diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index a5165309..cd57c6ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ name: Continuous Integration
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    branches: ['**', '!update/**']
+    branches: ['**', '!update/**', '!pr/**']
   push:
-    branches: ['**', '!update/**']
+    branches: ['**', '!update/**', '!pr/**']
     tags: [v*]
 
 env:
diff --git a/ci/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/TypelevelCiPlugin.scala b/ci/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/TypelevelCiPlugin.scala
index 8e99efd8..ddb1f24e 100644
--- a/ci/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/TypelevelCiPlugin.scala
+++ b/ci/src/main/scala/org/typelevel/sbt/TypelevelCiPlugin.scala
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ object TypelevelCiPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
     tlCiScalafixCheck := false,
     tlCiMimaBinaryIssueCheck := true,
     tlCiDocCheck := true,
-    githubWorkflowTargetBranches += "!update/**", // ignore steward branches
+    githubWorkflowTargetBranches ++= Seq(
+      "!update/**", // ignore steward branches
+      "!pr/**" // escape-hatch to disable ci on a branch
+    ),
     githubWorkflowPublishTargetBranches := Seq(),
     githubWorkflowBuild := {