diff --git a/localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw b/localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw
index aa0f5bf72c..4d1201ed42 100644
--- a/localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw
+++ b/localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw
@@ -1981,6 +1981,20 @@ You can also access more VS Code Remote options through the command palette with
   <data name="Settings_VMIdleTimeout.Description" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>The number of milliseconds that a VM is idle, before it is shut down.</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="Settings_KeepVMAlive.Header" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Keep WSL VM alive</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Settings_KeepVMAlive.Description" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Keep the WSL virtual machine running instead of shutting it down after it has been idle. When enabled, the VM only stops on "wsl --shutdown" or when the service is stopped.</value>
+    <comment>{Locked="wsl --shutdown"} is a command that must not be translated.</comment>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Settings_KeepVMAliveToggleSwitch.AutomationProperties.Name" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Keep WSL VM alive.</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="Settings_KeepVMAliveToggleSwitch.AutomationProperties.HelpText" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Keep the WSL virtual machine running instead of shutting it down after it has been idle. When enabled, the VM only stops on "wsl --shutdown" or when the service is stopped.</value>
+    <comment>{Locked="wsl --shutdown"} is a command that must not be translated.</comment>
+  </data>
   <data name="Settings_VMIdleTimeoutResetButton.Content" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Reset timeout</value>
   </data>
diff --git a/src/windows/wslsettings/ViewModels/Settings/OptionalFeaturesViewModel.cs b/src/windows/wslsettings/ViewModels/Settings/OptionalFeaturesViewModel.cs
index 549f328b75..3c71163834 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslsettings/ViewModels/Settings/OptionalFeaturesViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/windows/wslsettings/ViewModels/Settings/OptionalFeaturesViewModel.cs
@@ -72,6 +72,23 @@ public bool IsOnSparseVHD
         set { Set(ref _sparseVHD!, value); }
     }
 
+    public bool IsOnKeepVMAlive
+    {
+        get { return _vMIdleTimeout!.Int32Value < 0; }
+        set
+        {
+            Set(ref _vMIdleTimeout!, value ? -1 : _defaultVMIdleTimeout, nameof(IsOnKeepVMAlive));
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(VMIdleTimeout));
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(VMIdleTimeoutEnabled));
+            VMIdleTimeout_ResetEnabled = !Equals(_defaultVMIdleTimeout, _vMIdleTimeout!.Int32Value);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public bool VMIdleTimeoutEnabled
+    {
+        get { return _vMIdleTimeout!.Int32Value >= 0; }
+    }
+
     public string VMIdleTimeout
     {
         get
@@ -85,6 +102,8 @@ public string VMIdleTimeout
                 if (Int32.TryParse(value, out int parsedValue))
                 {
                     Set(ref _vMIdleTimeout!, parsedValue);
+                    OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsOnKeepVMAlive));
+                    OnPropertyChanged(nameof(VMIdleTimeoutEnabled));
                 }
                 else
                 {
diff --git a/src/windows/wslsettings/Views/Settings/OptionalFeaturesPage.xaml b/src/windows/wslsettings/Views/Settings/OptionalFeaturesPage.xaml
index 26c46e2642..9db5b97c25 100644
--- a/src/windows/wslsettings/Views/Settings/OptionalFeaturesPage.xaml
+++ b/src/windows/wslsettings/Views/Settings/OptionalFeaturesPage.xaml
@@ -41,7 +41,10 @@
                 <ctControls:SettingsCard x:Uid="Settings_SparseVHD">
                     <ToggleSwitch x:Uid="Settings_SparseVHDToggleSwitch" HorizontalAlignment="Right" MinWidth="0" IsOn="{x:Bind ViewModel.IsOnSparseVHD, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
                 </ctControls:SettingsCard>
-                <ctControls:SettingsExpander x:Name="VMIdleTimeoutExpander" x:Uid="Settings_VMIdleTimeout">
+                <ctControls:SettingsCard x:Uid="Settings_KeepVMAlive">
+                    <ToggleSwitch x:Uid="Settings_KeepVMAliveToggleSwitch" HorizontalAlignment="Right" MinWidth="0" IsOn="{x:Bind ViewModel.IsOnKeepVMAlive, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
+                </ctControls:SettingsCard>
+                <ctControls:SettingsExpander x:Name="VMIdleTimeoutExpander" x:Uid="Settings_VMIdleTimeout" IsEnabled="{x:Bind ViewModel.VMIdleTimeoutEnabled, Mode=OneWay}">
                     <TextBlock Style="{StaticResource TextBlockSettingStyle}" Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.VMIdleTimeout, Mode=OneWay, Converter={StaticResource MillisecondsStringConverter}}"/>
                     <ctControls:SettingsExpander.Items>
                         <ctControls:SettingsCard HorizontalContentAlignment="Left" ContentAlignment="Left" Margin="{StaticResource SettingsExpanderItemMargin}">