diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheck.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheck.java
index 436c45e..f868c42 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheck.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheck.java
@@ -501,6 +501,7 @@
       }
 
       AtomicBoolean hasRevelantCodeOwnerDefinitions = new AtomicBoolean(false);
+      AtomicBoolean parentCodeOwnersAreIgnored = new AtomicBoolean(false);
       codeOwnerConfigHierarchy.visit(
           branch,
           revision,
@@ -536,13 +537,20 @@
             // We need to continue to check if any of the higher-level code owners approved the
             // change or is a reviewer.
             return true;
+          },
+          codeOwnerConfigKey -> {
+            logger.atFine().log(
+                "code owner config %s ignores parent code owners for %s",
+                codeOwnerConfigKey, absolutePath);
+            parentCodeOwnersAreIgnored.set(true);
           });
 
-      // If no code owners have been defined for the file, the fallback code owners apply if they
-      // are configured. We can skip checking them if we already found that the file was
-      // approved.
+      // If no code owners have been defined for the file and if parent code owners are not ignored,
+      // the fallback code owners apply if they are configured. We can skip checking them if we
+      // already found that the file was approved.
       if (codeOwnerStatus.get() != CodeOwnerStatus.APPROVED
-          && !hasRevelantCodeOwnerDefinitions.get()) {
+          && !hasRevelantCodeOwnerDefinitions.get()
+          && !parentCodeOwnersAreIgnored.get()) {
         codeOwnerStatus.set(
             getCodeOwnerStatusForFallbackCodeOwners(
                 codeOwnerStatus.get(),
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerConfigHierarchy.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerConfigHierarchy.java
index e3bbb85..f443c50 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerConfigHierarchy.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerConfigHierarchy.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.function.Consumer;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
@@ -74,10 +75,38 @@
       ObjectId revision,
       Path absolutePath,
       CodeOwnerConfigVisitor codeOwnerConfigVisitor) {
+    visit(
+        branchNameKey,
+        revision,
+        absolutePath,
+        codeOwnerConfigVisitor,
+        /* parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback= */ codeOwnerConfigKey -> {});
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Visits the code owner configs in the given branch that apply for the given path by following
+   * the path hierarchy from the given path up to the root folder.
+   *
+   * @param branchNameKey project and branch from which the code owner configs should be visited
+   * @param revision the branch revision from which the code owner configs should be loaded
+   * @param absolutePath the path for which the code owner configs should be visited; the path must
+   *     be absolute; can be the path of a file or folder; the path may or may not exist
+   * @param codeOwnerConfigVisitor visitor that should be invoked for the applying code owner
+   *     configs
+   * @param parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback callback that is invoked for the first visited code
+   *     owner config that ignores parent code owners
+   */
+  public void visit(
+      BranchNameKey branchNameKey,
+      ObjectId revision,
+      Path absolutePath,
+      CodeOwnerConfigVisitor codeOwnerConfigVisitor,
+      Consumer<CodeOwnerConfig.Key> parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback) {
     requireNonNull(branchNameKey, "branch");
     requireNonNull(revision, "revision");
     requireNonNull(absolutePath, "absolutePath");
     requireNonNull(codeOwnerConfigVisitor, "codeOwnerConfigVisitor");
+    requireNonNull(parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback, "parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback");
     checkState(absolutePath.isAbsolute(), "path %s must be absolute", absolutePath);
 
