diff --git a/core/internal/server/sysupdate/manager.go b/core/internal/server/sysupdate/manager.go
index ce3681e5d..9f300ac97 100644
--- a/core/internal/server/sysupdate/manager.go
+++ b/core/internal/server/sysupdate/manager.go
@@ -183,13 +183,17 @@ func (m *Manager) Close() {
 	})
 }
 
+// Zero turns scheduled checks off; manual and startup checks still run.
 func (m *Manager) SetInterval(seconds int) {
-	if seconds < minIntervalSeconds {
+	if seconds > 0 && seconds < minIntervalSeconds {
 		seconds = minIntervalSeconds
 	}
 	m.mu.Lock()
-	m.state.IntervalSeconds = seconds
-	m.state.NextCheckUnix = m.nextCheckLocked()
+	m.state.IntervalSeconds = max(seconds, 0)
+	m.state.NextCheckUnix = 0
+	if seconds > 0 {
+		m.state.NextCheckUnix = m.nextCheckLocked()
+	}
 	m.mu.Unlock()
 	m.wake()
 	m.markDirty()
@@ -284,7 +288,11 @@ func (m *Manager) wake() {
 func (m *Manager) scheduler() {
 	defer m.schedulerWG.Done()
 	for {
-		if !m.held() {
+		m.mu.RLock()
+		interval := m.state.IntervalSeconds
+		next := m.state.NextCheckUnix
+		m.mu.RUnlock()
+		if !m.held() || interval == 0 {
 			select {
 			case <-m.stopChan:
 				return
@@ -293,10 +301,6 @@ func (m *Manager) scheduler() {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		m.mu.RLock()
-		interval := m.state.IntervalSeconds
-		next := m.state.NextCheckUnix
-		m.mu.RUnlock()
 		if interval < minIntervalSeconds {
 			interval = minIntervalSeconds
 		}
diff --git a/core/internal/server/sysupdate/shell_test.go b/core/internal/server/sysupdate/shell_test.go
index c83d5fb39..b7813d00b 100644
--- a/core/internal/server/sysupdate/shell_test.go
+++ b/core/internal/server/sysupdate/shell_test.go
@@ -222,6 +222,11 @@ func TestSetIntervalSchedulesFromLastCheck(t *testing.T) {
 	if next := m.GetState().NextCheckUnix; next < now+startupGraceSeconds-5 || next > now+startupGraceSeconds+5 {
 		t.Errorf("overdue next = now+%d, want now+%d", next-now, startupGraceSeconds)
 	}
+
+	m.SetInterval(0)
+	if state := m.GetState(); state.IntervalSeconds != 0 || state.NextCheckUnix != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("never: interval = %d, next = %d, want both 0", state.IntervalSeconds, state.NextCheckUnix)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestRefreshWithoutBackendsAdvancesDeadline(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/SoftwareUpdatesTab.qml b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/SoftwareUpdatesTab.qml
index b62c33cd8..70dbf281c 100644
--- a/quickshell/Modules/Settings/SoftwareUpdatesTab.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Modules/Settings/SoftwareUpdatesTab.qml
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ Item {
         {
             label: I18n.tr("Once a day"),
             seconds: 86400
+        },
+        {
+            label: I18n.tr("Never"),
+            seconds: 0
         }
     ]
 
diff --git a/quickshell/Services/SystemUpdateService.qml b/quickshell/Services/SystemUpdateService.qml
index e8a400073..ff130dc94 100644
--- a/quickshell/Services/SystemUpdateService.qml
+++ b/quickshell/Services/SystemUpdateService.qml
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ Singleton {
         distributionPretty = data.distroPretty || "";
         distributionSupported = (backends.length > 0);
         recentLog = data.recentLog || [];
-        intervalSeconds = data.intervalSeconds || 86400;
+        intervalSeconds = data.intervalSeconds ?? 86400;
         const checked = data.lastCheckUnix || 0;
         const freshCheck = _stateSeeded && checked > lastCheckUnix;
         _stateSeeded = true;