diff --git a/src/systems/air_pressure/AirPressure.cc b/src/systems/air_pressure/AirPressure.cc
index 6f4188ede7..a2fcb5704a 100644
--- a/src/systems/air_pressure/AirPressure.cc
+++ b/src/systems/air_pressure/AirPressure.cc
@@ -140,6 +140,24 @@ void AirPressure::PostUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
 
   if (!_info.paused)
   {
+    // check to see if update is necessary
+    // we only update if there is at least one sensor that needs data
+    // and that sensor has subscribers.
+    // note: ign-sensors does its own throttling. Here the check is mainly
+    // to avoid doing work in the AirPressurePrivate::UpdatePressures function
+    bool needsUpdate = false;
+    for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
+    {
+      if (it.second->NextDataUpdateTime() <= _info.simTime &&
+          it.second->HasConnections())
+      {
+        needsUpdate = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!needsUpdate)
+      return;
+
     this->dataPtr->UpdateAirPressures(_ecm);
 
     for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
diff --git a/src/systems/altimeter/Altimeter.cc b/src/systems/altimeter/Altimeter.cc
index d72ca9847a..3152c0c7e7 100644
--- a/src/systems/altimeter/Altimeter.cc
+++ b/src/systems/altimeter/Altimeter.cc
@@ -141,6 +141,24 @@ void Altimeter::PostUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
   // Only update and publish if not paused.
   if (!_info.paused)
   {
+    // check to see if update is necessary
+    // we only update if there is at least one sensor that needs data
+    // and that sensor has subscribers.
+    // note: ign-sensors does its own throttling. Here the check is mainly
+    // to avoid doing work in the AltimeterPrivate::UpdateAltimeters function
+    bool needsUpdate = false;
+    for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
+    {
+      if (it.second->NextDataUpdateTime() <= _info.simTime &&
+          it.second->HasConnections())
+      {
+        needsUpdate = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!needsUpdate)
+      return;
+
     this->dataPtr->UpdateAltimeters(_ecm);
 
     for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
diff --git a/src/systems/force_torque/ForceTorque.cc b/src/systems/force_torque/ForceTorque.cc
index e1668fbf71..7ebd91c3d2 100644
--- a/src/systems/force_torque/ForceTorque.cc
+++ b/src/systems/force_torque/ForceTorque.cc
@@ -132,6 +132,24 @@ void ForceTorque::PostUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
   // Only update and publish if not paused.
   if (!_info.paused)
   {
+    // check to see if update is necessary
+    // we only update if there is at least one sensor that needs data
+    // and that sensor has subscribers.
+    // note: ign-sensors does its own throttling. Here the check is mainly
+    // to avoid doing work in the ForceTorquePrivate::Update function
+    bool needsUpdate = false;
+    for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
+    {
+      if (it.second->NextDataUpdateTime() <= _info.simTime &&
+          it.second->HasConnections())
+      {
+        needsUpdate = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!needsUpdate)
+      return;
+
     this->dataPtr->Update(_ecm);
 
     for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
diff --git a/src/systems/imu/Imu.cc b/src/systems/imu/Imu.cc
index 2199854e2e..5afbd67ae0 100644
--- a/src/systems/imu/Imu.cc
+++ b/src/systems/imu/Imu.cc
@@ -145,6 +145,24 @@ void Imu::PostUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
   // Only update and publish if not paused.
   if (!_info.paused)
   {
+    // check to see if update is necessary
+    // we only update if there is at least one sensor that needs data
+    // and that sensor has subscribers.
+    // note: ign-sensors does its own throttling. Here the check is mainly
+    // to avoid doing work in the ImuPrivate::Update function
+    bool needsUpdate = false;
+    for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
+    {
+      if (it.second->NextDataUpdateTime() <= _info.simTime &&
+          it.second->HasConnections())
+      {
+        needsUpdate = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!needsUpdate)
+      return;
+
     this->dataPtr->Update(_ecm);
 
     for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
diff --git a/src/systems/logical_camera/LogicalCamera.cc b/src/systems/logical_camera/LogicalCamera.cc
index b573f5214b..5c21813f25 100644
--- a/src/systems/logical_camera/LogicalCamera.cc
+++ b/src/systems/logical_camera/LogicalCamera.cc
@@ -143,6 +143,25 @@ void LogicalCamera::PostUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
   // Only update and publish if not paused.
   if (!_info.paused)
   {
+    // check to see if update is necessary
+    // we only update if there is at least one sensor that needs data
+    // and that sensor has subscribers.
+    // note: ign-sensors does its own throttling. Here the check is mainly
+    // to avoid doing work in the LogicalCameraPrivate::UpdateLogicalCameras
+    // function
+    bool needsUpdate = false;
+    for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
+    {
+      if (it.second->NextDataUpdateTime() <= _info.simTime &&
+          it.second->HasConnections())
+      {
+        needsUpdate = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!needsUpdate)
+      return;
+
     this->dataPtr->UpdateLogicalCameras(_ecm);
 
