diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 23fc66f3..83b6b90b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,23 @@ Detailed per-release notes are on the
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+- **Opt out of automatic app-store updates with `PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT`.** The
+  `pilot-updater` keeps installed apps current by periodically running
+  `pilotctl appstore upgrade --all`. Set `PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT=true` in the
+  updater's environment and it stops checking for and installing app updates —
+  installed apps stay at the version you installed. Unset it or set it to
+  `false` (the default) to switch app auto-updates back on. Pilot daemon/CLI
+  binary updates are never affected. Honors the existing
+  `PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE` as a back-compat alias.
+
+### Fixed
+- **The `pilotctl skills disable` opt-out now survives updates and explicit
+  reconciles.** A forced reconcile — `pilotctl skills check`, `pilotctl update`,
+  or an installer re-run — bypassed the disabled flag and re-injected skills a
+  user had turned off. The opt-out is now a hard gate on every write path; only
+  the read-only `pilotctl skills` status still previews. (skillinject)
+
 ## [1.12.8] - 2026-07-16
 
 Reliable P2P data transfer across NAT, plus cold-start onboarding fixes: agents
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0be73b17..08818a30 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -480,6 +480,7 @@ Most daemon flags have an environment variable equivalent. Useful for containeri
 | `PILOT_REPLY_WHITELIST` | `-reply-whitelist` | Nodes exempt from reply rate limit |
 | `PILOT_REKEY_WHITELIST` | `-rekey-whitelist` | Nodes exempt from rekey rate limit |
 | `PILOT_FLAG_<NAME>` | — | Feature flag override (`true`/`false`) |
+| `PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT` | — | Opt out of automatic **app-store** updates. Set to `true` and the `pilot-updater` stops checking for and installing app updates — installed apps stay at their current version. Unset or `false` (the default) keeps app auto-updates on. Pilot daemon/CLI binary updates are unaffected. Read by `pilot-updater` at startup, so set it in the updater's service environment and restart the updater to change it. (Legacy alias: `PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE`.) |
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/cmd/updater/main.go b/cmd/updater/main.go
index 37fdec58..49cd7099 100644
--- a/cmd/updater/main.go
+++ b/cmd/updater/main.go
@@ -45,6 +45,22 @@ func envBool(name string) bool {
 	}
 }
 
+// appAutoUpgradeEnabled reports whether the updater should run the app
+// auto-upgrade loop (the periodic `pilotctl appstore upgrade --all`).
+//
+// This is the app-update opt-out gate. By default (PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT unset or
+// "false") the updater checks for and installs app updates for all installed
+// apps. Set PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT=true to stop it — installed apps then stay at
+// the version you installed until you opt back in (unset the variable or set it
+// to false) and restart the updater. Binary updates to the pilot daemon/CLI are
+// never affected by this gate.
+//
+// PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE is honored as a back-compat alias for the same
+// opt-out. Either variable being truthy disables the loop.
+func appAutoUpgradeEnabled() bool {
+	return !envBool("PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT") && !envBool("PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE")
+}
+
 func main() {
 	installDir := flag.String("install-dir", "", "directory containing pilot binaries (required)")
 	repo := flag.String("repo", "pilot-protocol/pilotprotocol", "GitHub owner/repo for releases")
@@ -100,10 +116,13 @@ func main() {
 	// fleet without anyone running upgrade by hand. Each upgrade re-runs the full
 	// catalogue-signature + manifest-signature + trust-anchor gate that install
 	// does, so this adds automation, not trust. Opt out with
-	// PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE for hosts that want binary-only updates.
-	if !envBool("PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE") {
+	// PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT=true for hosts that want binary-only updates; see
+	// appAutoUpgradeEnabled. The pilot daemon/CLI binaries keep updating.
+	if appAutoUpgradeEnabled() {
 		go appUpgradeLoop(*installDir, *statePath, *interval)
 		slog.Info("app auto-upgrade loop started", "interval", interval.String())
+	} else {
+		slog.Info("app auto-upgrade opted out (PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT); apps stay at their installed versions, pilot binaries still update")
 	}
 	if *pin != "" {
 		slog.Info("version pinned", "tag", *pin)
diff --git a/cmd/updater/zz_appupgrade_test.go b/cmd/updater/zz_appupgrade_test.go
index fc446adc..8dda5202 100644
--- a/cmd/updater/zz_appupgrade_test.go
+++ b/cmd/updater/zz_appupgrade_test.go
@@ -33,3 +33,38 @@ func TestAutoUpdateEnabledGate(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("enabled:true must read as enabled")
 	}
 }
+
+// TestAppAutoUpgradeOptOut pins the PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT gate: app auto-upgrade is
+// ON by default, off when the operator opts out, and back on when they opt in
+// again. PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE is honored as a back-compat alias.
