diff --git a/api/current-types.go b/api/current-types.go
index 9f1a5d1b6..37183fbf0 100644
--- a/api/current-types.go
+++ b/api/current-types.go
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ const (
 	BackstageConditionReasonDeployed   BackstageConditionReason = bsv1.BackstageConditionReasonDeployed
 	BackstageConditionReasonFailed     BackstageConditionReason = bsv1.BackstageConditionReasonFailed
 	BackstageConditionReasonInProgress BackstageConditionReason = bsv1.BackstageConditionReasonInProgress
+	BackstageConditionReasonIdled      BackstageConditionReason = bsv1.BackstageConditionReasonIdled
 )
 
 // AddToScheme adds the current API version's types to the scheme.
diff --git a/api/v1alpha5/backstage_types.go b/api/v1alpha5/backstage_types.go
index d66ed7977..ee9a0ed44 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha5/backstage_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha5/backstage_types.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ const (
 	BackstageConditionReasonDeployed   BackstageConditionReason = "Deployed"
 	BackstageConditionReasonFailed     BackstageConditionReason = "DeployFailed"
 	BackstageConditionReasonInProgress BackstageConditionReason = "DeployInProgress"
+	BackstageConditionReasonIdled      BackstageConditionReason = "Idled"
 )
 
 // BackstageSpec defines the desired state of Backstage
diff --git a/docs/admin.md b/docs/admin.md
index 11a08536b..e22a77a60 100644
--- a/docs/admin.md
+++ b/docs/admin.md
@@ -176,4 +176,37 @@ This command queries multiple resource types at once: `all` covers common resour
 oc get pvc -n <namespace> | grep backstage-psql-<cr-name>
 ```
 
-Review carefully before deleting, especially PersistentVolumeClaims which contain data.
\ No newline at end of file
+Review carefully before deleting, especially PersistentVolumeClaims which contain data.
+
+## Instance Idling
+
+The Operator supports idling and waking Backstage instances via the `rhdh.redhat.com/idle` annotation on the Backstage CR. When set to `"true"`, the Operator scales all managed workloads (Backstage Deployment or StatefulSet, and the local DB StatefulSet if enabled) to zero replicas in the same namespace as the CR.
+
+When the annotation is removed, the next reconciliation restores replicas to their normal values.
+
+When the local DB is disabled (`spec.database.enableLocalDb: false`), only the Backstage Deployment is affected.
+
+### Idling an instance
+
+```bash
+kubectl annotate backstage <cr-name> rhdh.redhat.com/idle=true
+```
+
+After reconciliation, the status condition will show:
+
+```
+Type: Deployed
+Status: False
+Reason: Idled
+Message: Instance is idled
+```
+
+> **Note for CI and monitoring scripts:** An idled instance reports `Deployed=False` with `Reason=Idled`. Scripts that wait for `Deployed=True` should check the `Reason` field to distinguish an intentionally idled instance from a deployment failure. To ensure readiness checks succeed, remove the `rhdh.redhat.com/idle` annotation before waiting for deployment.
