diff --git a/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/naming/QualifiedName.java b/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/naming/QualifiedName.java
index 65cac8be6..de8ae22fd 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/naming/QualifiedName.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/naming/QualifiedName.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class QualifiedName implements Comparable<QualifiedName> {
 
 	private QualifiedName lowerCase;
 
-	private static boolean USE_INTERNING = Boolean.getBoolean("xtext.qn.interning");
+	static boolean USE_INTERNING = Boolean.getBoolean("xtext.qn.interning");
 
 	/**
 	 * The single existing empty QualifiedName.
@@ -128,18 +128,15 @@ public class QualifiedName implements Comparable<QualifiedName> {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Returns string internal instance from string pool, if a system property {@code xtext.qn.interning} is set to {@code true}, or the
-	 * same object otherwise.
+	 * Returns string internal instance from string pool, if {@link #USE_INTERNING} is true, or the same object
+	 * otherwise.
 	 * <p>
-	 * Implementation notes:
-	 * <ol>
-	 * <li>Interning {@link String} objects may affect performance, see bug 484215.
-	 * <li>Interning {@link String} objects is not recommended for older JVM's, because of possible perm gen memory explosion, see
-	 * http://java-performance.info/string-intern-in-java-6-7-8/.
-	 * </ol>
+	 * {@link #USE_INTERNING} can be set by using the system property {@code xtext.qn.interning} or by calling
+	 * {@link QualifiedNameInterning#enable()} / {@link QualifiedNameInterning#disable()}.<br/>
+	 * The default value is <code>false</code>.
 	 */
 	private static String intern(String string) {
-		return USE_INTERNING? CommonUtil.intern(string) : string;
+		return USE_INTERNING ? CommonUtil.intern(string) : string;
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/naming/QualifiedNameInterning.java b/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/naming/QualifiedNameInterning.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8affdd61b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/naming/QualifiedNameInterning.java
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/*******************************************************************************
+ * Copyright (c) 2022 itemis AG (http://www.itemis.eu) and others.
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+ * terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at
+ * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0.
+ * 
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0
+ *******************************************************************************/
+package org.eclipse.xtext.naming;
+
+/**
+ * Provides methods for enabling and disabling the interning of strings used in {@link QualifiedName}.
+ * <p>
+ * String interning is disabled by default. It can be enabled by setting the system property {@code xtext.qn.interning}
+ * to <code>true</code> or by calling {@link #enable()}.
+ * <p>
+ * Caution: Setting the system property at runtime does not have an effect. Use {@link #enable()} to enable String
+ * interning at runtime.
+ * 
+ * @since 2.26.0
+ * 
+ * @author Oliver Libutzki - Initial contribution and API
+ * 
+ * @see QualifiedName#USE_INTERNING
+ * 
+ */
+public final class QualifiedNameInterning {
+
+	/**
+	 * Private constructor to ensure that this class cannot be instantiated.
+	 */
+	private QualifiedNameInterning() {
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Enables the usage of a String pool for {@link QualifiedName QualifiedName's} segments.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Note: {@link QualifiedName QualifiedNames} which are created before enabling are not affected.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Caution: Interning {@link String} objects may affect performance, see bug 484215.
+	 */
+	public static void enable() {
+		QualifiedName.USE_INTERNING = true;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Disables the usage of a String pool for {@link QualifiedName QualifiedName's} segments.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Note: {@link QualifiedName QualifiedNames} which are created before disabling are not affected.
+	 */
+	public static void disable() {
+		QualifiedName.USE_INTERNING = false;
+	}
+
+}