+func TestAppAutoUpgradeOptOut(t *testing.T) {
+	// Default: both unset → enabled.
+	t.Setenv("PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT", "")
+	t.Setenv("PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE", "")
+	if !appAutoUpgradeEnabled() {
+		t.Fatal("default (both env vars unset) must enable app auto-upgrade")
+	}
+
+	// Opt out via PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT (each truthy spelling).
+	for _, v := range []string{"true", "1", "yes", "on", "TRUE"} {
+		t.Setenv("PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT", v)
+		if appAutoUpgradeEnabled() {
+			t.Errorf("PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT=%q must disable app auto-upgrade", v)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Explicit opt-in values keep it enabled — this is what "switch back on".
+	for _, v := range []string{"false", "0", "", "no"} {
+		t.Setenv("PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT", v)
+		if !appAutoUpgradeEnabled() {
+			t.Errorf("PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT=%q must keep app auto-upgrade enabled", v)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Back-compat alias still disables.
+	t.Setenv("PILOT_APP_UPDATE_OPT_OUT", "false")
+	t.Setenv("PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE", "1")
+	if appAutoUpgradeEnabled() {
+		t.Error("legacy PILOT_UPDATER_NO_APP_UPGRADE=1 must still disable app auto-upgrade")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index c0373000..11a58e3b 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/pilot-protocol/policy v0.2.2
 	github.com/pilot-protocol/rendezvous v0.2.5
 	github.com/pilot-protocol/runtime v0.3.1
-	github.com/pilot-protocol/skillinject v0.2.4-0.20260713095857-dc5109d7a33a
+	github.com/pilot-protocol/skillinject v0.2.4-0.20260717204101-902f745138da
 	github.com/pilot-protocol/trustedagents v0.2.4
 	github.com/pilot-protocol/updater v0.2.3
 	github.com/pilot-protocol/webhook v0.2.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 85a924da..7bd08b4e 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ github.com/pilot-protocol/rendezvous v0.2.5 h1:PvApwKHU2DnvK8pA6K9RAohUomZNu6vX6
 github.com/pilot-protocol/rendezvous v0.2.5/go.mod h1:nUPZaM1R1x0iEKbTp1TuYqro2wgBArwT0E4wauR8I2E=
 github.com/pilot-protocol/runtime v0.3.1 h1:+W9ww0dZY/FgOBtCmIOV3w5L5Z4Upt/RIsrYElXZ1zs=
 github.com/pilot-protocol/runtime v0.3.1/go.mod h1:GfFEIji0w7H9SSNR9Wl2q72pd2OYN3PHY9Qhcbvyrqk=
-github.com/pilot-protocol/skillinject v0.2.4-0.20260713095857-dc5109d7a33a h1:MDblMoSuIXZ84um+AJt4vW3ebfBH2SG08b5o1SdGb1g=
-github.com/pilot-protocol/skillinject v0.2.4-0.20260713095857-dc5109d7a33a/go.mod h1:+jEW+uCFkA6TnmZc41Ev5oczXCbOHD0NqVWG8RzjwXQ=
+github.com/pilot-protocol/skillinject v0.2.4-0.20260717204101-902f745138da h1:supBO6UzykRn5Ta5pCLXjTvAPqTKOgfr2ZpZQugBNuI=
+github.com/pilot-protocol/skillinject v0.2.4-0.20260717204101-902f745138da/go.mod h1:+jEW+uCFkA6TnmZc41Ev5oczXCbOHD0NqVWG8RzjwXQ=
 github.com/pilot-protocol/trustedagents v0.2.4 h1:NqYjU3eoxBzyzzlhTQY2vV4q0l5+4eaADAhrOD1OkQU=
 github.com/pilot-protocol/trustedagents v0.2.4/go.mod h1:Y3Eq/IOZqAUIbtzVBcxW4epkciaFAFAYkEyu/E7DXe4=
 github.com/pilot-protocol/updater v0.2.3 h1:9+Y2XvyEnfxjbguho8AIKLdEK+Gzj2I7lkad2qIu6JY=