diff --git a/docs/docs/mapping/customizing_openapi_output.md b/docs/docs/mapping/customizing_openapi_output.md
index 5ed03f7f132..d1017bf7748 100644
--- a/docs/docs/mapping/customizing_openapi_output.md
+++ b/docs/docs/mapping/customizing_openapi_output.md
@@ -631,14 +631,107 @@ info:
   title: helloproto/v1/example.proto
   version: version not set
 consumes:
-- application/json
+  - application/json
 produces:
-- application/json
+  - application/json
+paths:
+  /api/hello:
+    get:
+      operationId: EchoService_Hello
+```
+
+### Disable default responses
+
+By default a 200 OK response is rendered for each service operation. But it is possible to disable this and explicitly define your service's responses, using the `disable_default_responses` option. Allowed values are: `true`, `false`.
+
+**Note**: This does not alter the behavior of the gateway itself and should be coupled with a `ForwardResponseWriter` when altering status codes, see [Controlling HTTP Response Codes](https://grpc-ecosystem.github.io/grpc-gateway/docs/mapping/customizing_your_gateway/#controlling-http-response-status-codes).
+
+For example, if you are using `buf`:
+
+```yaml
+version: v1
+plugins:
+  - name: openapiv2
+    out: .
+    opt:
+      - disable_default_responses=true
+```
+
+or with `protoc`
+
+```sh
+protoc --openapiv2_out=. --openapiv2_opt=disable_default_responses=true ./path/to/file.proto
+```
+
+Input example:
+
+```protobuf
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package helloproto.v1;
+
+import "google/api/annotations.proto";
+import "protoc-gen-openapiv2/options/annotations.proto";
+
+option go_package = "helloproto/v1;helloproto";
+
+service EchoService {
+  rpc Hello(HelloReq) returns (HelloResp) {
+    option (google.api.http) = {get: "/api/hello"};
+    option (grpc.gateway.protoc_gen_openapiv2.options.openapiv2_operation) = {
+      responses: {
+        key: "201",
+        value: {
+          description: "Created";
+          schema: {
+            json_schema: {ref: ".helloproto.v1.HelloResp"}
+          }
+        }
+      };
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+message HelloReq {
+  string name = 1;
+}
+
+message HelloResp {
+  string message = 1;
+}
+```
+
+Output (default response not generated):
+
+```yaml
+swagger: "2.0"
+info:
+  title: helloproto/v1/hello.proto
+  version: version not set
+consumes:
+  - application/json
+produces:
+  - application/json
 paths:
   /api/hello:
     get:
       operationId: EchoService_Hello
-...
+      responses:
+        "201":
+          description: Created
+          schema:
+            $ref: "#/definitions/v1HelloResp"
+      parameters:
+        - name: name
+          in: query
+          required: false
+          type: string
+definitions:
+  v1HelloResp:
+    type: object
+    properties:
+      message:
+        type: string
 ```
 
 {% endraw %}
diff --git a/internal/descriptor/registry.go b/internal/descriptor/registry.go
index 9080c2f312b..fdb7717fb8a 100644
--- a/internal/descriptor/registry.go
+++ b/internal/descriptor/registry.go
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ type Registry struct {
 	// disableServiceTags disables the generation of service tags.
 	// This is useful if you do not want to expose the names of your backend grpc services.
 	disableServiceTags bool
+
+	// disableDefaultResponses disables the generation of default responses.
+	// Useful if you have to support custom response codes that are not 200.
