diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 9d321a7..ef01df2 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -260,3 +260,8 @@ OPT_MODEL_MAX_OUTPUT_TOKENS=4000
 # PRICE_BOOK_NOT_CONFIGURED.
 # {"version":"2026-11-01","currency":"SEK","packs":[{"id":"starter","credits":100,"amountMinor":9900}],"metering":{"pagesPerCredit":5,"inputTokensPerCredit":20000,"outputTokensPerCredit":4000}}
 OPT_CREDIT_PRICE_BOOK=
+
+# Pilot switch. `off` runs document structuring without a wallet; it is
+# explicit (never a silent fallback), the response reports `credits: null`, and
+# purchases stay disabled. Unset/`on` requires the price book + ledger.
+OPT_CREDITS_MODE=
diff --git a/app/api/0pt/documents/structure/route.ts b/app/api/0pt/documents/structure/route.ts
index e823d41..f20ea52 100644
--- a/app/api/0pt/documents/structure/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/0pt/documents/structure/route.ts
@@ -127,9 +127,16 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
       { status: 503 },
     );
   }
-  const priceBook = readCreditPriceBook();
-  const databaseUrl = repositoryDatabaseUrl();
-  if (!priceBook || !databaseUrl) {
+  // Explicit pilot switch: `OPT_CREDITS_MODE=off` runs structuring without a
+  // wallet. It is deliberately NOT a silent fallback — the response reports
+  // `credits: null` and the operator has named the mode.
+  const creditsEnabled =
+    process.env.OPT_CREDITS_MODE !== 'off' &&
+    Boolean(readCreditPriceBook()) &&
+    Boolean(repositoryDatabaseUrl());
+  const priceBook = creditsEnabled ? readCreditPriceBook() : undefined;
+  const databaseUrl = creditsEnabled ? repositoryDatabaseUrl() : undefined;
+  if (!creditsEnabled && process.env.OPT_CREDITS_MODE !== 'off') {
     return NextResponse.json(
       {
         error: 'CREDITS_NOT_CONFIGURED',
@@ -249,34 +256,40 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
     );
   }
 
-  const maximumCredits = creditsForUsage(priceBook, {
-    pages: Math.max(1, Math.ceil(sourceChars / 1800)),
-    inputTokens: estimatedInputTokens,
-    outputTokens: policy.maxOutputTokens,
-  });
+  const maximumCredits =
+    creditsEnabled && priceBook
+      ? creditsForUsage(priceBook, {
+          pages: Math.max(1, Math.ceil(sourceChars / 1800)),
+          inputTokens: estimatedInputTokens,
+          outputTokens: policy.maxOutputTokens,
+        })
+      : 0;
   const reservationId = crypto.randomUUID();
-  const ledger = new PostgresCreditLedger(getRepositorySql(databaseUrl));
-  try {
-    await ledger.apply({
-      tenantId,
-      idempotencyKey: `reserve:${reservationId}`,
-      kind: 'reserve',
-      reference: reservationId,
-      amount: maximumCredits,
-    });
-  } catch (error: unknown) {
-    const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Credit reservation failed';
-    if (/Insufficient available credits/i.test(message)) {
-      return NextResponse.json(
-        {
-          error: 'INSUFFICIENT_CREDITS',
-          message: 'Not enough credits for this job',
-          required_credits: maximumCredits,
-        },
-        { status: 402 },
-      );
+  const ledger =
+    creditsEnabled && databaseUrl ? new PostgresCreditLedger(getRepositorySql(databaseUrl)) : undefined;
+  if (ledger) {
+    try {
+      await ledger.apply({
+        tenantId,
+        idempotencyKey: `reserve:${reservationId}`,
+        kind: 'reserve',
+        reference: reservationId,
+        amount: maximumCredits,
+      });
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Credit reservation failed';
+      if (/Insufficient available credits/i.test(message)) {
+        return NextResponse.json(
+          {
+            error: 'INSUFFICIENT_CREDITS',
+            message: 'Not enough credits for this job',
+            required_credits: maximumCredits,
+          },
+          { status: 402 },
+        );
+      }
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'CREDITS_UNAVAILABLE', message }, { status: 503 });
     }
-    return NextResponse.json({ error: 'CREDITS_UNAVAILABLE', message }, { status: 503 });
   }
 
