diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6561cfc..7d97bf8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Create a `torch-config.json` file in your project root (or set `TORCH_CONFIG_PAT
 - `dashboard.defaultCadenceView` (`daily`, `weekly`, or `all`)
 - `dashboard.defaultStatusView` (`active` or `all`)
 - `scheduler.firstPromptByCadence.daily` / `.weekly`
+- `scheduler.paused.daily` / `.weekly` (array of agent names to pause locally)
 
 Weekly alignment maintenance is available via `src/prompts/weekly/repo-fit-agent.md`, which is designed to keep TORCH defaults and docs tuned to the host repository over time.
 
diff --git a/src/docs/TORCH.md b/src/docs/TORCH.md
index 772d86f..6c27215 100644
--- a/src/docs/TORCH.md
+++ b/src/docs/TORCH.md
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ Common settings:
 - `dashboard.defaultCadenceView` — default dashboard view (`daily`, `weekly`, `all`).
 - `dashboard.defaultStatusView` — default dashboard status filter (`active`, `all`).
 - `scheduler.firstPromptByCadence.daily` / `.weekly` — first-run scheduler starting agent.
+- `scheduler.paused.daily` / `.weekly` — array of agent names to exclude from scheduler rotation.
 
 Default first-run daily scheduler prompt is `scheduler-update-agent`.
 
diff --git a/src/nostr-lock.mjs b/src/nostr-lock.mjs
index 049581d..dc4ea25 100644
--- a/src/nostr-lock.mjs
+++ b/src/nostr-lock.mjs
@@ -259,15 +259,22 @@ async function cmdCheck(cadence) {
   const relays = getRelays();
   const namespace = getNamespace();
   const dateStr = todayDateStr();
+  const config = loadTorchConfig();
+  const pausedAgents = (cadence === 'daily' ? config.scheduler.paused.daily : config.scheduler.paused.weekly) || [];
 
   console.error(`Checking locks: namespace=${namespace}, cadence=${cadence}, date=${dateStr}`);
   console.error(`Relays: ${relays.join(', ')}`);
+  if (pausedAgents.length > 0) {
+    console.error(`Paused agents: ${pausedAgents.join(', ')}`);
+  }
 
   const locks = await queryLocks(relays, cadence, dateStr, namespace);
   const lockedAgents = [...new Set(locks.map((l) => l.agent).filter(Boolean))];
   const roster = getRoster(cadence);
+
+  const excludedAgents = [...new Set([...lockedAgents, ...pausedAgents])];
   const unknownLockedAgents = lockedAgents.filter((agent) => !roster.includes(agent));
-  const available = roster.filter((a) => !lockedAgents.includes(a));
+  const available = roster.filter((a) => !excludedAgents.includes(a));
 
   console.log(
     JSON.stringify(
@@ -276,6 +283,8 @@ async function cmdCheck(cadence) {
         cadence,
         date: dateStr,
         locked: lockedAgents.sort(),
+        paused: pausedAgents.sort(),
+        excluded: excludedAgents.sort(),
         available: available.sort(),
         lockCount: locks.length,
         unknownLockedAgents: unknownLockedAgents.sort(),
diff --git a/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md b/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md
index a226932..d844a0f 100644
--- a/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md
+++ b/src/prompts/scheduler-flow.md
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Use this document for all scheduler runs.
    Selection algorithm (MUST be followed exactly):
 
    - Roster source: `src/prompts/roster.json` and the key matching `<cadence>`.
-   - Let `roster` be that ordered array and `excluded` be the locked set from step 2.
+   - Let `roster` be that ordered array and `excluded` be the `excluded` set (including paused and locked agents) from the JSON output of step 2.
    - Let `latest_file` be the lexicographically last filename in `<log_dir>`.
    - Determine `previous_agent` from `latest_file` using this precedence:
      1. Parse YAML frontmatter from `<log_dir>/<latest_file>` and use key `agent` when present and non-empty.
diff --git a/src/torch-config.mjs b/src/torch-config.mjs
index 5d0ead4..1277bd6 100644
--- a/src/torch-config.mjs
+++ b/src/torch-config.mjs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export function loadTorchConfig() {
   const dashboard = raw.dashboard || {};
   const scheduler = raw.scheduler || {};
   const firstPromptByCadence = scheduler.firstPromptByCadence || {};
+  const paused = scheduler.paused || {};
 
   cachedConfig = {
     configPath,
@@ -77,6 +78,10 @@ export function loadTorchConfig() {
         daily: typeof firstPromptByCadence.daily === 'string' ? firstPromptByCadence.daily.trim() : null,
         weekly: typeof firstPromptByCadence.weekly === 'string' ? firstPromptByCadence.weekly.trim() : null,
       },
+      paused: {
+        daily: parseRoster(paused.daily) || [],
+        weekly: parseRoster(paused.weekly) || [],
+      },
     },
   };
 
diff --git a/test/nostr-lock.test.mjs b/test/nostr-lock.test.mjs
index e29f833..0405443 100644
--- a/test/nostr-lock.test.mjs
+++ b/test/nostr-lock.test.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { test, describe, it } from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert';
 import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
 
 describe('CLI Smoke Test', () => {
   it('should print usage when no args provided', () => {
@@ -14,4 +15,24 @@ describe('CLI Smoke Test', () => {
     assert.strictEqual(result.status, 1);
     assert.match(result.stderr.toString(), /--cadence <daily|weekly> is required/);
   });
+
+  it('should include paused agents in check output', () => {
+    const configPath = 'test-torch-config.json';
+    fs.writeFileSync(configPath, JSON.stringify({
+      scheduler: { paused: { daily: ['paused-agent'] } }
+    }));
+
+    try {
+      const result = spawnSync('node', ['src/nostr-lock.mjs', 'check', '--cadence', 'daily'], {
+        env: { ...process.env, TORCH_CONFIG_PATH: configPath }
+      });
+      const output = JSON.parse(result.stdout.toString());
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(output.paused, ['paused-agent']);
+      assert.ok(output.excluded.includes('paused-agent'));
+    } finally {
+      if (fs.existsSync(configPath)) {
+        fs.unlinkSync(configPath);
+      }
+    }
+  });
 });