diff --git a/homeassistant/components/github/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/github/__init__.py
index 53b8cd67871..bc2bab49bdb 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/github/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/github/__init__.py
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ async def async_setup_entry(hass: HomeAssistant, entry: ConfigEntry) -> bool:
         )
 
         await coordinator.async_config_entry_first_refresh()
-        await coordinator.subscribe()
+
+        if not entry.pref_disable_polling:
+            await coordinator.subscribe()
 
         hass.data[DOMAIN][repository] = coordinator
 
diff --git a/tests/components/github/test_init.py b/tests/components/github/test_init.py
index 8abb6ffda92..aba6c98db16 100644
--- a/tests/components/github/test_init.py
+++ b/tests/components/github/test_init.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Test the GitHub init file."""
 from pytest import LogCaptureFixture
 
-from homeassistant.components.github.const import CONF_REPOSITORIES
+from homeassistant.components.github import CONF_REPOSITORIES
 from homeassistant.core import HomeAssistant
 from homeassistant.helpers import device_registry as dr
 
@@ -44,3 +44,42 @@ async def test_device_registry_cleanup(
     )
 
     assert len(devices) == 0
+
+
+async def test_subscription_setup(
+    hass: HomeAssistant,
+    mock_config_entry: MockConfigEntry,
+    aioclient_mock: AiohttpClientMocker,
+) -> None:
+    """Test that we setup event subscription."""
+    mock_config_entry.options = {CONF_REPOSITORIES: ["home-assistant/core"]}
+    mock_config_entry.pref_disable_polling = False
+    await setup_github_integration(hass, mock_config_entry, aioclient_mock)
+    assert (
+        "https://api.github.com/repos/home-assistant/core/events" in x[1]
+        for x in aioclient_mock.mock_calls
+    )
+
+
+async def test_subscription_setup_polling_disabled(
+    hass: HomeAssistant,
+    mock_config_entry: MockConfigEntry,
+    aioclient_mock: AiohttpClientMocker,
+) -> None:
+    """Test that we do not setup event subscription if polling is disabled."""
+    mock_config_entry.options = {CONF_REPOSITORIES: ["home-assistant/core"]}
+    mock_config_entry.pref_disable_polling = True
+    await setup_github_integration(hass, mock_config_entry, aioclient_mock)
+    assert (
+        "https://api.github.com/repos/home-assistant/core/events" not in x[1]
+        for x in aioclient_mock.mock_calls
+    )
+
+    # Prove that we subscribed if the user enabled polling again
+    mock_config_entry.pref_disable_polling = False
+    assert await hass.config_entries.async_reload(mock_config_entry.entry_id)
+    await hass.async_block_till_done()
+    assert (
+        "https://api.github.com/repos/home-assistant/core/events" in x[1]
+        for x in aioclient_mock.mock_calls
+    )