diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/internal/SQLConf.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/internal/SQLConf.scala
index 3ad3416256c7..f35389d0fbac 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/internal/SQLConf.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/internal/SQLConf.scala
@@ -358,6 +358,15 @@ object SQLConf {
     .booleanConf
     .createWithDefault(false)
 
+  val ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_FORCE_APPLY = buildConf("spark.sql.adaptive.forceApply")
+    .internal()
+    .doc("Adaptive query execution is skipped when the query does not have exchanges or " +
+      "sub-queries. By setting this config to true (together with " +
+      s"'${ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_ENABLED.key}' enabled), Spark will force apply adaptive query " +
+      "execution for all supported queries.")
+    .booleanConf
+    .createWithDefault(false)
+
   val REDUCE_POST_SHUFFLE_PARTITIONS_ENABLED =
     buildConf("spark.sql.adaptive.shuffle.reducePostShufflePartitions.enabled")
       .doc(s"When true and '${ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_ENABLED.key}' is enabled, this enables reducing " +
diff --git a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/adaptive/InsertAdaptiveSparkPlan.scala b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/adaptive/InsertAdaptiveSparkPlan.scala
index 9252827856af..621c063e5a7d 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/adaptive/InsertAdaptiveSparkPlan.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/adaptive/InsertAdaptiveSparkPlan.scala
@@ -40,49 +40,60 @@ case class InsertAdaptiveSparkPlan(
 
   private val conf = adaptiveExecutionContext.session.sessionState.conf
 
-  def containShuffle(plan: SparkPlan): Boolean = {
-    plan.find {
-      case _: Exchange => true
-      case s: SparkPlan => !s.requiredChildDistribution.forall(_ == UnspecifiedDistribution)
-    }.isDefined
-  }
-
-  def containSubQuery(plan: SparkPlan): Boolean = {
-    plan.find(_.expressions.exists(_.find {
-      case _: SubqueryExpression => true
-      case _ => false
-    }.isDefined)).isDefined
-  }
-
   override def apply(plan: SparkPlan): SparkPlan = applyInternal(plan, false)
 
   private def applyInternal(plan: SparkPlan, isSubquery: Boolean): SparkPlan = plan match {
+    case _ if !conf.adaptiveExecutionEnabled => plan
     case _: ExecutedCommandExec => plan
-    case _ if conf.adaptiveExecutionEnabled && supportAdaptive(plan)
-      && (isSubquery || containShuffle(plan) || containSubQuery(plan)) =>
-      try {
-        // Plan sub-queries recursively and pass in the shared stage cache for exchange reuse. Fall
-        // back to non-adaptive mode if adaptive execution is supported in any of the sub-queries.
-        val subqueryMap = buildSubqueryMap(plan)
-        val planSubqueriesRule = PlanAdaptiveSubqueries(subqueryMap)
-        val preprocessingRules = Seq(
-          planSubqueriesRule)
-        // Run pre-processing rules.
-        val newPlan = AdaptiveSparkPlanExec.applyPhysicalRules(plan, preprocessingRules)
-        logDebug(s"Adaptive execution enabled for plan: $plan")
-        AdaptiveSparkPlanExec(newPlan, adaptiveExecutionContext, preprocessingRules, isSubquery)
-      } catch {
-        case SubqueryAdaptiveNotSupportedException(subquery) =>
-          logWarning(s"${SQLConf.ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_ENABLED.key} is enabled " +
-            s"but is not supported for sub-query: $subquery.")
-          plan
-      }
-    case _ =>
-      if (conf.adaptiveExecutionEnabled) {
+    case _ if shouldApplyAQE(plan, isSubquery) =>
+      if (supportAdaptive(plan)) {
+        try {
+          // Plan sub-queries recursively and pass in the shared stage cache for exchange reuse.
+          // Fall back to non-AQE mode if AQE is not supported in any of the sub-queries.
+          val subqueryMap = buildSubqueryMap(plan)
+          val planSubqueriesRule = PlanAdaptiveSubqueries(subqueryMap)
+          val preprocessingRules = Seq(
+            planSubqueriesRule)
+          // Run pre-processing rules.
+          val newPlan = AdaptiveSparkPlanExec.applyPhysicalRules(plan, preprocessingRules)
+          logDebug(s"Adaptive execution enabled for plan: $plan")
+          AdaptiveSparkPlanExec(newPlan, adaptiveExecutionContext, preprocessingRules, isSubquery)
+        } catch {
+          case SubqueryAdaptiveNotSupportedException(subquery) =>
+            logWarning(s"${SQLConf.ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_ENABLED.key} is enabled " +
+              s"but is not supported for sub-query: $subquery.")
+            plan
+        }
+      } else {
         logWarning(s"${SQLConf.ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_ENABLED.key} is enabled " +
           s"but is not supported for query: $plan.")
+        plan
       }
-      plan
+
+    case _ => plan
+  }
+
+  // AQE is only useful when the query has exchanges or sub-queries. This method returns true if
+  // one of the following conditions is satisfied:
+  //   - The config ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_FORCE_APPLY is true.
+  //   - The input query is from a sub-query. When this happens, it means we've already decided to
+  //     apply AQE for the main query and we must continue to do it.
+  //   - The query contains exchanges.
+  //   - The query may need to add exchanges. It's an overkill to run `EnsureRequirements` here, so
+  //     we just check `SparkPlan.requiredChildDistribution` and see if it's possible that the
+  //     the query needs to add exchanges later.
+  //   - The query contains sub-query.
+  private def shouldApplyAQE(plan: SparkPlan, isSubquery: Boolean): Boolean = {
+    conf.getConf(SQLConf.ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_FORCE_APPLY) || isSubquery || {
+      plan.find {
+        case _: Exchange => true
+        case p if !p.requiredChildDistribution.forall(_ == UnspecifiedDistribution) => true
+        case p => p.expressions.exists(_.find {
+          case _: SubqueryExpression => true
+          case _ => false
+        }.isDefined)
+      }.isDefined
+    }
   }
 
   private def supportAdaptive(plan: SparkPlan): Boolean = {
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/adaptive/AdaptiveQueryExecSuite.scala b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/adaptive/AdaptiveQueryExecSuite.scala
index 78a118366474..96e977221e51 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/adaptive/AdaptiveQueryExecSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/adaptive/AdaptiveQueryExecSuite.scala
@@ -780,4 +780,13 @@ class AdaptiveQueryExecSuite
       )
     }
   }
+
+  test("force apply AQE") {
+    withSQLConf(
+      SQLConf.ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_ENABLED.key -> "true",
+      SQLConf.ADAPTIVE_EXECUTION_FORCE_APPLY.key -> "true") {
+      val plan = sql("SELECT * FROM testData").queryExecution.executedPlan
+      assert(plan.isInstanceOf[AdaptiveSparkPlanExec])
+    }
+  }
 }