diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/cd.yml b/.gitea/workflows/cd.yml
index edd7fc1..fc324c7 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/cd.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/cd.yml
@@ -104,6 +104,14 @@ jobs:
     name: Promote to Int
     needs: smoke-test
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Toggle: set the repo/org Actions variable `RUN_INT_DEPLOY` to `false`
+    # (Gitea → Settings → Actions → Variables) to stop redeploying the Int stack
+    # while the runner host is resource-constrained; the Int stack can then stay
+    # `docker compose down`. Unset/anything-else keeps the normal promotion, so
+    # this defaults to the previous behaviour and re-enabling is a variable flip
+    # (no code change). Int is a preview stage; the CI quality gates are
+    # unaffected either way.
+    if: ${{ vars.RUN_INT_DEPLOY != 'false' }}
     steps:
       - name: Log in to the Gitea registry
         run: printf '%s' "${{ secrets.REGISTRY_TOKEN }}" | tr -d '[:space:]' | docker login gitea.101010.cloud -u fable-5 --password-stdin