diff --git a/docs/jobs-queue/queues.mdx b/docs/jobs-queue/queues.mdx
index 4e002b8bd..a60b4d37d 100644
--- a/docs/jobs-queue/queues.mdx
+++ b/docs/jobs-queue/queues.mdx
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ As mentioned above, you can queue jobs, but the jobs won't run unless a worker p
 
 #### Cron jobs
 
-You can use the jobs.autoRun property to configure cron jobs:
+You can use the `jobs.autoRun` property to configure cron jobs:
 
 ```ts
 export default buildConfig({
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ export default buildConfig({
       },
       // add as many cron jobs as you want
     ],
+    shouldAutoRun: async (payload) => {
+      // Tell Payload if it should run jobs or not.
+      // This function will be invoked each time Payload goes to pick up and run jobs.
+      // If this function ever returns false, the cron schedule will be stopped.
+      return true
+    }
   },
 })
 ```
diff --git a/packages/payload-cloud/src/plugin.ts b/packages/payload-cloud/src/plugin.ts
index 21bf05571..7cf221746 100644
--- a/packages/payload-cloud/src/plugin.ts
+++ b/packages/payload-cloud/src/plugin.ts
@@ -105,8 +105,9 @@ export const payloadCloudPlugin =
     const DEFAULT_CRON_JOB = {
       cron: DEFAULT_CRON,
       limit: DEFAULT_LIMIT,
-      queue: 'default (every minute)',
+      queue: 'default',
     }
+
     config.globals = [
       ...(config.globals || []),
       {
@@ -130,9 +131,33 @@ export const payloadCloudPlugin =
 
     const oldAutoRunCopy = config.jobs.autoRun ?? []
 
+    const hasExistingAutorun = Boolean(config.jobs.autoRun)
+
+    const newShouldAutoRun = async (payload: Payload) => {
+      if (process.env.PAYLOAD_CLOUD_JOBS_INSTANCE) {
+        const retrievedGlobal = await payload.findGlobal({
+          slug: 'payload-cloud-instance',
+        })
+
+        if (retrievedGlobal.instance === process.env.PAYLOAD_CLOUD_JOBS_INSTANCE) {
+          return true
+        } else {
+          process.env.PAYLOAD_CLOUD_JOBS_INSTANCE = ''
+        }
+      }
+
+      return false
+    }
+
+    if (!config.jobs.shouldAutoRun) {
+      config.jobs.shouldAutoRun = newShouldAutoRun
+    }
+
     const newAutoRun = async (payload: Payload) => {
       const instance = generateRandomString()
 
+      process.env.PAYLOAD_CLOUD_JOBS_INSTANCE = instance
+
       await payload.updateGlobal({
         slug: 'payload-cloud-instance',
         data: {
@@ -140,16 +165,7 @@ export const payloadCloudPlugin =
         },
       })
 
-      await waitRandomTime()
-
-      const cloudInstance = await payload.findGlobal({
-        slug: 'payload-cloud-instance',
-      })
-
-      if (cloudInstance.instance !== instance) {
-        return []
-      }
-      if (!config.jobs?.autoRun) {
+      if (!hasExistingAutorun) {
         return [DEFAULT_CRON_JOB]
       }
 
@@ -160,11 +176,3 @@ export const payloadCloudPlugin =
 
     return config
   }
-
-function waitRandomTime(): Promise<void> {
-  const min = 1000 // 1 second in milliseconds
-  const max = 5000 // 5 seconds in milliseconds
-  const randomTime = Math.floor(Math.random() * (max - min + 1)) + min
-
-  return new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, randomTime))
-}
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/index.ts b/packages/payload/src/index.ts
index 366c571b2..bd4879575 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/index.ts
@@ -729,9 +729,20 @@ export class BasePayload {
         typeof this.config.jobs.autoRun === 'function'
           ? await this.config.jobs.autoRun(this)
           : this.config.jobs.autoRun
+
       await Promise.all(
         cronJobs.map((cronConfig) => {
-          new Cron(cronConfig.cron ?? DEFAULT_CRON, async () => {
+          const job = new Cron(cronConfig.cron ?? DEFAULT_CRON, async () => {
+            if (typeof this.config.jobs.shouldAutoRun === 'function') {
+              const shouldAutoRun = await this.config.jobs.shouldAutoRun(this)
+
+              if (!shouldAutoRun) {
+                job.stop()
+
+                return false
+              }
+            }
+
             await this.jobs.run({
               limit: cronConfig.limit ?? DEFAULT_LIMIT,
               queue: cronConfig.queue,
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/queues/config/types/index.ts b/packages/payload/src/queues/config/types/index.ts
index fec620d9a..d3b1836c5 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/queues/config/types/index.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/queues/config/types/index.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,13 @@ export type JobsConfig = {
    * a new collection.
    */
   jobsCollectionOverrides?: (args: { defaultJobsCollection: CollectionConfig }) => CollectionConfig
+  /**
+   * A function that will be executed before Payload picks up jobs which are configured by the `jobs.autorun` function.
+   * If this function returns true, jobs will be queried and picked up. If it returns false, jobs will not be run.
+   * @param payload
+   * @returns boolean
+   */
+  shouldAutoRun?: (payload: Payload) => boolean | Promise<boolean>
   /**
    * Define all possible tasks here
    */