diff --git a/.github/hooks/devcontainer-guard.sh b/.github/hooks/devcontainer-guard.sh
index bd400af..40a876f 100755
--- a/.github/hooks/devcontainer-guard.sh
+++ b/.github/hooks/devcontainer-guard.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@
 # Host-safe commands (git, gh, curl, etc.) are allowlisted and always permitted
 # since they operate on the repo/host, not the project's build environment.
 #
-# Bypass: include USER_CONFIRMED_HOST_OPERATION=1 in the command.
+# Per-repo opt-out: create a `.devcontainer-mcp-disable` file at the repo root
+# (next to the working directory) to turn this guard off entirely for that repo.
+# Useful when a project ships a stale/unmaintained `.devcontainer` that you don't
+# actually want to route work through.
+#
+# Bypass (single command): include USER_CONFIRMED_HOST_OPERATION=1 in the command.
 #
 # Supports both agent payload formats:
 #   Claude Code:  { tool_name, tool_input, cwd, ... }
@@ -88,6 +93,12 @@ decide() {
   # No devcontainer in the working directory — allow through
   [ -f "${cwd}/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json" ] || return 0
 
+  # Per-repo opt-out: a marker file at the repo root disables the guard so a
+  # stale/unmaintained devcontainer doesn't force everything through the MCP tools.
+  if [ -f "${cwd}/.devcontainer-mcp-disable" ]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+
   # --- Devcontainer exists: allow only if every command is host-safe ---
   cmd_string=$(printf '%s' "$input" | jq -r '(.tool_input.command // .toolArgs.command // "") | tostring')
 
diff --git a/.github/hooks/devcontainer-skill-loader.sh b/.github/hooks/devcontainer-skill-loader.sh
index 187f0a3..2d8b3ed 100755
--- a/.github/hooks/devcontainer-skill-loader.sh
+++ b/.github/hooks/devcontainer-skill-loader.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 # injects the devcontainer-mcp SKILL.md content as additionalContext so the
 # agent automatically knows how to use devcontainer-mcp tools.
 #
+# Opt-out: a `.devcontainer-mcp-disable` marker file at the repo root skips the
+# injection (mirrors the devcontainer-guard opt-out).
+#
 # Supports both agent payload formats:
 #   Claude Code:  { tool_name, tool_input, cwd, ... }
 #   Copilot CLI:  { toolName, toolArgs, cwd, ... }
@@ -38,6 +41,10 @@ build_context() {
   [ -n "$cwd" ] || return 0
   [ -f "${cwd}/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json" ] || return 0
 
+  # Per-repo opt-out: if the guard is disabled for this repo, don't inject the
+  # container-only skill context either — the agent is expected to work locally.
+  [ ! -f "${cwd}/.devcontainer-mcp-disable" ] || return 0
+
   # Look for SKILL.md in order of preference
   SEARCH_PATHS=(
     "${HOME}/.local/share/devcontainer-mcp/SKILL.md"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e920864..5179151 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -66,6 +66,25 @@ Backend CLIs (`devpod`, `devcontainer`, `gh`) are detected at runtime — if one
 
 Binaries available for **linux-x64**, **linux-arm64**, **darwin-x64**, and **darwin-arm64**.
 
+## Host Protection & Opt-Out
+
+The installer configures two agent hooks (Claude Code & GitHub Copilot CLI) that activate **only** in a directory containing `.devcontainer/devcontainer.json`:
+
+- **`devcontainer-guard`** (PreToolUse) — blocks shell/command execution on the host so the agent routes builds, tests, and runs through the MCP tools instead. Host-safe commands (`git`, `gh`) are allowlisted, and both hooks *fail open* — if `jq` is missing or a payload can't be parsed, commands are allowed rather than blocked.
+- **`devcontainer-skill-loader`** (SessionStart) — injects the `SKILL.md` usage guide as context.
+
+### Turning it off for a repo
+
+Sometimes a project ships a stale or unmaintained `.devcontainer` that you don't actually want to route work through. To disable both hooks for that repo, drop a marker file at the repo root:
+
+```bash
+touch .devcontainer-mcp-disable
+```
+
+When `.devcontainer-mcp-disable` is present, the guard allows host commands through and the skill-loader skips context injection — the agent works locally as if no devcontainer were declared. Commit it (or add it to `.gitignore` for a local-only opt-out).
+
+**One-off bypass:** to run a single host command without disabling the guard, include `USER_CONFIRMED_HOST_OPERATION=1` anywhere in the command.
+
 ## Architecture
 
 ```mermaid
diff --git a/SKILL.md b/SKILL.md
index 9e09880..19221ac 100644
--- a/SKILL.md
+++ b/SKILL.md
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ You have access to `devcontainer-mcp`, an MCP server that manages dev container
 
 **If a project has `.devcontainer/devcontainer.json`, ALL work MUST happen inside a dev container — never install dependencies, run builds, or execute code directly on the host.**
 
+> **Opt-out:** if a `.devcontainer-mcp-disable` marker file exists at the repo root, the host-protection guard is disabled for that repo — the devcontainer is treated as stale/unmaintained and you may work directly on the host.
+
 **Use ONLY the MCP tools listed here.** Do not invoke `docker`, `devcontainer`, `devpod`, or `gh` CLI commands directly — the MCP tools wrap these CLIs with proper error handling, auth resolution, and escaping. Direct CLI usage bypasses these safeguards.
 
 ## Authentication