diff --git a/server/mqtt.go b/server/mqtt.go
index 27fa8efd..a371268d 100644
--- a/server/mqtt.go
+++ b/server/mqtt.go
@@ -3601,8 +3601,9 @@ func (sess *mqttSession) processJSConsumer(c *client, subject, sid string,
 			FilterSubject:  mqttStreamSubjectPrefix + subject,
 			AckWait:        ackWait,
 			MaxAckPending:  maxAckPending,
+			MemoryStorage:  opts.MQTT.ConsumerMemoryStorage,
 		}
-		if r := c.srv.getOpts().MQTT.ConsumerReplicas; r > 0 {
+		if r := opts.MQTT.ConsumerReplicas; r > 0 {
 			cc.Replicas = r
 		}
 		if err := sess.createConsumer(cc); err != nil {
diff --git a/server/mqtt_test.go b/server/mqtt_test.go
index 85ab35d9..ba38c454 100644
--- a/server/mqtt_test.go
+++ b/server/mqtt_test.go
@@ -5734,6 +5734,7 @@ func TestMQTTConsumerReplicasOverride(t *testing.T) {
 			listen: 127.0.0.1:-1
 			stream_replicas: 5
 			consumer_replicas: 1
+			consumer_memory_storage: true
 		}
 
 		# For access to system account.
@@ -5771,6 +5772,7 @@ func TestMQTTConsumerReplicasOverride(t *testing.T) {
 	cl.stopAll()
 	for _, o := range cl.opts {
 		o.MQTT.ConsumerReplicas = 2
+		o.MQTT.ConsumerMemoryStorage = false
 	}
 	cl.restartAllSamePorts()
 	cl.waitOnStreamLeader(globalAccountName, mqttStreamName)
@@ -5787,9 +5789,10 @@ func TestMQTTConsumerReplicasReload(t *testing.T) {
 		mqtt {
 			port: -1
 			consumer_replicas: %v
+			consumer_memory_storage: %s
 		}
 	`
-	conf := createConfFile(t, []byte(fmt.Sprintf(tmpl, 3)))
+	conf := createConfFile(t, []byte(fmt.Sprintf(tmpl, 3, "false")))
 	defer removeFile(t, conf)
 	s, o := RunServerWithConfig(conf)
 	defer testMQTTShutdownServer(s)
@@ -5811,9 +5814,27 @@ func TestMQTTConsumerReplicasReload(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Did not get the error regarding replicas count")
 	}
 
-	reloadUpdateConfig(t, s, conf, fmt.Sprintf(tmpl, 1))
+	reloadUpdateConfig(t, s, conf, fmt.Sprintf(tmpl, 1, "true"))
 
 	testMQTTSub(t, 1, c, r, []*mqttFilter{{filter: "foo", qos: 1}}, []byte{1})
+
+	mset, err := s.GlobalAccount().lookupStream(mqttStreamName)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Error looking up stream: %v", err)
+	}
+	var cons *consumer
+	mset.mu.RLock()
+	for _, c := range mset.consumers {
+		cons = c
+		break
+	}
+	mset.mu.RUnlock()
+	cons.mu.RLock()
+	st := cons.store.Type()
+	cons.mu.RUnlock()
+	if st != MemoryStorage {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected storage %v, got %v", MemoryStorage, st)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestMQTTConsumerReplicasExceedsParentStream(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/server/opts.go b/server/opts.go
index f82d6880..3a32d5ea 100644
--- a/server/opts.go
+++ b/server/opts.go
@@ -427,6 +427,10 @@ type MQTTOpts struct {
 	// Note that existing consumers are not modified.
 	ConsumerReplicas int
 
+	// Indicate if the consumers should be created with memory storage.
+	// Note that existing consumers are not modified.
+	ConsumerMemoryStorage bool
+
 	// Timeout for the authentication process.
 	AuthTimeout float64
 
