diff --git a/.woodpecker.yml b/.woodpecker.yml
index 401b497..04cd917 100644
--- a/.woodpecker.yml
+++ b/.woodpecker.yml
@@ -1,15 +1,28 @@
+# Deploy template for reze-test.
+#
+# Automatic deploys are DISABLED: deployments are triggered from the Dokploy UI
+# (or a Gitea webhook configured there), not from CI.
+#
+# This pipeline is manual-only and is a no-op unless a DEPLOY_URL value is
+# available in the environment (set it as a Woodpecker repository variable, or
+# declare it as a secret with `from_secret: DEPLOY_URL`).
+#
+# To turn this back into a push-to-deploy pipeline, change the trigger to:
+#
+#   when:
+#     - event: push
+#       branch: trunk
+#
+# and make sure DEPLOY_URL is set. It needs access to the internal Dokploy
+# network, hence `network_mode: dokploy-network`.
+
 when:
-  - event: push
-    branch: trunk
+  - event: manual
 
 steps:
   deploy:
     image: curlimages/curl:latest
-    # Needs Dokploy on the internal network; allowed because an admin marked this repo "trusted network".
-    # Pipelines otherwise run on the isolated ci-net (internet + git.kg only).
     network_mode: dokploy-network
-    environment:
-      DEPLOY_URL:
-        from_secret: DEPLOY_URL
     commands:
-      - 'curl -fsS -X POST "$${DEPLOY_URL}" -H "Content-Length: 0"'
+      - 'echo "reze-test: requesting redeploy from Dokploy..."'
+      - 'if [ -n "$${DEPLOY_URL}" ]; then curl -fsS -X POST "$${DEPLOY_URL}" -H "Content-Length: 0"; else echo "DEPLOY_URL is not set - deploy from the Dokploy UI instead."; fi'
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d8fd392..27c206e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -176,9 +176,10 @@ and ships a `HEALTHCHECK` that polls `http://127.0.0.1:3000/healthz` with `wget`
 - Build type: Dockerfile (or "Nixpacks" — the app needs nothing but Node).
 - Environment variable: `PORT=3000`.
 - Exposed port: `3000`.
-- CI hook: add the repository secret `DEPLOY_URL` (the Dokploy deploy webhook URL).
-  `.woodpecker.yml` posts to it on every push to `trunk` so Dokploy rebuilds and
-  redeploys the service.
+- Deploys are triggered from the Dokploy UI (or a Gitea webhook configured there).
+  CI does not deploy automatically: `.woodpecker.yml` is a manual-only template. If you
+  want a push-to-deploy hook, set a `DEPLOY_URL` repository variable (the Dokploy deploy
+  webhook URL) and switch the pipeline trigger back to `event: push` on `trunk`.
 
 ## License