diff --git a/youtube_dl/__init__.py b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
index f5f064241..2dfa40082 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/__init__.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ def _real_main(argv=None):
         'external_downloader_args': external_downloader_args,
         'postprocessor_args': postprocessor_args,
         'cn_verification_proxy': opts.cn_verification_proxy,
+        'skip_protocols': opts.skip_protocols,
     }
 
     with YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
diff --git a/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py b/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py
index 199a04d1c..2305adcd9 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py
@@ -939,6 +939,8 @@ class InfoExtractor(object):
     def _extract_f4m_formats(self, manifest_url, video_id, preference=None, f4m_id=None,
                              transform_source=lambda s: fix_xml_ampersands(s).strip(),
                              fatal=True):
+        if 'f4m' in self._downloader.params.get('skip_protocols'):
+            return []
         manifest = self._download_xml(
             manifest_url, video_id, 'Downloading f4m manifest',
             'Unable to download f4m manifest',
@@ -995,6 +997,8 @@ class InfoExtractor(object):
                               entry_protocol='m3u8', preference=None,
                               m3u8_id=None, note=None, errnote=None,
                               fatal=True):
+        if 'm3u8' in self._downloader.params.get('skip_protocols'):
+            return []
 
         formats = [{
             'format_id': '-'.join(filter(None, [m3u8_id, 'meta'])),
@@ -1105,6 +1109,8 @@ class InfoExtractor(object):
         return '/'.join(out)
 
     def _extract_smil_formats(self, smil_url, video_id, fatal=True, f4m_params=None):
+        if 'smil' in self._downloader.params.get('skip_protocols'):
+            return []
         smil = self._download_smil(smil_url, video_id, fatal=fatal)
 
         if smil is False:
@@ -1338,6 +1344,8 @@ class InfoExtractor(object):
             fatal=fatal)
 
     def _extract_dash_manifest_formats(self, dash_manifest_url, video_id, fatal=True, namespace=None, formats_dict={}):
+        if 'dash' in self._downloader.params.get('skip_protocols'):
+            return []
         dash_doc = self._download_dash_manifest(dash_manifest_url, video_id, fatal)
         if dash_doc is False:
             return []
diff --git a/youtube_dl/options.py b/youtube_dl/options.py
index 2137dfb3f..b953a55c4 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/options.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/options.py
@@ -354,6 +354,11 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
             'If a merge is required (e.g. bestvideo+bestaudio), '
             'output to given container format. One of mkv, mp4, ogg, webm, flv. '
             'Ignored if no merge is required'))
+    video_format.add_option(
+        '--skip-protocols',
+        action='callback', dest='skip_protocols', type='str',
+        default=[], callback=_comma_separated_values_options_callback,
+        help='Protocols to exclude from the format extraction separated by commas (Possible values: m3u8, f4m, dash and smil)')
 
     subtitles = optparse.OptionGroup(parser, 'Subtitle Options')
     subtitles.add_option(