diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5c5c736..9a7207a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ node_modules
 .idea
 .vscode
 .history
-
+coverage/lcov-report/
 
 dist/
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 585463c..304d019 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@lottiefiles/lottie-player",
-  "version": "1.6.0",
+  "version": "1.6.1",
   "description": "Lottie animation and Telegram Sticker player web components.",
   "main": "dist/lottie-player.js",
   "module": "dist/lottie-player.esm.js",
diff --git a/src/lottie-player.ts b/src/lottie-player.ts
index 1fa426e..e8025f1 100644
--- a/src/lottie-player.ts
+++ b/src/lottie-player.ts
@@ -140,6 +140,12 @@ export class LottiePlayer extends LitElement {
   @property({ type: Number })
   public direction: number = 1;
 
+  /**
+   * Disable checking if the Lottie is valid before loading
+   */
+  @property({ type: Boolean })
+  public disableCheck?: boolean = false;
+
   /**
    * Whether to play on mouse hover
    */
@@ -262,17 +268,19 @@ export class LottiePlayer extends LitElement {
       // Attach the event listeners before we check the requested json file for errors
       this._attachEventListeners();
 
-      // Fetch resource if src is a remote URL
-      if (srcAttrib === "path") {
-        jsonData = await fromURL(srcParsed as string);
-        srcAttrib = "animationData";
-      } else {
-        jsonData = srcParsed;
-      }
+      if (!this.disableCheck) {
+        // Fetch resource if src is a remote URL
+        if (srcAttrib === "path") {
+          jsonData = await fromURL(srcParsed as string);
+          srcAttrib = "animationData";
+        } else {
+          jsonData = srcParsed;
+        }
 
-      if (!isLottie(jsonData)) {
-        this.currentState = PlayerState.Error;
-        this.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(PlayerEvents.Error));
+        if (!isLottie(jsonData)) {
+          this.currentState = PlayerState.Error;
+          this.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(PlayerEvents.Error));
+        }
       }
     } catch (err) {
       this.currentState = PlayerState.Error;