+
+### Waking an instance
+
+```bash
+kubectl annotate backstage <cr-name> rhdh.redhat.com/idle-
+```
+
+The status condition transitions back to its normal deployed state.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 4f6d60ee9..b41fe9ef6 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ It is highly recommended to read the [Design](design.md) document to understand
   - [Deployment Configuration](#deployment-configuration)
     - [Deployment Kind](#deployment-kind) 
     - [Deployment Patching](#deployment-patching)
+  - [Instance Idling](#instance-idling)
   - [Database Configuration](#database-configuration)
 
 
diff --git a/internal/controller/backstage_controller.go b/internal/controller/backstage_controller.go
index 49c832175..78ce50133 100644
--- a/internal/controller/backstage_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/backstage_controller.go
@@ -115,6 +115,11 @@ func (r *BackstageReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (
 		return ctrl.Result{}, errorAndStatus(&backstage, "failed to apply backstage objects", err)
 	}
 
+	if model.ShouldIdle(backstage) {
+		setStatusCondition(&backstage, api.BackstageConditionTypeDeployed, metav1.ConditionFalse, api.BackstageConditionReasonIdled, "Instance is idled")
+		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
+	}
+
 	r.setDeploymentStatus(ctx, &backstage, *bsModel)
 	return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/model/db-statefulset.go b/pkg/model/db-statefulset.go
index c9b76dbe7..871f2fe60 100644
--- a/pkg/model/db-statefulset.go
+++ b/pkg/model/db-statefulset.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 
@@ -95,9 +96,19 @@ func (b *DbStatefulSet) updateAndValidate(backstage api.Backstage, scheme *runti
 			b.setDbSecretEnvVar(b.container(), secret.Name)
 		}
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
+// compile-time check
+var _ Idler = (*DbStatefulSet)(nil)
+
+func (b *DbStatefulSet) Idle() {
+	if b.statefulSet != nil {
+		b.statefulSet.Spec.Replicas = ptr.To(int32(0))
+	}
+}
+
 func (b *DbStatefulSet) setMetaInfo(backstage api.Backstage, scheme *runtime.Scheme) {
 	b.statefulSet.SetName(DbStatefulSetName(backstage.Name))
 	utils.GenerateLabel(&b.statefulSet.Spec.Template.Labels, BackstageAppLabel, utils.BackstageDbAppLabelValue(backstage.Name))
diff --git a/pkg/model/deployment.go b/pkg/model/deployment.go
index 9de637d62..3031bf9fd 100644
--- a/pkg/model/deployment.go
+++ b/pkg/model/deployment.go
@@ -141,6 +141,13 @@ func (b *BackstageDeployment) updateAndValidate(backstage api.Backstage, _ *runt
 	return nil
 }
 
+// compile-time check
+var _ Idler = (*BackstageDeployment)(nil)
+
+func (b *BackstageDeployment) Idle() {
+	b.deployable.(Idler).Idle()
+}
+
 func (b *BackstageDeployment) setMetaInfo(backstage api.Backstage, scheme *runtime.Scheme) {
 	b.deployable.GetObject().SetName(DeploymentName(backstage.Name))
 	utils.GenerateLabel(&b.deployable.PodObjectMeta().Labels, BackstageAppLabel, utils.BackstageAppLabelValue(backstage.Name))
diff --git a/pkg/model/deployment_obj.go b/pkg/model/deployment_obj.go
index 8c6fb0f4e..dfea83455 100644
--- a/pkg/model/deployment_obj.go
+++ b/pkg/model/deployment_obj.go
@@ -6,11 +6,15 @@ import (
 	appv1 "k8s.io/api/apps/v1"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 )
 
-// compile-time check
-var _ Deployable = (*DeploymentObj)(nil)
+// compile-time checks
+var (
+	_ Deployable = (*DeploymentObj)(nil)
+	_ Idler      = (*DeploymentObj)(nil)
+)
 
 type DeploymentObj struct {
 	Obj *appv1.Deployment
@@ -56,6 +60,10 @@ func (d *DeploymentObj) SpecReplicas() *int32 {
 	return d.Obj.Spec.Replicas
 }
 
+func (d *DeploymentObj) Idle() {
+	d.Obj.Spec.Replicas = ptr.To(int32(0))
+}
+
 // toStatefulSet converts a Deployment to a StatefulSet
 func toStatefulSet(dep *appv1.Deployment) *appv1.StatefulSet {
 	ss := &appv1.StatefulSet{
diff --git a/pkg/model/deployment_test.go b/pkg/model/deployment_test.go
index 5e0c35934..bf02efd6f 100644
--- a/pkg/model/deployment_test.go
+++ b/pkg/model/deployment_test.go
