diff --git a/amqtt/broker.py b/amqtt/broker.py
index 48cd2e41..91f0b334 100644
--- a/amqtt/broker.py
+++ b/amqtt/broker.py
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ async def _handle_message_delivery(
                 f"[MQTT-3.3.2-2] - {client_session.client_id} invalid TOPIC sent in PUBLISH message, closing connection",
             )
             return False
-        if app_message.topic.startswith("$"):
+        if app_message.topic.startswith("$") and not self.config.get("allow_dollar_topics", False):
             self.logger.warning(
                 f"[MQTT-4.7.2-1] - {client_session.client_id} cannot use a topic with a leading $ character."
             )
@@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@ async def _publish_retained_messages_for_subscription(self, subscription: tuple[
         )
 
     def _matches(self, topic: str, a_filter: str) -> bool:
-        if topic.startswith("$") and (a_filter.startswith(("+", "#"))):
+        if topic.startswith("$") and (a_filter.startswith(("+", "#"))) and not self.config.get("allow_dollar_topics", False):
             self.logger.debug("[MQTT-4.7.2-1] - ignoring broadcasting $ topic to subscriptions starting with + or #")
             return False
 
diff --git a/amqtt/contexts.py b/amqtt/contexts.py
index 4da2fa14..8d5143bc 100644
--- a/amqtt/contexts.py
+++ b/amqtt/contexts.py
@@ -180,6 +180,8 @@ class BrokerConfig(Dictable):
     """*Deprecated field used to config EntryPoint-loaded plugins. See
     [`TopicTabooPlugin`](../plugins/packaged_plugins.md#taboo-topic-plugin) and
     [`TopicACLPlugin`](../plugins/packaged_plugins.md#acl-topic-plugin) for recommended configuration method.*"""
+    allow_dollar_topics: bool | None = False
+    """Controls whether the broker accepts client-sent topics starting with a dollar sign (`$`)."""
     plugins: dict[str, Any] | list[str | dict[str, Any]] | None = field(default_factory=default_broker_plugins)
     """The dictionary has a key of the dotted-module path of a class derived from `BasePlugin`, `BaseAuthPlugin`
      or `BaseTopicPlugin`; the value is a dictionary of configuration options for that plugin. See
diff --git a/tests/test_dollar_topics.py b/tests/test_dollar_topics.py
index 374f548b..0289051e 100644
--- a/tests/test_dollar_topics.py
+++ b/tests/test_dollar_topics.py
@@ -41,6 +41,40 @@ async def test_publish_to_dollar_sign_topics():
     await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
     await b.shutdown()
 
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_publish_to_dollar_sign_topics_if_allowed():
+    """Applications can use a topic with a leading $ character for their own purposes if it is allowed."""
+
+    cfg = {
+        'listeners': {'default': {'type': 'tcp', 'bind': '127.0.0.1'}},
+        'allow_dollar_topics': True,
+        'plugins': {'amqtt.plugins.authentication.AnonymousAuthPlugin': {"allow_anonymous": True}},
+    }
+
+    b = Broker(config=cfg)
+    await b.start()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    c = MQTTClient(config={'auto_reconnect': False})
+    await c.connect()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    await c.subscribe(
+        [('$#', QOS_0),
+         ('#', QOS_0)]
+    )
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    await c.publish('$MY', b'message should not be blocked')
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+
+    msg = await c.deliver_message()
+    assert msg.topic == '$MY'
+    assert msg.data == b'message should not be blocked'
+
+    await c.disconnect()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    await b.shutdown()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_hash_will_not_receive_dollar():
     """A subscription to “#” will not receive any messages published to a topic beginning with a $ [MQTT-4.7.2-1]."""
@@ -73,6 +107,39 @@ async def test_hash_will_not_receive_dollar():
     await b.shutdown()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_hash_will_receive_dollar_if_allowed():
+    """A subscription to “#” will not receive messages published to a topic beginning with a $ if it is allowed."""
+
+    cfg = {
+        'listeners': {'default': {'type': 'tcp', 'bind': '127.0.0.1'}},
+        'allow_dollar_topics': True,
+        'plugins': {
+            'amqtt.plugins.authentication.AnonymousAuthPlugin': {"allow_anonymous": True},
+            'amqtt.plugins.sys.broker.BrokerSysPlugin': {"sys_interval": 2}
+        }
+    }
+
+    b = Broker(config=cfg)
+    await b.start()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    c = MQTTClient(config={'auto_reconnect': False})
+    await c.connect()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    await c.subscribe(
+        [('#', QOS_0)]
+    )
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+
+    msg = await c.deliver_message()
+    assert msg.topic == '$SYS/broker/version'
+    assert b"aMQTT" in msg.data
+
+    await c.disconnect()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    await b.shutdown()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_plus_will_not_receive_dollar():
     """A subscription to “+/monitor/Clients” will not receive any messages published to “$SYS/monitor/Clients [MQTT-4.7.2-1]"""
@@ -108,3 +175,42 @@ async def test_plus_will_not_receive_dollar():
     await c.disconnect()
     await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
     await b.shutdown()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_plus_will_receive_dollar_if_allowed():
+    """A subscription to “+/monitor/Clients” will receive any messages published to “$SYS/monitor/Clients if it is allowed."""
+    # BrokerSysPlugin doesn't use $SYS/monitor/Clients, so this is an equivalent test with $SYS/broker topics
+
+    cfg = {
+        'listeners': {'default': {'type': 'tcp', 'bind': '127.0.0.1'}},
+        'allow_dollar_topics': True,
+        'plugins': {
+            'amqtt.plugins.authentication.AnonymousAuthPlugin': {"allow_anonymous": True},
+            'amqtt.plugins.sys.broker.BrokerSysPlugin': {"sys_interval": 2}
+        }
+    }
+
+    b = Broker(config=cfg)
+    await b.start()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    c = MQTTClient(config={'auto_reconnect': False})
+    await c.connect()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    await c.subscribe(
+        [('+/broker/#', QOS_0),
+         ('+/broker/time', QOS_0),
+         ('+/broker/clients/#', QOS_0),
+         ('+/broker/+/maximum', QOS_0)
+         ]
+    )
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+
+
+    msg = await c.deliver_message()
+    assert msg.topic == '$SYS/broker/version'
+    assert b"aMQTT" in msg.data
+
+    await c.disconnect()
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+    await b.shutdown()