     logger.atFine().log(
@@ -93,14 +122,18 @@
       // Read code owner config and invoke the codeOwnerConfigVisitor if the code owner config
       // exists.
       logger.atFine().log("inspecting code owner config for %s", ownerConfigFolder);
+      CodeOwnerConfig.Key codeOwnerConfigKey =
+          CodeOwnerConfig.Key.create(branchNameKey, ownerConfigFolder);
       Optional<PathCodeOwners> pathCodeOwners =
-          pathCodeOwnersFactory.create(
-              CodeOwnerConfig.Key.create(branchNameKey, ownerConfigFolder), revision, absolutePath);
+          pathCodeOwnersFactory.create(codeOwnerConfigKey, revision, absolutePath);
       if (pathCodeOwners.isPresent()) {
         logger.atFine().log("visit code owner config for %s", ownerConfigFolder);
         boolean visitFurtherCodeOwnerConfigs =
             codeOwnerConfigVisitor.visit(pathCodeOwners.get().getCodeOwnerConfig());
         boolean ignoreParentCodeOwners = pathCodeOwners.get().ignoreParentCodeOwners();
+        if (ignoreParentCodeOwners) {
+          parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback.accept(codeOwnerConfigKey);
+        }
         logger.atFine().log(
             "visitFurtherCodeOwnerConfigs = %s, ignoreParentCodeOwners = %s",
             visitFurtherCodeOwnerConfigs, ignoreParentCodeOwners);
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheckWithAllUsersAsFallbackCodeOwnersTest.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheckWithAllUsersAsFallbackCodeOwnersTest.java
index d05245c..4e2e342 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheckWithAllUsersAsFallbackCodeOwnersTest.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerApprovalCheckWithAllUsersAsFallbackCodeOwnersTest.java
@@ -395,6 +395,90 @@
         .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.APPROVED);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void notApprovedByFallbackCodeOwnerIfParentCodeOwnersIgnored() throws Exception {
+    codeOwnerConfigOperations
+        .newCodeOwnerConfig()
+        .project(project)
+        .branch("master")
+        .folderPath("/foo/")
+        .ignoreParentCodeOwners()
+        .create();
+
+    Path path = Paths.get("/foo/bar.baz");
+    String changeId =
+        createChange("Change Adding A File", JgitPath.of(path).get(), "file content").getChangeId();
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved yet.
+    Stream<FileCodeOwnerStatus> fileCodeOwnerStatuses =
+        codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    FileCodeOwnerStatusSubject fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject =
+        assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+
+    // Add a fallback code owner as reviewer.
+    gApi.changes().id(changeId).addReviewer(user.email());
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved (fallback code owner doesn't apply since a code owner is
+    // defined).
+    fileCodeOwnerStatuses = codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject = assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+
+    // Add a Code-Review+1 (= code owner approval) from a fallback code owner.
+    requestScopeOperations.setApiUser(user.id());
+    recommend(changeId);
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved (fallback code owner doesn't apply since a code owner is
+    // defined).
+    fileCodeOwnerStatuses = codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject = assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.enableImplicitApprovals", value = "true")
+  public void notImplicitlyApprovedByFallbackCodeOwnerIfParentCodeOwnersIgnored() throws Exception {
+    codeOwnerConfigOperations
+        .newCodeOwnerConfig()
+        .project(project)
+        .branch("master")
+        .folderPath("/foo/")
+        .ignoreParentCodeOwners()
+        .create();
+
+    Path path = Paths.get("/foo/bar.baz");
+    String changeId =
+        createChange("Change Adding A File", JgitPath.of(path).get(), "file content").getChangeId();
+
+    // Verify that the file is not approved yet.
+    Stream<FileCodeOwnerStatus> fileCodeOwnerStatuses =
+        codeOwnerApprovalCheck.getFileStatuses(getChangeNotes(changeId));
+    FileCodeOwnerStatusSubject fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject =
+        assertThatStream(fileCodeOwnerStatuses).onlyElement();
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject.hasNewPathStatus().value().hasPathThat().isEqualTo(path);
+    fileCodeOwnerStatusSubject
+        .hasNewPathStatus()
+        .value()
+        .hasStatusThat()
+        .isEqualTo(CodeOwnerStatus.INSUFFICIENT_REVIEWERS);
+  }
+
   private ChangeNotes getChangeNotes(String changeId) throws Exception {
     return changeNotesFactory.create(project, Change.id(gApi.changes().id(changeId).get()._number));
   }
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerConfigHierarchyTest.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerConfigHierarchyTest.java
index 2b30264..af08aa3 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerConfigHierarchyTest.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/backend/CodeOwnerConfigHierarchyTest.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.nio.file.Paths;
+import java.util.function.Consumer;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@
   @Rule public final MockitoRule mockito = MockitoJUnit.rule().strictness(Strictness.STRICT_STUBS);
 
