diff --git a/RELEASES-COMMITS-MAP.md b/RELEASES-COMMITS-MAP.md
index f62b961..b4cccfd 100644
--- a/RELEASES-COMMITS-MAP.md
+++ b/RELEASES-COMMITS-MAP.md
@@ -39,3 +39,4 @@ Ship recipe: **`HOWTO-DEVEL-DEPLOY.md`**.
 - uncommitted: `DeskApp.Sync()` matches `downloadAll` (disabled / master-off clips)
 | 0.6.81 | `02aff5715a386a68333dc65aa44af05836e6adb3` | dirty | 2026-09-15T21:06:49-03:00 | `0a0266909c800a58620b3e0c8a47919a8315000a19accc1c1405f76fc6e0b113` | build |
 | 0.7.0 | `60b19e108776101a1e3c038c9a6819da01c8e6cf` | dirty | 2026-09-15T22:36:42-03:00 | `9098dfbf31e60e9fada3141d0b0ae91f9d5b5b4e5c0ba2dfaf46a72794c704a2` | build |
+| 0.7.1 | `a27057daf60a2399706ccef1d0ef99299304b6b5` | dirty | 2026-09-16T07:22:19-03:00 | `1dcf52bc466ce7b537621b8bedcba1ffb7edd352a68625692f99083be32792f1` | build |
diff --git a/autostart.go b/autostart.go
index 768bc5b..af6777e 100644
--- a/autostart.go
+++ b/autostart.go
@@ -55,8 +55,14 @@ func decideAutostart(exists bool, currentTarget, exe string) string {
 	return "update"
 }
 
+// skipAutostart is true for an explicit opt-out or a lab device: a test box
+// must not register itself to start with the user session.
+func skipAutostart(noAutostartEnv, root string) bool {
+	return noAutostartEnv != "" || develMarked(root)
+}
+
 func ensureUserAutostart() {
-	if os.Getenv("MMRADIO_NO_AUTOSTART") != "" {
+	if skipAutostart(os.Getenv("MMRADIO_NO_AUTOSTART"), exeDir()) {
 		return
 	}
 	exe, err := currentExe()
diff --git a/autostart_test.go b/autostart_test.go
index aae59ea..b28ff83 100644
--- a/autostart_test.go
+++ b/autostart_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"testing"
@@ -36,3 +37,22 @@ func TestSamePathWindowsFold(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("windows should ignore case")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSkipAutostartOnDevelMark(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	if skipAutostart("", root) {
+		t.Fatal("plain store box must register autostart")
+	}
+	if !skipAutostart("1", root) {
+		t.Fatal("env opt-out must skip")
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(root, develMarkName), nil, 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !skipAutostart("", root) {
+		t.Fatal("devel mark must skip autostart")
+	}
+	if skipAutostart("", "") {
+		t.Fatal("empty root must not skip")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/protocol.go b/protocol.go
index 173f45f..c9aff9c 100644
--- a/protocol.go
+++ b/protocol.go
@@ -45,15 +45,21 @@ func resolveWSURL(root string) string {
 	if v := strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv("MMRADIO_WS_URL")); v != "" {
 		return v
 	}
-	if root != "" {
-		st, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(root, develMarkName))
-		if err == nil && !st.IsDir() {
-			return develWSURL
-		}
+	if develMarked(root) {
+		return develWSURL
 	}
 	return defaultWSURL
 }
 
+// develMarked reports whether the lab marker file sits next to the exe.
+func develMarked(root string) bool {
+	if root == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	st, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(root, develMarkName))
+	return err == nil && !st.IsDir()
+}
+
 type heartbeatLive struct {
 	FileID     int
 	Filename   string