diff --git a/__test__/blacksmith-cache.test.ts b/__test__/blacksmith-cache.test.ts
index 98ef507..51afe34 100644
--- a/__test__/blacksmith-cache.test.ts
+++ b/__test__/blacksmith-cache.test.ts
@@ -132,6 +132,49 @@ describe('blacksmith-cache tests', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  describe('shouldUseBlacksmithCache', () => {
+    const originalEnv = process.env
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      jest.resetModules()
+      process.env = {...originalEnv}
+    })
+
+    afterAll(() => {
+      process.env = originalEnv
+    })
+
+    it('returns true when in Blacksmith env and kill switch is unset', () => {
+      process.env['BLACKSMITH_VM_ID'] = 'test-vm-id'
+      delete process.env['BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT']
+      expect(blacksmithCache.shouldUseBlacksmithCache()).toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    it('returns false outside of a Blacksmith env regardless of kill switch', () => {
+      delete process.env['BLACKSMITH_VM_ID']
+      process.env['BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT'] = 'true'
+      expect(blacksmithCache.shouldUseBlacksmithCache()).toBe(false)
+    })
+
+    it('returns false when BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT=true (control-plane kill switch)', () => {
+      process.env['BLACKSMITH_VM_ID'] = 'test-vm-id'
+      process.env['BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT'] = 'true'
+      expect(blacksmithCache.shouldUseBlacksmithCache()).toBe(false)
+    })
+
+    it('returns true when BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT is any value other than "true"', () => {
+      process.env['BLACKSMITH_VM_ID'] = 'test-vm-id'
+      process.env['BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT'] = 'false'
+      expect(blacksmithCache.shouldUseBlacksmithCache()).toBe(true)
+
+      process.env['BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT'] = '1'
+      expect(blacksmithCache.shouldUseBlacksmithCache()).toBe(true)
+
+      process.env['BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT'] = ''
+      expect(blacksmithCache.shouldUseBlacksmithCache()).toBe(true)
+    })
+  })
+
   describe('multiple checkout scenario', () => {
     it('each repo gets isolated paths that do not conflict', () => {
       // Simulate the multiple checkout scenario from the customer issue:
diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index e315dfe..46de4b6 100644
--- a/dist/index.js
+++ b/dist/index.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ var __awaiter = (this && this.__awaiter) || function (thisArg, _arguments, P, ge
 Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", ({ value: true }));
 exports.getMountPoint = getMountPoint;
 exports.isBlacksmithEnvironment = isBlacksmithEnvironment;
+exports.shouldUseBlacksmithCache = shouldUseBlacksmithCache;
 exports.getMirrorPath = getMirrorPath;
 exports.setupCache = setupCache;
 exports.ensureMirror = ensureMirror;
@@ -83,6 +84,24 @@ function getMountPoint(owner, repo) {
 function isBlacksmithEnvironment() {
     return !!process.env.BLACKSMITH_VM_ID;
 }
+/**
+ * Control plane short circuit: when an installation has the
+ * `bypass_blacksmith_checkout` flag flipped on, the agent exports
+ * BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT=true into the runner environment. We
+ * use that as a kill switch to skip every Blacksmith-specific code path
+ * (mirror cache setup, alternates, dissociate, post-step commit). The
+ * action then behaves identically to upstream actions/checkout.
+ */
+function shouldUseBlacksmithCache() {
+    if (!isBlacksmithEnvironment()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (process.env.BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT === 'true') {
+        core.info('[blacksmith] BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT=true — skipping Blacksmith git mirror cache and falling back to actions/checkout behavior');
+        return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
 /**
  * Get the path where the bare git mirror will be stored.
  * Uses owner-repo.git filename to maintain backward compatibility with existing sticky disks.
@@ -2186,9 +2205,13 @@ function getSource(settings) {
             }
             // Save state for POST action
             stateHelper.setRepositoryPath(settings.repositoryPath);
-            // Setup Blacksmith git mirror cache if in Blacksmith environment
+            // Setup Blacksmith git mirror cache if in Blacksmith environment.
+            // shouldUseBlacksmithCache() honors the BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT
+            // kill switch (driven by the per-installation flag in the control plane),
+            // so flipping that flag disables the entire Blacksmith code path here
+            // and in the post step.
             let cacheInfo = null;
-            if (blacksmithCache.isBlacksmithEnvironment()) {
+            if (blacksmithCache.shouldUseBlacksmithCache()) {
                 try {
                     core.startGroup('Setting up Blacksmith git mirror cache');
                     cacheInfo = yield blacksmithCache.setupCache(settings.repositoryOwner, settings.repositoryName);
diff --git a/src/blacksmith-cache.ts b/src/blacksmith-cache.ts
index 3411016..39be695 100644
--- a/src/blacksmith-cache.ts
+++ b/src/blacksmith-cache.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,27 @@ export function isBlacksmithEnvironment(): boolean {
   return !!process.env.BLACKSMITH_VM_ID
 }
 
+/**
+ * Control plane short circuit: when an installation has the
+ * `bypass_blacksmith_checkout` flag flipped on, the agent exports
+ * BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT=true into the runner environment. We
+ * use that as a kill switch to skip every Blacksmith-specific code path
+ * (mirror cache setup, alternates, dissociate, post-step commit). The
+ * action then behaves identically to upstream actions/checkout.
+ */
+export function shouldUseBlacksmithCache(): boolean {
+  if (!isBlacksmithEnvironment()) {
+    return false
+  }
+  if (process.env.BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT === 'true') {
+    core.info(
+      '[blacksmith] BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT=true — skipping Blacksmith git mirror cache and falling back to actions/checkout behavior'
+    )
+    return false
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
 /**
  * Get the path where the bare git mirror will be stored.
  * Uses owner-repo.git filename to maintain backward compatibility with existing sticky disks.
diff --git a/src/git-source-provider.ts b/src/git-source-provider.ts
index 793fa4b..d7b1422 100644
--- a/src/git-source-provider.ts
+++ b/src/git-source-provider.ts
@@ -106,9 +106,13 @@ export async function getSource(settings: IGitSourceSettings): Promise<void> {
     // Save state for POST action
     stateHelper.setRepositoryPath(settings.repositoryPath)
 
-    // Setup Blacksmith git mirror cache if in Blacksmith environment
+    // Setup Blacksmith git mirror cache if in Blacksmith environment.
+    // shouldUseBlacksmithCache() honors the BLACKSMITH_BYPASS_CHECKOUT
+    // kill switch (driven by the per-installation flag in the control plane),
+    // so flipping that flag disables the entire Blacksmith code path here
+    // and in the post step.
     let cacheInfo: blacksmithCache.CacheInfo | null = null
-    if (blacksmithCache.isBlacksmithEnvironment()) {
+    if (blacksmithCache.shouldUseBlacksmithCache()) {
       try {
         core.startGroup('Setting up Blacksmith git mirror cache')
         cacheInfo = await blacksmithCache.setupCache(