diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/common/chatServiceImpl.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/common/chatServiceImpl.ts
index 6e2741852cf67..f6f352449499e 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/common/chatServiceImpl.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/common/chatServiceImpl.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { Progress } from '../../../../platform/progress/common/progress.js';
 import { IStorageService, StorageScope, StorageTarget } from '../../../../platform/storage/common/storage.js';
 import { ITelemetryService } from '../../../../platform/telemetry/common/telemetry.js';
 import { IWorkspaceContextService } from '../../../../platform/workspace/common/workspace.js';
+import { IWorkbenchAssignmentService } from '../../../services/assignment/common/assignmentService.js';
 import { IExtensionService } from '../../../services/extensions/common/extensions.js';
 import { ChatAgentLocation, IChatAgent, IChatAgentCommand, IChatAgentData, IChatAgentHistoryEntry, IChatAgentRequest, IChatAgentResult, IChatAgentService } from './chatAgents.js';
 import { ChatModel, ChatRequestModel, ChatRequestRemovalReason, IChatModel, IChatRequestModel, IChatRequestVariableData, IChatResponseModel, IExportableChatData, ISerializableChatData, ISerializableChatDataIn, ISerializableChatsData, normalizeSerializableChatData, toChatHistoryContent, updateRanges } from './chatModel.js';
@@ -138,7 +139,8 @@ export class ChatService extends Disposable implements IChatService {
 		@IChatSlashCommandService private readonly chatSlashCommandService: IChatSlashCommandService,
 		@IChatVariablesService private readonly chatVariablesService: IChatVariablesService,
 		@IChatAgentService private readonly chatAgentService: IChatAgentService,
-		@IConfigurationService private readonly configurationService: IConfigurationService
+		@IConfigurationService private readonly configurationService: IConfigurationService,
+		@IWorkbenchAssignmentService private readonly experimentService: IWorkbenchAssignmentService,
 	) {
 		super();
 
@@ -687,6 +689,7 @@ export class ChatService extends Disposable implements IChatService {
 					const agent = (detectedAgent ?? agentPart?.agent ?? defaultAgent)!;
 					const command = detectedCommand ?? agentSlashCommandPart?.command;
 					await this.extensionService.activateByEvent(`onChatParticipant:${agent.id}`);
+					await this.checkAgentAllowed(agent);
 
 					// Recompute history in case the agent or command changed
 					const history = this.getHistoryEntriesFromModel(requests, model.sessionId, location, agent.id);
@@ -811,6 +814,15 @@ export class ChatService extends Disposable implements IChatService {
 		};
 	}
 
+	private async checkAgentAllowed(agent: IChatAgentData): Promise<void> {
+		if (agent.isToolsAgent) {
+			const enabled = await this.experimentService.getTreatment<boolean>('chatAgentEnabled');
+			if (enabled === false) {
+				throw new Error('Agent is currently disabled');
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	private attachmentKindsForTelemetry(variableData: IChatRequestVariableData): string[] {
 		// TODO this shows why attachments still have to be cleaned up somewhat
 		return variableData.variables.map(v => {