     for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
diff --git a/src/systems/magnetometer/Magnetometer.cc b/src/systems/magnetometer/Magnetometer.cc
index b46b77a424..2ecad15692 100644
--- a/src/systems/magnetometer/Magnetometer.cc
+++ b/src/systems/magnetometer/Magnetometer.cc
@@ -142,6 +142,24 @@ void Magnetometer::PostUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
   // Only update and publish if not paused.
   if (!_info.paused)
   {
+    // check to see if update is necessary
+    // we only update if there is at least one sensor that needs data
+    // and that sensor has subscribers.
+    // note: ign-sensors does its own throttling. Here the check is mainly
+    // to avoid doing work in the MagnetometerPrivate::Update function
+    bool needsUpdate = false;
+    for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
+    {
+      if (it.second->NextDataUpdateTime() <= _info.simTime &&
+          it.second->HasConnections())
+      {
+        needsUpdate = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!needsUpdate)
+      return;
+
     this->dataPtr->Update(_ecm);
 
     for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
diff --git a/src/systems/navsat/NavSat.cc b/src/systems/navsat/NavSat.cc
index faa8f4f38f..2eea382d9e 100644
--- a/src/systems/navsat/NavSat.cc
+++ b/src/systems/navsat/NavSat.cc
@@ -137,6 +137,24 @@ void NavSat::PostUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
   // Only update and publish if not paused.
   if (!_info.paused)
   {
+    // check to see if update is necessary
+    // we only update if there is at least one sensor that needs data
+    // and that sensor has subscribers.
+    // note: ign-sensors does its own throttling. Here the check is mainly
+    // to avoid doing work in the NavSat::Implementation::Update function
+    bool needsUpdate = false;
+    for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
+    {
+      if (it.second->NextDataUpdateTime() <= _info.simTime &&
+          it.second->HasConnections())
+      {
+        needsUpdate = true;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!needsUpdate)
+      return;
+
     this->dataPtr->Update(_ecm);
 
     for (auto &it : this->dataPtr->entitySensorMap)
diff --git a/src/systems/sensors/Sensors.cc b/src/systems/sensors/Sensors.cc
index e83d053e30..69222d2209 100644
--- a/src/systems/sensors/Sensors.cc
+++ b/src/systems/sensors/Sensors.cc
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <map>
 #include <set>
 #include <unordered_map>
+#include <unordered_set>
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -186,6 +187,11 @@ class ignition::gazebo::systems::SensorsPrivate
   /// \param[in] _ecm Entity component manager
   public: void UpdateBatteryState(const EntityComponentManager &_ecm);
 
+  /// \brief Check if sensor has subscribers
+  /// \param[in] _sensor Sensor to check
+  /// \return True if the sensor has subscribers, false otherwise
+  public: bool HasConnections(sensors::RenderingSensor *_sensor) const;
+
   /// \brief Use to optionally set the background color.
   public: std::optional<math::Color> backgroundColor;
 
@@ -316,12 +322,34 @@ void SensorsPrivate::RunOnce()
       this->scene->PreRender();
     }
 
+    // disable sensors that have no subscribers to prevent doing unnecessary
+    // work
+    std::unordered_set<sensors::RenderingSensor *> tmpDisabledSensors;
+    this->sensorMaskMutex.lock();
+    for (auto id : this->sensorIds)
+    {
+      sensors::Sensor *s = this->sensorManager.Sensor(id);
+      auto rs = dynamic_cast<sensors::RenderingSensor *>(s);
+      if (rs->IsActive() && !this->HasConnections(rs))
+      {
+        rs->SetActive(false);
+        tmpDisabledSensors.insert(rs);
+      }
+    }
+    this->sensorMaskMutex.unlock();
+
     {
       // publish data
       IGN_PROFILE("RunOnce");
       this->sensorManager.RunOnce(this->updateTime);
     }
 
+    // re-enble sensors
+    for (auto &rs : tmpDisabledSensors)
+    {
+      rs->SetActive(true);
+    }
+
     {
       IGN_PROFILE("PostRender");
       // Update the scene graph manually to improve performance
@@ -805,6 +833,44 @@ std::string Sensors::CreateSensor(const Entity &_entity,
   return sensor->Name();
 }
 
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////
+bool SensorsPrivate::HasConnections(sensors::RenderingSensor *_sensor) const
+{
+  if (!_sensor)
+    return true;
+
+  // \todo(iche033) Remove this function once a virtual
+  // sensors::RenderingSensor::HasConnections function is available
+  {
+    auto s = dynamic_cast<sensors::DepthCameraSensor *>(_sensor);
+    if (s)
+      return s->HasConnections();
+  }
+  {
+    auto s = dynamic_cast<sensors::GpuLidarSensor *>(_sensor);
+    if (s)
+      return s->HasConnections();
+  }
+  {
+    auto s = dynamic_cast<sensors::SegmentationCameraSensor *>(_sensor);
+    if (s)
+      return s->HasConnections();
+  }
+  {
+    auto s = dynamic_cast<sensors::ThermalCameraSensor *>(_sensor);
+    if (s)
+      return s->HasConnections();
+  }
+  {
+    auto s = dynamic_cast<sensors::CameraSensor *>(_sensor);
+    if (s)
+      return s->HasConnections();
+  }
+  ignwarn << "Unable to check connection count for sensor: " << _sensor->Name()
+          << ". Unknown sensor type." << std::endl;
+  return true;
+}
+
 IGNITION_ADD_PLUGIN(Sensors, System,
   Sensors::ISystemConfigure,
   Sensors::ISystemUpdate,