diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/main-red-watchdog.yml b/.gitea/workflows/main-red-watchdog.yml
index 2dbec72b..f3f62be7 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/main-red-watchdog.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/main-red-watchdog.yml
@@ -37,10 +37,13 @@ name: main-red-watchdog
 # "unknown on type" when `workflow_dispatch.inputs.X` is present. Revisit
 # when Gitea ≥ 1.23 is fleet-wide.
 on:
-  schedule:
-    # Hourly at :05 — task spec calls for "off-zero" (`5 * * * *`),
-    # offset from :17 (ci-required-drift) and :00 (peak cron load).
-    - cron: '5 * * * *'
+  # SCHEDULE DISABLED 2026-05-12 — interim per RFC#420 Option-C machinery-down emergency
+  # Watchdog timing out behind runner saturation; rev3+dedicated-runner-label in flight
+  # Re-enable after rev3 lands + runner saturation root resolved
+  #   schedule:
+  #     # Hourly at :05 — task spec calls for "off-zero" (`5 * * * *`),
+  #     # offset from :17 (ci-required-drift) and :00 (peak cron load).
+  #     - cron: '5 * * * *'
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 # Read commit status + branch ref + issues; write issues (open/PATCH/close).
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/status-reaper.yml b/.gitea/workflows/status-reaper.yml
index 4d992b4b..f6d0289d 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/status-reaper.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/status-reaper.yml
@@ -53,13 +53,16 @@ name: status-reaper
 # `inputs:` block here. Gitea 1.22.6 rejects the whole workflow as
 # "unknown on type" when `workflow_dispatch.inputs.X` is present.
 on:
-  schedule:
-    # Every 5 minutes. Off-zero alignment with sibling cron workflows:
-    # ci-required-drift (`:17`), main-red-watchdog (`:05`),
-    # railway-pin-audit (`:23`). 5-min cadence gives a tight enough
-    # close on schedule-triggered false-reds that main-red-watchdog
-    # (hourly :05) almost never files an issue on the false case.
-    - cron: '*/5 * * * *'
+  # SCHEDULE DISABLED 2026-05-12 — interim per RFC#420 Option-C machinery-down emergency
+  # Reaper rev2 not compensating + watchdog timeout-cascade; rev3 in flight
+  # Re-enable after rev3 lands + runner saturation root resolved
+  #   schedule:
+  #     # Every 5 minutes. Off-zero alignment with sibling cron workflows:
+  #     # ci-required-drift (`:17`), main-red-watchdog (`:05`),
+  #     # railway-pin-audit (`:23`). 5-min cadence gives a tight enough
+  #     # close on schedule-triggered false-reds that main-red-watchdog
+  #     # (hourly :05) almost never files an issue on the false case.
+  #     - cron: '*/5 * * * *'
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 # Compensating-status POST needs write on repo statuses; no other