diff --git a/src/Illuminate/Database/Eloquent/Factories/Factory.php b/src/Illuminate/Database/Eloquent/Factories/Factory.php
index 30607e7c45fc..a41e211764e2 100644
--- a/src/Illuminate/Database/Eloquent/Factories/Factory.php
+++ b/src/Illuminate/Database/Eloquent/Factories/Factory.php
@@ -133,6 +133,13 @@ abstract class Factory
      */
     protected static $factoryNameResolver;
 
+    /**
+     * Whether to expand relationships by default.
+     *
+     * @var bool
+     */
+    protected static $expandRelationshipsByDefault = true;
+
     /**
      * Create a new factory instance.
      *
@@ -144,7 +151,7 @@ abstract class Factory
      * @param  \Illuminate\Support\Collection|null  $afterCreating
      * @param  string|null  $connection
      * @param  \Illuminate\Support\Collection|null  $recycle
-     * @param  bool  $expandRelationships
+     * @param  bool|null  $expandRelationships
      */
     public function __construct(
         $count = null,
@@ -155,7 +162,7 @@ public function __construct(
         ?Collection $afterCreating = null,
         $connection = null,
         ?Collection $recycle = null,
-        bool $expandRelationships = true
+        ?bool $expandRelationships = null
     ) {
         $this->count = $count;
         $this->states = $states ?? new Collection;
@@ -166,7 +173,7 @@ public function __construct(
         $this->connection = $connection;
         $this->recycle = $recycle ?? new Collection;
         $this->faker = $this->withFaker();
-        $this->expandRelationships = $expandRelationships;
+        $this->expandRelationships = $expandRelationships ?? self::$expandRelationshipsByDefault;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -895,6 +902,26 @@ public static function guessFactoryNamesUsing(callable $callback)
         static::$factoryNameResolver = $callback;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Specify that relationships should create parent relationships by default.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public static function expandRelationshipsByDefault()
+    {
+        static::$expandRelationshipsByDefault = true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Specify that relationships should not create parent relationships by default.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public static function dontExpandRelationshipsByDefault()
+    {
+        static::$expandRelationshipsByDefault = false;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get a new Faker instance.
      *
@@ -955,6 +982,7 @@ public static function flushState()
         static::$modelNameResolvers = [];
         static::$factoryNameResolver = null;
         static::$namespace = 'Database\\Factories\\';
+        static::$expandRelationshipsByDefault = true;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/Database/DatabaseEloquentFactoryTest.php b/tests/Database/DatabaseEloquentFactoryTest.php
index da5467794d77..a78c792aa303 100644
--- a/tests/Database/DatabaseEloquentFactoryTest.php
+++ b/tests/Database/DatabaseEloquentFactoryTest.php
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ protected function setUp(): void
         $db->setAsGlobal();
 
         $this->createSchema();
+        Factory::expandRelationshipsByDefault();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -831,6 +832,18 @@ public function test_can_disable_relationships()
         $this->assertNull($post->user_id);
     }
 
+    public function test_can_default_to_without_parents()
+    {
+        FactoryTestPostFactory::dontExpandRelationshipsByDefault();
+
+        $post = FactoryTestPostFactory::new()->make();
+        $this->assertNull($post->user_id);
+
+        FactoryTestPostFactory::expandRelationshipsByDefault();
+        $postWithParents = FactoryTestPostFactory::new()->create();
+        $this->assertNotNull($postWithParents->user_id);
+    }
+
     public function test_factory_model_names_correct()
     {
         $this->assertEquals(FactoryTestUseFactoryAttribute::factory()->modelName(), FactoryTestUseFactoryAttribute::class);