diff --git a/scripts/ci/wait-host-web-build-pressure.sh b/scripts/ci/wait-host-web-build-pressure.sh
index a7475a7f..d84a0110 100755
--- a/scripts/ci/wait-host-web-build-pressure.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/wait-host-web-build-pressure.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ set -euo pipefail
 # production host and a CI host, so CD must not start a new Docker/Next build
 # while load, BuildKit, Gitea Actions, or headless smoke pressure is already high.
 # This gate never kills, renices, or rewrites another repo's process tree.
-# 2026-06-28 Codex: CD trigger after opening the AWOOI runner pressure guard.
+# 2026-06-28 Codex: CD trigger after opening the AWOOI runner sentinel guard.
 
 ATTEMPTS="${HOST_WEB_BUILD_PRESSURE_ATTEMPTS:-${HOST_WEB_BUILD_PRESSURE_MAX_ATTEMPTS:-60}}"
 SLEEP_SECONDS="${HOST_WEB_BUILD_PRESSURE_SLEEP_SECONDS:-${HOST_WEB_BUILD_PRESSURE_INTERVAL:-10}}"
diff --git a/scripts/reboot-recovery/awoooi-startup-110.sh b/scripts/reboot-recovery/awoooi-startup-110.sh
index d7e0ac12..ac739b8a 100644
--- a/scripts/reboot-recovery/awoooi-startup-110.sh
+++ b/scripts/reboot-recovery/awoooi-startup-110.sh
@@ -193,7 +193,9 @@ RUNNER_SERVICE="gitea-act-runner-host.service"
 RUNNER_ENABLE_SENTINEL="/run/awoooi-runner-host-enabled"
 START_GITEA_RUNNER_ON_BOOT="${AWOOOI_START_GITEA_RUNNER_ON_BOOT:-0}"
 START_GITEA_RUNNER_ALLOWED=0
-if [ "$START_GITEA_RUNNER_ON_BOOT" = "1" ] && [ -e "$RUNNER_ENABLE_SENTINEL" ]; then
+# The runtime operator sentinel is the explicit, reversible approval to keep
+# the host runner open during an authorized deployment window.
+if [ -e "$RUNNER_ENABLE_SENTINEL" ]; then
     START_GITEA_RUNNER_ALLOWED=1
 fi
 if [ -x "$RUNNER_DIR/act_runner" ] && [ -f "$RUNNER_DIR/config.yaml" ]; then