diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index dd1cd2a..957ffbd 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -124,8 +124,13 @@ jobs:
     # Self-hosted windev runner (10.100.0.48): the only host that can build the x86 / net48 Worker
     # and MXAccess-adjacent code. Not required for a green portable build; runs where a runner exists.
     runs-on: [self-hosted, windows]
-    # act host-mode on Windows can't stage JS actions and its pwsh shim dot-sources a relative
-    # path that pwsh rejects; run everything through cmd and check out with plain git instead.
+    # DISABLED pending a working Windows runner. act_runner v0.6.1 host-mode on Windows is broken:
+    # its hostexecutor writes each step's script to a path it then cannot resolve ("The system
+    # cannot find the path specified" / pwsh "not recognized"), independent of shell, and it cannot
+    # stage JS actions (actions/checkout dist/ missing). Windows containers are impractical for the
+    # net48/x86/MXAccess Worker. Until this is resolved, x86 Worker verification stays on the manual
+    # windev worktree process. Re-enable by setting repo variable WINDOWS_CI_ENABLED=true.
+    if: ${{ vars.WINDOWS_CI_ENABLED == 'true' }}
     defaults:
       run:
         shell: cmd
@@ -143,7 +148,8 @@ jobs:
 
   live-mxaccess:
     # Opt-in, scheduled only — needs installed MXAccess COM + live provider state. Never gates a push.
-    if: ${{ github.event_name == 'schedule' }}
+    # Also gated by WINDOWS_CI_ENABLED (see the windows job): the Windows host-mode runner is broken.
+    if: ${{ github.event_name == 'schedule' && vars.WINDOWS_CI_ENABLED == 'true' }}
     runs-on: [self-hosted, windows, mxaccess]
     env:
       MXGATEWAY_RUN_LIVE_MXACCESS_TESTS: '1'