diff --git a/singer_sdk/helpers/capabilities.py b/singer_sdk/helpers/capabilities.py
index 0f5c42918b..b23ae0f00a 100644
--- a/singer_sdk/helpers/capabilities.py
+++ b/singer_sdk/helpers/capabilities.py
@@ -144,6 +144,14 @@
         description="The default target database schema name to use for all streams.",
     ),
 ).to_dict()
+ACTIVATE_VERSION_CONFIG = PropertiesList(
+    Property(
+        "activate_version",
+        BooleanType,
+        title="Process `ACTIVATE_VERSION` messages",
+        description="Whether to process `ACTIVATE_VERSION` messages.",
+    ),
+).to_dict()
 ADD_RECORD_METADATA_CONFIG = PropertiesList(
     Property(
         "add_record_metadata",
diff --git a/singer_sdk/sinks/core.py b/singer_sdk/sinks/core.py
index 5070655d47..7d9d24a3cd 100644
--- a/singer_sdk/sinks/core.py
+++ b/singer_sdk/sinks/core.py
@@ -399,6 +399,15 @@ def include_sdc_metadata_properties(self) -> bool:
         """
         return self.config.get("add_record_metadata", False)
 
+    @property
+    def process_activate_version_messages(self) -> bool:
+        """Check if activate version messages should be processed.
+
+        Returns:
+            True if activate version messages should be processed.
+        """
+        return self.config.get("activate_version", True)
+
     @property
     def datetime_error_treatment(self) -> DatetimeErrorTreatmentEnum:
         """Return a treatment to use for datetime parse errors: ERROR. MAX, or NULL.
diff --git a/singer_sdk/target_base.py b/singer_sdk/target_base.py
index 8907b6201e..b361698ce2 100644
--- a/singer_sdk/target_base.py
+++ b/singer_sdk/target_base.py
@@ -454,6 +454,19 @@ def _process_activate_version_message(self, message_dict: dict) -> None:
 
         for stream_map in self.mapper.stream_maps[stream_name]:
             sink = self.get_sink(stream_map.stream_alias)
+            if not sink.process_activate_version_messages:
+                self.logger.warning(
+                    "Activate version messages are not enabled for '%s'. Ignoring.",
+                    stream_map.stream_alias,
+                )
+                continue
+            if not sink.include_sdc_metadata_properties:
+                self.logger.warning(
+                    "ACTIVATE_VERSION requires _sdc_* metadata properties to be "
+                    "included. Set `add_record_metadata` to `True` if you wanna use "
+                    "this feature."
+                )
+                continue
             sink.activate_version(message_dict["version"])
 
     def _process_batch_message(self, message_dict: dict) -> None: