diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataBuilder.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataBuilder.java
index a70eeba2..6183c401 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataBuilder.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import org.qortal.repository.DataException;
 import org.qortal.repository.Repository;
 import org.qortal.repository.RepositoryManager;
 import org.qortal.arbitrary.ArbitraryDataFile.ResourceIdType;
+import org.qortal.settings.Settings;
 import org.qortal.utils.Base58;
 import org.qortal.utils.NTP;
 
@@ -153,13 +154,23 @@ public class ArbitraryDataBuilder {
         }
 
         Path pathBefore = this.paths.get(0);
+        boolean validateAllLayers = Settings.getInstance().shouldValidateAllDataLayers();
 
         // Loop from the second path onwards
         for (int i=1; i<paths.size(); i++) {
             LOGGER.info(String.format("[%s][%s] Applying layer %d...", this.service, this.name, i));
+
+            // Create an instance of ArbitraryDataCombiner
             Path pathAfter = this.paths.get(i);
             byte[] signatureBefore = this.transactions.get(i-1).getSignature();
             ArbitraryDataCombiner combiner = new ArbitraryDataCombiner(pathBefore, pathAfter, signatureBefore);
+
+            // We only want to validate this layer's hash if it's the final layer, or if the settings
+            // indicate that we should validate interim layers too
+            boolean isFinalLayer = (i == paths.size() - 1);
+            combiner.setShouldValidateHashes(isFinalLayer || validateAllLayers);
+
+            // Now combine this layer with the last, and set the output path to the "before" path for the next cycle
             combiner.combine();
             combiner.cleanup();
             pathBefore = combiner.getFinalPath();
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataCombiner.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataCombiner.java
index 3a34fbe2..d9cd878b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataCombiner.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataCombiner.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ public class ArbitraryDataCombiner {
     private Path pathBefore;
     private Path pathAfter;
     private byte[] signatureBefore;
+    private boolean shouldValidateHashes;
     private Path finalPath;
     private ArbitraryDataMetadataPatch metadata;
 
@@ -112,6 +113,10 @@ public class ArbitraryDataCombiner {
     }
 
     private void validatePreviousHash() throws IOException {
+        if (!this.shouldValidateHashes) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         byte[] previousHash = this.metadata.getPreviousHash();
         if (previousHash == null) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Unable to extract previous hash from patch metadata");
@@ -134,6 +139,10 @@ public class ArbitraryDataCombiner {
     }
 
     private void validateCurrentHash() throws IOException {
+        if (!this.shouldValidateHashes) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         byte[] currentHash = this.metadata.getCurrentHash();
         if (currentHash == null) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Unable to extract current hash from patch metadata");
@@ -147,6 +156,10 @@ public class ArbitraryDataCombiner {
             throw new InvalidObjectException(String.format("Current state hash mismatch. " +
                     "Patch curHash: %s, actual: %s", currentHash58, digest.getHash58()));
         }
+	}
+
+    public void setShouldValidateHashes(boolean shouldValidateHashes) {
+        this.shouldValidateHashes = shouldValidateHashes;
     }
 
     public Path getFinalPath() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/settings/Settings.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/settings/Settings.java
index fa186078..3f083e95 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/settings/Settings.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/settings/Settings.java
@@ -263,6 +263,9 @@ public class Settings {
 	/** Data storage path (for temporary data). */
 	private String tempDataPath = "data/_temp";
 
+	/** Whether to validate every layer when building arbitrary data, or just the final layer */
+	private boolean validateAllDataLayers = false;
+
 
 	// Domain mapping
 	public static class DomainMap {
@@ -761,4 +764,8 @@ public class Settings {
 	public String getTempDataPath() {
 		return this.tempDataPath;
 	}
+
+	public boolean shouldValidateAllDataLayers() {
+		return this.validateAllDataLayers;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/qortal/test/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataMergeTests.java b/src/test/java/org/qortal/test/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataMergeTests.java
index 5a62c88e..5bfe298d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/qortal/test/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataMergeTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/qortal/test/arbitrary/ArbitraryDataMergeTests.java
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ public class ArbitraryDataMergeTests extends Common {
 
         // Now merge the patch with the original path
         ArbitraryDataCombiner combiner = new ArbitraryDataCombiner(path1, patchPath, signature);
+        combiner.setShouldValidateHashes(true);
         combiner.combine();
         Path finalPath = combiner.getFinalPath();
 
@@ -214,6 +215,7 @@ public class ArbitraryDataMergeTests extends Common {
 
         // Now merge the patch with the original path
         ArbitraryDataCombiner combiner = new ArbitraryDataCombiner(tempDir1, patchPath, signature);
+        combiner.setShouldValidateHashes(true);
         combiner.combine();
         Path finalPath = combiner.getFinalPath();
 
@@ -281,6 +283,7 @@ public class ArbitraryDataMergeTests extends Common {
 
         // Now merge the patch with the original path
         ArbitraryDataCombiner combiner = new ArbitraryDataCombiner(tempDir1, patchPath, signature);
+        combiner.setShouldValidateHashes(true);
         combiner.combine();
         Path finalPath = combiner.getFinalPath();
 
@@ -354,6 +357,7 @@ public class ArbitraryDataMergeTests extends Common {
 
         // Now merge the patch with the original path
         ArbitraryDataCombiner combiner = new ArbitraryDataCombiner(tempDir1, patchPath, signature);
+        combiner.setShouldValidateHashes(true);
         combiner.combine();
         Path finalPath = combiner.getFinalPath();
 
@@ -425,6 +429,7 @@ public class ArbitraryDataMergeTests extends Common {
 
         // Now merge the patch with the original path
         ArbitraryDataCombiner combiner = new ArbitraryDataCombiner(tempDir1, patchPath, signature);
+        combiner.setShouldValidateHashes(true);
         combiner.combine();
         Path finalPath = combiner.getFinalPath();