diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d58a7ee..86792ae 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 1.1.8 / 2023-08-12
+
+## What's Changed
+- Make sure to serve axon first by @camfairchild in 14921d35c
+
+
+**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/opentensor/validators/compare/v1.1.7...v1.1.8
+
+
 ## 1.1.7 / 2023-08-11
 ### What’s Changed
 - Hotfix cutoff limit by @Eugene-hu  in #126
diff --git a/openvalidators/__init__.py b/openvalidators/__init__.py
index 10d715d..87cf974 100644
--- a/openvalidators/__init__.py
+++ b/openvalidators/__init__.py
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@
 from . import weights
 from . import event
 
-__version__ = "1.1.7"
+__version__ = "1.1.8"
 version_split = __version__.split(".")
 __spec_version__ = (1000 * int(version_split[0])) + (10 * int(version_split[1])) + (1 * int(version_split[2]))
diff --git a/openvalidators/config.py b/openvalidators/config.py
index d773032..4c00c21 100644
--- a/openvalidators/config.py
+++ b/openvalidators/config.py
@@ -166,6 +166,16 @@ def add_args(cls, parser):
         default=4096,
     )
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--neuron.axon_off",
+        "--axon_off",
+        action="store_true",
+        # Note: the validator needs to serve an Axon with their IP or they may
+        #   be blacklisted by the firewall of serving peers on the network.
+        help="Set this flag to not attempt to serve an Axon.",
+        default=False,
+    )
+
     parser.add_argument("--wandb.off", action="store_true", help="Turn off wandb.", default=False)
     parser.add_argument(
         "--wandb.project_name",
diff --git a/openvalidators/neuron.py b/openvalidators/neuron.py
index a52da3c..bbbfd7e 100644
--- a/openvalidators/neuron.py
+++ b/openvalidators/neuron.py
@@ -127,12 +127,31 @@ def __init__(self):
             self.gating_model = GatingModel(metagraph=self.metagraph, config=self.config).to(self.device)
         bt.logging.debug(str(self.gating_model))
 
-        bt.logging.debug('serving ip to chain...')
-        axon = bt.axon( 
-            wallet=self.wallet, metagraph=self.metagraph, config=self.config 
-         )
+        if not self.config.neuron.axon_off:
+            bt.logging.debug('serving ip to chain...')
+            try:
+                axon = bt.axon( 
+                    wallet=self.wallet, metagraph=self.metagraph, config=self.config 
+                )
+
+                try:
+                    self.subtensor.serve_axon(
+                        netuid=self.config.netuid,
+                        axon=axon,
+                        use_upnpc=False,
+                        wait_for_finalization=True,
+                    )
+                except Exception as e:
+                    bt.logging.error(f'Failed to serve Axon with exception: {e}')
+                    pass
+
+                del axon
+            except Exception as e:
+                bt.logging.error(f'Failed to create Axon initialize with exception: {e}')
+                pass
 
-        del axon
+        else:
+            bt.logging.debug('axon off, not serving ip to chain.')
 
         # Dendrite pool for querying the network during  training.
         bt.logging.debug("loading", "dendrite_pool")