   try {
@@ -292,7 +305,7 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
           dataClass,
           maxInputTokens: policy.maxInputTokens,
           maxOutputTokens: policy.maxOutputTokens,
-          maximumCredits,
+          maximumCredits: Math.max(1, maximumCredits),
         },
         policy: {
           tenantId,
@@ -304,13 +317,15 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
           maxInputTokens: policy.maxInputTokens,
           maxOutputTokens: policy.maxOutputTokens,
         },
-        reservation: {
-          tenantId,
-          projectId,
-          jobId: `doc:${documentId}:${correlationId}`,
-          status: 'reserved',
-          credits: maximumCredits,
-        },
+        reservation: ledger
+          ? {
+              tenantId,
+              projectId,
+              jobId: `doc:${documentId}:${correlationId}`,
+              status: 'reserved',
+              credits: maximumCredits,
+            }
+          : undefined,
       },
       countTokens: async (messages) => Math.ceil(JSON.stringify(messages).length / 4),
       instructions: instruction,
@@ -318,29 +333,34 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
       sources: sources.sources,
     });
 
-    const charged = Math.min(
-      maximumCredits,
-      creditsForUsage(priceBook, {
-        pages: Math.max(1, Math.ceil(sourceChars / 1800)),
-        inputTokens: result.model.promptTokens,
-        outputTokens: result.model.completionTokens,
-      }),
-    );
+    const charged =
+      ledger && priceBook
+        ? Math.min(
+            maximumCredits,
+            creditsForUsage(priceBook, {
+              pages: Math.max(1, Math.ceil(sourceChars / 1800)),
+              inputTokens: result.model.promptTokens,
+              outputTokens: result.model.completionTokens,
+            }),
+          )
+        : 0;
     let balance;
-    try {
-      balance = (
-        await ledger.apply({
-          tenantId,
-          idempotencyKey: `settle:${reservationId}`,
-          kind: 'settle',
-          reference: reservationId,
-          amount: charged,
-        })
-      ).balance;
-    } catch {
-      // The model result is real; keep the reservation for reconciliation
-      // rather than reporting a balance we could not write.
-      balance = undefined;
+    if (ledger) {
+      try {
+        balance = (
+          await ledger.apply({
+            tenantId,
+            idempotencyKey: `settle:${reservationId}`,
+            kind: 'settle',
+            reference: reservationId,
+            amount: charged,
+          })
+        ).balance;
+      } catch {
+        // The model result is real; keep the reservation for reconciliation
+        // rather than reporting a balance we could not write.
+        balance = undefined;
+      }
     }
 
     if (result.status !== 'mechanically_validated') {
@@ -349,7 +369,7 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
           status: 'needs_review',
           issues: result.issues,
           model: result.model,
-          credits: { reserved: maximumCredits, charged, balance },
+          credits: ledger ? { reserved: maximumCredits, charged, balance } : null,
         },
         { status: 200 },
       );
@@ -378,7 +398,7 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
         value: result.value,
         evidence: result.evidence,
         model: result.model,
-        credits: { reserved: maximumCredits, charged, balance },
+        credits: ledger ? { reserved: maximumCredits, charged, balance } : null,
         export:
           exported.status === 'ready'
             ? { media_type: exported.mediaType, content: exported.content }
@@ -399,16 +419,18 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
         { status: 202 },
       );
     }
-    try {
-      await ledger.apply({
-        tenantId,
-        idempotencyKey: `release:${reservationId}`,
-        kind: 'release',
-        reference: reservationId,
-        amount: 0,
-      });
-    } catch {
-      /* the reservation stays for reconciliation */
+    if (ledger) {
+      try {
+        await ledger.apply({
+          tenantId,
+          idempotencyKey: `release:${reservationId}`,
+          kind: 'release',
+          reference: reservationId,
+          amount: 0,
+        });
+      } catch {
+        /* the reservation stays for reconciliation */
+      }
     }
     const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Structuring failed';
     return NextResponse.json(
diff --git a/docs/guides/document-workbench.md b/docs/guides/document-workbench.md
index a5c7469..bc41d98 100644
--- a/docs/guides/document-workbench.md
+++ b/docs/guides/document-workbench.md
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ UI: `/portal/dokument` (upload, structure, review, download) and `/portal/kredit
    releasing it.
 6. **No price is ever read from the client.** The price book is a versioned,
    server-owned JSON document (`OPT_CREDIT_PRICE_BOOK`).
+7. **Pilot mode is explicit.** `OPT_CREDITS_MODE=off` skips reserve/settle and
+   reports `credits: null`. It is not a silent fallback and it does not enable
+   purchases; unset/`on` requires the price book and the ledger.
 
 ## Reusable packages