@@ -4185,6 +4189,8 @@ func parseMQTT(v interface{}, o *Options, errors *[]error, warnings *[]error) er
 			o.MQTT.StreamReplicas = int(mv.(int64))
 		case "consumer_replicas":
 			o.MQTT.ConsumerReplicas = int(mv.(int64))
+		case "consumer_memory_storage":
+			o.MQTT.ConsumerMemoryStorage = mv.(bool)
 		default:
 			if !tk.IsUsedVariable() {
 				err := &unknownConfigFieldErr{
diff --git a/server/reload.go b/server/reload.go
index 4f0008ec..bce1e3f7 100644
--- a/server/reload.go
+++ b/server/reload.go
@@ -666,6 +666,15 @@ func (o *mqttConsumerReplicasReload) Apply(s *Server) {
 	s.Noticef("Reloaded: MQTT consumer_replicas = %v", o.newValue)
 }
 
+type mqttConsumerMemoryStorageReload struct {
+	noopOption
+	newValue bool
+}
+
+func (o *mqttConsumerMemoryStorageReload) Apply(s *Server) {
+	s.Noticef("Reloaded: MQTT consumer_memory_storage = %v", o.newValue)
+}
+
 // Compares options and disconnects clients that are no longer listed in pinned certs. Lock must not be held.
 func (s *Server) recheckPinnedCerts(curOpts *Options, newOpts *Options) {
 	s.mu.Lock()
@@ -1198,12 +1207,13 @@ func (s *Server) diffOptions(newOpts *Options) ([]option, error) {
 			diffOpts = append(diffOpts, &mqttMaxAckPendingReload{newValue: newValue.(MQTTOpts).MaxAckPending})
 			diffOpts = append(diffOpts, &mqttStreamReplicasReload{newValue: newValue.(MQTTOpts).StreamReplicas})
 			diffOpts = append(diffOpts, &mqttConsumerReplicasReload{newValue: newValue.(MQTTOpts).ConsumerReplicas})
+			diffOpts = append(diffOpts, &mqttConsumerMemoryStorageReload{newValue: newValue.(MQTTOpts).ConsumerMemoryStorage})
 			// Nil out/set to 0 the options that we allow to be reloaded so that
 			// we only fail reload if some that we don't support are changed.
 			tmpOld := oldValue.(MQTTOpts)
 			tmpNew := newValue.(MQTTOpts)
-			tmpOld.TLSConfig, tmpOld.AckWait, tmpOld.MaxAckPending, tmpOld.StreamReplicas, tmpOld.ConsumerReplicas = nil, 0, 0, 0, 0
-			tmpNew.TLSConfig, tmpNew.AckWait, tmpNew.MaxAckPending, tmpNew.StreamReplicas, tmpNew.ConsumerReplicas = nil, 0, 0, 0, 0
+			tmpOld.TLSConfig, tmpOld.AckWait, tmpOld.MaxAckPending, tmpOld.StreamReplicas, tmpOld.ConsumerReplicas, tmpOld.ConsumerMemoryStorage = nil, 0, 0, 0, 0, false
+			tmpNew.TLSConfig, tmpNew.AckWait, tmpNew.MaxAckPending, tmpNew.StreamReplicas, tmpNew.ConsumerReplicas, tmpNew.ConsumerMemoryStorage = nil, 0, 0, 0, 0, false
 			if !reflect.DeepEqual(tmpOld, tmpNew) {
 				// See TODO(ik) note below about printing old/new values.
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("config reload not supported for %s: old=%v, new=%v",
@@ -1213,6 +1223,7 @@ func (s *Server) diffOptions(newOpts *Options) ([]option, error) {
 			tmpNew.MaxAckPending = newValue.(MQTTOpts).MaxAckPending
 			tmpNew.StreamReplicas = newValue.(MQTTOpts).StreamReplicas
 			tmpNew.ConsumerReplicas = newValue.(MQTTOpts).ConsumerReplicas
+			tmpNew.ConsumerMemoryStorage = newValue.(MQTTOpts).ConsumerMemoryStorage
 		case "connecterrorreports":
 			diffOpts = append(diffOpts, &connectErrorReports{newValue: newValue.(int)})
 		case "reconnecterrorreports":