@@ -385,6 +385,44 @@ func TestDeploymentKind(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, depPodSpec, ssPodSpec)
 }
 
+func TestIdleAnnotationSetsReplicasToZero(t *testing.T) {
+	bs := *deploymentTestBackstage.DeepCopy()
+	bs.Spec.Database = &api.Database{EnableLocalDb: ptr.To(true)}
+	bs.Annotations = map[string]string{
+		IdleAnnotation: "true",
+	}
+
+	testObj := createBackstageTest(bs).withDefaultConfig(true)
+
+	model, err := InitObjects(context.TODO(), bs, testObj.externalConfig, platform.Default, testObj.scheme)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	deployment := model.getDeployment()
+	assert.NotNil(t, deployment)
+	assert.Equal(t, int32(0), *deployment.deployable.SpecReplicas())
+
+	dbSS := model.GetRuntimeObject(DbStatefulSetKey).(*DbStatefulSet)
+	assert.NotNil(t, dbSS)
+	assert.NotNil(t, dbSS.statefulSet)
+	assert.Equal(t, int32(0), *dbSS.statefulSet.Spec.Replicas)
+}
+
+func TestIdleWithExternalDb(t *testing.T) {
+	bs := *deploymentTestBackstage.DeepCopy()
+	bs.Spec.Database = &api.Database{EnableLocalDb: ptr.To(false)}
+	bs.Annotations = map[string]string{
+		IdleAnnotation: "true",
+	}
+
+	testObj := createBackstageTest(bs).withDefaultConfig(true)
+
+	model, err := InitObjects(context.TODO(), bs, testObj.externalConfig, platform.Default, testObj.scheme)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	deployment := model.getDeployment()
+	assert.Equal(t, int32(0), *deployment.deployable.SpecReplicas())
+}
+
 func TestPatchedStatefulSet(t *testing.T) {
 	bs := *deploymentTestBackstage.DeepCopy()
 	bs.Spec.Deployment = &api.BackstageDeployment{}
diff --git a/pkg/model/idler.go b/pkg/model/idler.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a741930e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/model/idler.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package model
+
+import "github.com/redhat-developer/rhdh-operator/api"
+
+// Idler is implemented by RuntimeObjects whose workloads can be scaled to
+// zero when the Backstage CR carries the idle annotation.
+type Idler interface {
+	Idle()
+}
+
+// ShouldIdle reports whether the Backstage CR requests idling.
+func ShouldIdle(backstage api.Backstage) bool {
+	return backstage.GetAnnotations()[IdleAnnotation] == "true"
+}
diff --git a/pkg/model/runtime.go b/pkg/model/runtime.go
index 85dd0878a..74bf89884 100644
--- a/pkg/model/runtime.go
+++ b/pkg/model/runtime.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 const BackstageAppLabel = "rhdh.redhat.com/app"
+const IdleAnnotation = "rhdh.redhat.com/idle"
 const ConfiguredNameAnnotation = "rhdh.redhat.com/configured-name"
 const DefaultMountPathAnnotation = "rhdh.redhat.com/mount-path"
 const DefaultSubPathAnnotation = "rhdh.redhat.com/sub-path"
@@ -205,6 +206,15 @@ func InitObjects(ctx context.Context, backstage api.Backstage, externalConfig Ex
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Phase 3: idle all workloads if the annotation requests it
+	if ShouldIdle(backstage) {
+		for _, obj := range model.RuntimeObjects {
+			if idleable, ok := obj.(Idler); ok {
+				idleable.Idle()
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return model, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/model/statefulset_obj.go b/pkg/model/statefulset_obj.go
index c0521e6aa..fd9fe36e1 100644
--- a/pkg/model/statefulset_obj.go
+++ b/pkg/model/statefulset_obj.go
@@ -6,11 +6,15 @@ import (
 	appv1 "k8s.io/api/apps/v1"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 )
 
-// compile-time check
-var _ Deployable = (*StatefulSetObj)(nil)
+// compile-time checks
+var (
+	_ Deployable = (*StatefulSetObj)(nil)
+	_ Idler      = (*StatefulSetObj)(nil)
+)
 
 type StatefulSetObj struct {
 	Obj *appv1.StatefulSet
@@ -56,6 +60,10 @@ func (d *StatefulSetObj) SpecReplicas() *int32 {
 	return d.Obj.Spec.Replicas
 }
 
+func (d *StatefulSetObj) Idle() {
+	d.Obj.Spec.Replicas = ptr.To(int32(0))
+}
+
 // toDeployment converts a StatefulSet to a Deployment
 func toDeployment(ss *appv1.StatefulSet) *appv1.Deployment {
 	dep := &appv1.Deployment{