   @Mock private CodeOwnerConfigVisitor visitor;
+  @Mock private Consumer<CodeOwnerConfig.Key> parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback;
 
   @Inject private ProjectOperations projectOperations;
 
@@ -145,6 +147,22 @@
   }
 
   @Test
+  public void cannotVisitCodeOwnerConfigsWithNullCallback() throws Exception {
+    BranchNameKey branchNameKey = BranchNameKey.create(project, "master");
+    NullPointerException npe =
+        assertThrows(
+            NullPointerException.class,
+            () ->
+                codeOwnerConfigHierarchy.visit(
+                    branchNameKey,
+                    getCurrentRevision(branchNameKey),
+                    Paths.get("/foo/bar/baz.md"),
+                    visitor,
+                    /* parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback= */ null));
+    assertThat(npe).hasMessageThat().isEqualTo("parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback");
+  }
+
+  @Test
   public void visitorNotInvokedIfNoCodeOwnerConfigExists() throws Exception {
     visit("master", "/foo/bar/baz.md");
     verifyZeroInteractions(visitor);
@@ -414,6 +432,9 @@
         .verify(visitor)
         .visit(codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(fooBarCodeOwnerConfigKey).get());
     verifyNoMoreInteractions(visitor);
+
+    verify(parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback).accept(fooBarCodeOwnerConfigKey);
+    verifyNoMoreInteractions(parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -477,6 +498,9 @@
         .verify(visitor)
         .visit(codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(fooBarCodeOwnerConfigKey).get());
     verifyNoMoreInteractions(visitor);
+
+    verify(parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback).accept(fooBarCodeOwnerConfigKey);
+    verifyNoMoreInteractions(parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -533,6 +557,8 @@
         .verify(visitor)
         .visit(codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(rootCodeOwnerConfigKey).get());
     verifyNoMoreInteractions(visitor);
+
+    verifyZeroInteractions(parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -657,6 +683,9 @@
     visit("master", "/foo/bar/baz.md");
     verify(visitor).visit(codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(rootCodeOwnerConfigKey).get());
     verifyNoMoreInteractions(visitor);
+
+    verify(parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback).accept(rootCodeOwnerConfigKey);
+    verifyNoMoreInteractions(parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -711,7 +740,11 @@
       throws InvalidPluginConfigurationException, IOException {
     BranchNameKey branchNameKey = BranchNameKey.create(project, branchName);
     codeOwnerConfigHierarchy.visit(
-        branchNameKey, getCurrentRevision(branchNameKey), Paths.get(path), visitor);
+        branchNameKey,
+        getCurrentRevision(branchNameKey),
+        Paths.get(path),
+        visitor,
+        parentCodeOwnersIgnoredCallback);
   }
 
   private ObjectId getCurrentRevision(BranchNameKey branchNameKey) throws IOException {
diff --git a/resources/Documentation/config.md b/resources/Documentation/config.md
index 0d2789f..9fd1aa5 100644
--- a/resources/Documentation/config.md
+++ b/resources/Documentation/config.md
@@ -215,7 +215,9 @@
 
 <a id="pluginCodeOwnersFallbackCodeOwners">plugin.@PLUGIN@.fallbackCodeOwners</a>
 :       Policy that controls who should own paths that have no code owners
-        defined.\
+        defined. This policy only applies if the inheritance of parent code
+        owners hasn't been explicity disabled in a relevant code owner config
+        file.\
         \
         Can be `NONE` or `ALL_USERS`.\
         \
@@ -434,7 +436,9 @@
 
 <a id="codeOwnersFallbackCodeOwners">codeOwners.fallbackCodeOwners</a>
 :       Policy that controls who should own paths that have no code owners
-        defined.\
+        defined. This policy only applies if the inheritance of parent code
+        owners hasn't been explicity disabled in a relevant code owner config
+        file.\
         Can be `NONE` or `ALL_USERS` (see
         [plugin.@PLUGIN@.fallbackCodeOwners](#pluginCodeOwnersFallbackCodeOwners)
         for an explanation of these values).\