` will mean the plugin always runs, and setting it to `false` or `0` will mean it never runs. If unset, auto-detection will be used. This variable should be set in the Netlify UI or in the `netlify.toml` file.
 
 2\. From your project's base directory, use `npm`, `yarn`, or any other Node.js package manager to add this plugin to `dependencies` in `package.json`.
 
diff --git a/helpers/doesNotNeedPlugin.js b/helpers/doesNotNeedPlugin.js
index c4f52a7a5b..4e0d14150e 100644
--- a/helpers/doesNotNeedPlugin.js
+++ b/helpers/doesNotNeedPlugin.js
@@ -6,6 +6,26 @@ const isStaticExportProject = require('./isStaticExportProject')
 const usesBuildCommand = require('./usesBuildCommand')
 
 const doesNotNeedPlugin = ({ netlifyConfig, packageJson }) => {
+  // The env var skips the auto-detection
+  const envVar = process.env.NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN
+  if (envVar === 'false' || envVar === '0' || envVar === false) {
+    console.log(
+      yellowBright`The env var NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN was set to ${JSON.stringify(
+        envVar,
+      )}, so auto-detection is disabled and the plugin will not run`,
+    )
+    return true
+  }
+  if (envVar === 'true' || envVar === '1' || envVar === true) {
+    console.log(
+      yellowBright`The env var NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN was set to ${JSON.stringify(
+        envVar,
+      )}, so auto-detection is disabled and the plugin will run regardless`,
+    )
+    return false
+  }
+  // Otherwise use auto-detection
+
   const { build } = netlifyConfig
   const { scripts = {} } = packageJson
 
@@ -18,7 +38,7 @@ const doesNotNeedPlugin = ({ netlifyConfig, packageJson }) => {
 
   if (usesBuildCommand({ build, scripts, command: 'build-storybook' })) {
     console.log(
-      yellowBright`Site seems to be building a Storybook rather than the Next.js site, so the Essential Next.js plugin will not run.`,
+      yellowBright`Site seems to be building a Storybook rather than the Next.js site, so the Essential Next.js plugin will not run. If this is incorrect, set NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN to true`,
     )
     return true
   }
diff --git a/helpers/usesBuildCommand.js b/helpers/usesBuildCommand.js
index 3b86f04b8c..2cd1bf56b8 100644
--- a/helpers/usesBuildCommand.js
+++ b/helpers/usesBuildCommand.js
@@ -24,11 +24,12 @@ const usesBuildCommand = ({ build, scripts, command }) => {
     return raw.some((script) => script.includes(command))
   } catch (error) {
     console.error(
-      'There was an error parsing your build command:',
-      error.message,
-      `\n\nThe build command is "${build.command}" and the available npm scripts are: ${Object.keys(scripts)
+      `Static export detection disabled because we could not parse your build command: ${error.message}
+The build command is "${build.command}" and the available npm scripts are: ${Object.keys(scripts)
         .map((script) => `"${script}"`)
-        .join(', ')}`,
+        .join(', ')}
+
+If the site does use static export then you can set the env var NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN to "false" or uninstall the plugin. See https://ntl.fyi/remove-plugin for instructions.`,
     )
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 97bd7a7147..fc584fb440 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -143,6 +143,42 @@ describe('preBuild()', () => {
     expect(process.env.NEXT_PRIVATE_TARGET).toBe('serverless')
   })
 
+  test('run plugin if `NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN` is set to true, even if next export is in script', async () => {
+    process.env.NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN = 'true'
+    await plugin.onPreBuild({
+      netlifyConfig,
+      packageJson: { ...DUMMY_PACKAGE_JSON, scripts: { build: 'next export' } },
+      utils,
+      constants: {},
+    })
+    expect(process.env.NEXT_PRIVATE_TARGET).toBe('serverless')
+    process.env.NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN = undefined
+  })
+
+  test('run plugin if `NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN` is set to true, even if build-storybook is in script', async () => {
+    process.env.NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN = 'true'
+    await plugin.onPreBuild({
+      netlifyConfig,
+      packageJson: { ...DUMMY_PACKAGE_JSON, scripts: { build: 'build-storybook' } },
+      utils,
+      constants: {},
+    })
+    expect(process.env.NEXT_PRIVATE_TARGET).toBe('serverless')
+    process.env.NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN = undefined
+  })
+
+  test('not run plugin if `NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN` is set to false', async () => {
+    process.env.NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN = 'false'
+    await plugin.onPreBuild({
+      netlifyConfig,
+      packageJson: DUMMY_PACKAGE_JSON,
+      utils,
+      constants: {},
+    })
+    expect(process.env.NEXT_PRIVATE_TARGET).toBeUndefined()
+    process.env.NEXT_PLUGIN_FORCE_RUN = undefined
+  })
+
   test('do nothing if app has static html export in toml/ntl config', async () => {
     await plugin.onPreBuild({
       netlifyConfig: { build: { command: 'next build && next export' } },