diff --git a/GEMINI.md b/GEMINI.md
index d5a2cb5..4bff96b 100644
--- a/GEMINI.md
+++ b/GEMINI.md
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ DiscVault is a professional-grade, self-hosted disc golf inventory management sy
 - **Validation:** Always revalidate paths using `revalidatePath` after a mutation to ensure the UI stays in sync.
 - **Copyright Headers:** Files should include the appropriate license header as specified in the LICENSE (GPLv3) and README (Apache-2.0 for source headers) files. Use 'Copyright 2026 ChaoticGood007' for new files.
 - **Agent Workflows:** Automatically execute `docker compose up --build -d` natively via the terminal whenever completing any substantive code edits or feature deployments to ensure the user's mapped container gracefully syncs the new architecture.
+- **Strict Merge Policy:** DO NOT merge pull requests, push directly to main, or create releases/tags without explicit, unambiguous instructions from the user to do so. You may stage changes, commit, push branches, and open PRs, but you must stop and wait for approval before merging.
 - **Keep the Changelog up to date** - Always update the changelog after completing any substantive code edits or feature deployments. Try to keep to one entry per actual feature that a user might notice as they use the app.
 
 ## 📊 Data Model (Prisma)