diff --git a/container/internal/git/checkpoint_manager.go b/container/internal/git/checkpoint_manager.go
index 035e599b..8f59e58d 100644
--- a/container/internal/git/checkpoint_manager.go
+++ b/container/internal/git/checkpoint_manager.go
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@ func GetCheckpointTimeout() time.Duration {
 	return DefaultCheckpointTimeoutSeconds * time.Second
 }
 
+// IsCheckpointEnabled returns whether automatic checkpoint creation is enabled
+// Disabled by default, can be enabled by setting CATNIP_ENABLE_CHECKPOINTS=true
+func IsCheckpointEnabled() bool {
+	value := os.Getenv("CATNIP_ENABLE_CHECKPOINTS")
+	return value == "true" || value == "1"
+}
+
 // CheckpointManager handles checkpoint functionality for sessions
 type CheckpointManager interface {
 	ShouldCreateCheckpoint() bool
diff --git a/container/internal/git/checkpoint_manager_test.go b/container/internal/git/checkpoint_manager_test.go
index a3ffb7c6..befd6fb3 100644
--- a/container/internal/git/checkpoint_manager_test.go
+++ b/container/internal/git/checkpoint_manager_test.go
@@ -97,6 +97,37 @@ func TestGetCheckpointTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, DefaultCheckpointTimeoutSeconds*time.Second, timeout)
 }
 
+func TestIsCheckpointEnabled(t *testing.T) {
+	// Test disabled by default
+	_ = os.Unsetenv("CATNIP_ENABLE_CHECKPOINTS")
+	enabled := IsCheckpointEnabled()
+	assert.False(t, enabled)
+
+	// Test enabled with "true"
+	_ = os.Setenv("CATNIP_ENABLE_CHECKPOINTS", "true")
+	defer func() { _ = os.Unsetenv("CATNIP_ENABLE_CHECKPOINTS") }()
+	enabled = IsCheckpointEnabled()
+	assert.True(t, enabled)
+
+	// Test enabled with "1"
+	_ = os.Setenv("CATNIP_ENABLE_CHECKPOINTS", "1")
+	enabled = IsCheckpointEnabled()
+	assert.True(t, enabled)
+
+	// Test disabled with other values
+	_ = os.Setenv("CATNIP_ENABLE_CHECKPOINTS", "false")
+	enabled = IsCheckpointEnabled()
+	assert.False(t, enabled)
+
+	_ = os.Setenv("CATNIP_ENABLE_CHECKPOINTS", "0")
+	enabled = IsCheckpointEnabled()
+	assert.False(t, enabled)
+
+	_ = os.Setenv("CATNIP_ENABLE_CHECKPOINTS", "yes")
+	enabled = IsCheckpointEnabled()
+	assert.False(t, enabled)
+}
+
 func TestShouldCreateCheckpoint(t *testing.T) {
 	cm := &SessionCheckpointManager{
 		lastCommitTime: time.Now(),
diff --git a/container/internal/services/claude_monitor.go b/container/internal/services/claude_monitor.go
index c198ac45..b7641900 100644
--- a/container/internal/services/claude_monitor.go
+++ b/container/internal/services/claude_monitor.go
@@ -716,6 +716,11 @@ func (m *WorktreeCheckpointManager) HandleTitleChange(newTitle string) {
 
 // startCheckpointTimer starts or restarts the checkpoint timer
 func (m *WorktreeCheckpointManager) startCheckpointTimer() {
+	// Check if checkpoints are enabled via environment variable
+	if !git.IsCheckpointEnabled() {
+		return
+	}
+
 	timeout := git.GetCheckpointTimeout()
 	// Start timer silently
 	m.checkpointTimer = time.AfterFunc(timeout, func() {