diff --git a/parsl/config.py b/parsl/config.py
index c3725eccf8..2121baedb5 100644
--- a/parsl/config.py
+++ b/parsl/config.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 from typing_extensions import Literal
 
 from parsl.dataflow.dependency_resolvers import DependencyResolver
+from parsl.dataflow.memoization import Memoizer
 from parsl.dataflow.taskrecord import TaskRecord
 from parsl.errors import ConfigurationError
 from parsl.executors.base import ParslExecutor
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ class Config(RepresentationMixin, UsageInformation):
     def __init__(self,
                  executors: Optional[Iterable[ParslExecutor]] = None,
                  app_cache: bool = True,
+                 memoizer: Optional[Memoizer] = None,
                  checkpoint_files: Optional[Sequence[str]] = None,
                  checkpoint_mode: Union[None,
                                         Literal['task_exit'],
@@ -127,6 +129,7 @@ def __init__(self,
         self._executors: Sequence[ParslExecutor] = executors
         self._validate_executors()
 
+        self.memoizer = memoizer
         self.app_cache = app_cache
         self.checkpoint_files = checkpoint_files
         self.checkpoint_mode = checkpoint_mode
diff --git a/parsl/dataflow/dflow.py b/parsl/dataflow/dflow.py
index 3ef0ef589f..1b1d61ff9d 100644
--- a/parsl/dataflow/dflow.py
+++ b/parsl/dataflow/dflow.py
@@ -169,9 +169,16 @@ def __init__(self, config: Config) -> None:
         else:
             checkpoint_files = []
 
-        self.memoizer: Memoizer = BasicMemoizer(self, memoize=config.app_cache, checkpoint_files=checkpoint_files)
-        self.memoizer.run_dir = self.run_dir
+        # self.memoizer: Memoizer = BasicMemoizer(self, memoize=config.app_cache, checkpoint_files=checkpoint_files)
+        # the memoize flag might turn into the user choosing different instances
+        # of the Memoizer interface
+        self.memoizer: Memoizer
+        if config.memoizer is not None:
+            self.memoizer = config.memoizer
+        else:
+            self.memoizer = BasicMemoizer()
 
+        self.memoizer.start(dfk=self, memoize=config.app_cache, checkpoint_files=checkpoint_files, run_dir=self.run_dir)
         self._checkpoint_timer = None
         self.checkpoint_mode = config.checkpoint_mode
 
diff --git a/parsl/dataflow/memoization.py b/parsl/dataflow/memoization.py
index 5324bf8164..865705440a 100644
--- a/parsl/dataflow/memoization.py
+++ b/parsl/dataflow/memoization.py
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ def id_for_memo_function(f: types.FunctionType, output_ref: bool = False) -> byt
 
 
 class Memoizer:
+    def start(self, *, dfk: DataFlowKernel, memoize: bool = True, checkpoint_files: Sequence[str], run_dir: str) -> None:
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
     def update_memo(self, task: TaskRecord, r: Future[Any]) -> None:
         raise NotImplementedError
 
@@ -164,7 +167,10 @@ class BasicMemoizer(Memoizer):
 
     run_dir: str
 
-    def __init__(self, dfk: DataFlowKernel, *, memoize: bool = True, checkpoint_files: Sequence[str]):
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        pass
+
+    def start(self, *, dfk: DataFlowKernel, memoize: bool = True, checkpoint_files: Sequence[str], run_dir: str) -> None:
         """Initialize the memoizer.
 
         Args:
@@ -176,6 +182,7 @@ def __init__(self, dfk: DataFlowKernel, *, memoize: bool = True, checkpoint_file
         """
         self.dfk = dfk
         self.memoize = memoize
+        self.run_dir = run_dir
 
         self.checkpointed_tasks = 0
 
diff --git a/parsl/tests/test_python_apps/test_memoize_plugin.py b/parsl/tests/test_python_apps/test_memoize_plugin.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..724facf165
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parsl/tests/test_python_apps/test_memoize_plugin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import argparse
+
+import pytest
+
+import parsl
+from parsl.app.app import python_app
+from parsl.config import Config
+from parsl.dataflow.memoization import BasicMemoizer
+from parsl.dataflow.taskrecord import TaskRecord
+
+
+class DontReuseSevenMemoizer(BasicMemoizer):
+    def check_memo(self, task_record: TaskRecord):
+        if task_record['args'][0] == 7:
+            return None  # we didn't find a suitable memo record...
+        else:
+            return super().check_memo(task_record)
+
+
+def local_config():
+    return Config(memoizer=DontReuseSevenMemoizer())
+
+
+@python_app(cache=True)
+def random_uuid(x, cache=True):
+    import uuid
+    return str(uuid.uuid4())
+
+
+@pytest.mark.local
+def test_python_memoization(n=10):
+    """Testing python memoization disable
+    """
+
+    # TODO: this .result() needs to be here, not in the loop
+    # because otherwise we race to complete... and then
+    # we might sometimes get a memoization before the loop
+    # and sometimes not...
+    x = random_uuid(0).result()
+
+    for i in range(0, n):
+        foo = random_uuid(0)
+        print(i)
+        print(foo.result())
+        assert foo.result() == x, "Memoized results were incorrectly not used"
+
+    y = random_uuid(7).result()
+
+    for i in range(0, n):
+        foo = random_uuid(7)
+        print(i)
+        print(foo.result())
+        assert foo.result() != y, "Memoized results were incorrectly used"