+	disableDefaultResponses bool
 }
 
 type repeatedFieldSeparator struct {
@@ -758,3 +762,13 @@ func (r *Registry) SetDisableServiceTags(use bool) {
 func (r *Registry) GetDisableServiceTags() bool {
 	return r.disableServiceTags
 }
+
+// SetDisableDefaultResponses setsdisableDefaultResponses
+func (r *Registry) SetDisableDefaultResponses(use bool) {
+	r.disableDefaultResponses = use
+}
+
+// GetDisableDefaultResponses returns disableDefaultResponses
+func (r *Registry) GetDisableDefaultResponses() bool {
+	return r.disableDefaultResponses
+}
diff --git a/protoc-gen-openapiv2/internal/genopenapi/template.go b/protoc-gen-openapiv2/internal/genopenapi/template.go
index 2b5d43ce19e..a77a4d7c6d3 100644
--- a/protoc-gen-openapiv2/internal/genopenapi/template.go
+++ b/protoc-gen-openapiv2/internal/genopenapi/template.go
@@ -1366,13 +1366,15 @@ func renderServices(services []*descriptor.Service, paths openapiPathsObject, re
 
 				operationObject := &openapiOperationObject{
 					Parameters: parameters,
-					Responses: openapiResponsesObject{
-						"200": openapiResponseObject{
-							Description: desc,
-							Schema:      responseSchema,
-							Headers:     openapiHeadersObject{},
-						},
-					},
+					Responses:  openapiResponsesObject{},
+				}
+
+				if !reg.GetDisableDefaultResponses() {
+					operationObject.Responses["200"] = openapiResponseObject{
+						Description: desc,
+						Schema:      responseSchema,
+						Headers:     openapiHeadersObject{},
+					}
 				}
 
 				if !reg.GetDisableServiceTags() {
diff --git a/protoc-gen-openapiv2/internal/genopenapi/template_test.go b/protoc-gen-openapiv2/internal/genopenapi/template_test.go
index 3f1a105c385..f4733c22540 100644
--- a/protoc-gen-openapiv2/internal/genopenapi/template_test.go
+++ b/protoc-gen-openapiv2/internal/genopenapi/template_test.go
@@ -3316,6 +3316,17 @@ func TestApplyTemplateProtobufAny(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			wantNumDefinitions: 3,
 		},
+		{
+			// we have a protobufAny in a message but with automatic rendering of responses disabled
+			name: "protobufAny_referenced_in_message_with_default_responses_disabled",
+			args: args{
+				msgContainsAny: true,
+				regConfig: func(reg *descriptor.Registry) {
+					reg.SetDisableDefaultResponses(true)
+				},
+			},
+			wantNumDefinitions: 4,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
diff --git a/protoc-gen-openapiv2/main.go b/protoc-gen-openapiv2/main.go
index 61730718411..092d6fa9dbc 100644
--- a/protoc-gen-openapiv2/main.go
+++ b/protoc-gen-openapiv2/main.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ var (
 	outputFormat                   = flag.String("output_format", string(genopenapi.FormatJSON), fmt.Sprintf("output content format. Allowed values are: `%s`, `%s`", genopenapi.FormatJSON, genopenapi.FormatYAML))
 	visibilityRestrictionSelectors = utilities.StringArrayFlag(flag.CommandLine, "visibility_restriction_selectors", "list of `google.api.VisibilityRule` visibility labels to include in the generated output when a visibility annotation is defined. Repeat this option to supply multiple values. Elements without visibility annotations are unaffected by this setting.")
 	disableServiceTags             = flag.Bool("disable_service_tags", false, "if set, disables generation of service tags. This is useful if you do not want to expose the names of your backend grpc services.")
+	disableDefaultResponses        = flag.Bool("disable_default_responses", false, "if set, disables generation of default responses. Useful if you have to support custom response codes that are not 200.")
 )
 
 // Variables set by goreleaser at build time
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ func main() {
 	reg.SetOmitEnumDefaultValue(*omitEnumDefaultValue)
 	reg.SetVisibilityRestrictionSelectors(*visibilityRestrictionSelectors)
 	reg.SetDisableServiceTags(*disableServiceTags)
+	reg.SetDisableDefaultResponses(*disableDefaultResponses)
 	if err := reg.SetRepeatedPathParamSeparator(*repeatedPathParamSeparator); err != nil {
 		emitError(err)
 		return