diff --git a/gopls/internal/hooks/analysis.go b/gopls/internal/hooks/analysis.go
index 629bdc8669..8e300f3991 100644
--- a/gopls/internal/hooks/analysis.go
+++ b/gopls/internal/hooks/analysis.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package hooks
 
 import (
+	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/nilness"
 	"golang.org/x/tools/internal/lsp/source"
 	"honnef.co/go/tools/simple"
 	"honnef.co/go/tools/staticcheck"
@@ -26,5 +27,10 @@ func updateAnalyzers(options *source.Options) {
 		for _, a := range stylecheck.Analyzers {
 			options.Analyzers[a.Name] = a
 		}
+		// Add the nilness analyzer only for users who have enabled staticcheck.
+		// The assumption here is that a user who has enabled staticcheck will
+		// be fine with gopls using significantly more memory. nilness requires
+		// SSA, which makes it expensive.
+		options.Analyzers[nilness.Analyzer.Name] = nilness.Analyzer
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/lsp/source/options.go b/internal/lsp/source/options.go
index b32c49cffb..088e9d816f 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/source/options.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/source/options.go
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/loopclosure"
 	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/lostcancel"
 	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/nilfunc"
-	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/nilness"
 	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/printf"
 	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/shift"
 	"golang.org/x/tools/go/analysis/passes/sortslice"
@@ -488,7 +487,6 @@ func defaultAnalyzers() map[string]*analysis.Analyzer {
 
 		// Non-vet analyzers
 		deepequalerrors.Analyzer.Name:  deepequalerrors.Analyzer,
-		nilness.Analyzer.Name:          nilness.Analyzer,
 		sortslice.Analyzer.Name:        sortslice.Analyzer,
 		testinggoroutine.Analyzer.Name: testinggoroutine.Analyzer,
 	}