diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a62af6efa7219a94d5364577f41a44b28226aa5d..f8a468619c3bb6fbd197b97301a2d1f4a0524283 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ Here are variables supported to configure the production environment:
 | :lock: `GCP_PROD_KEY_FILE`|[Service Account key file](https://cloud.google.com/bigquery/docs/authentication/service-account-file) to authenticate on `production` env  _(only define if different from default)_    | `$GCP_KEY_FILE` |
 | `GCP_PROD_APP_NAME`       | Application name for `production` env  | `$GCP_BASE_APP_NAME` |
 | `GCP_PROD_ENVIRONMENT_URL`| The production environment url _(only define for static environment URLs declaration and if different from default)_ | `$GCP_ENVIRONMENT_URL` |
-| `AUTODEPLOY_TO_PROD`      | Set this variable to auto-deploy to production. If not set deployment to production will be `manual` (default behaviour). | _none_ (disabled) |
+| `GCP_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY`| Defines the deployment to production strategy. One of `manual` (i.e. _one-click_) or `auto`. | `manual` |
 | `GCP_PROD_OIDC_PROVIDER` | Workload Identity Provider associated with GitLab to [authenticate with OpenID Connect](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/cloud_services/google_cloud/) on `production ` environment | none|
 | `GCP_PROD_OIDC_ACCOUNT`  | Service Account to which impersonate with OpenID Connect authentication on `production ` environment | none  |
 
diff --git a/kicker.json b/kicker.json
index 10ad824c352e8accde3151b52010c85e3bea09a7..7b46d1033c820918a6b5f3ea7cb2b6b1540402b9 100644
--- a/kicker.json
+++ b/kicker.json
@@ -191,9 +191,11 @@
           "advanced": true
         },
         {
-          "name": "AUTODEPLOY_TO_PROD",
-          "type": "boolean",
-          "description": "Set this variable to auto-deploy to production. If not set deployment to production will be manual (default behaviour)."
+          "name": "GCP_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY",
+          "description": "Defines the deployment to production strategy.",
+          "type": "enum",
+          "values": ["manual", "auto"],
+          "default": "manual"
         },
         {
           "name": "GCP_PROD_KEY_FILE",
diff --git a/templates/gitlab-ci-gcloud.yml b/templates/gitlab-ci-gcloud.yml
index be380ab8bf1fc131a8646a6f81a257d60f439db8..930aa8f1fa01f2643ae02df1e7a85ef6cd49bd71 100644
--- a/templates/gitlab-ci-gcloud.yml
+++ b/templates/gitlab-ci-gcloud.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ variables:
   GCP_BASE_APP_NAME: "$CI_PROJECT_NAME"
   GCP_REVIEW_ENVIRONMENT_SCHEME: "https"
 
+  # default: one-click deploy
+  GCP_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY: manual
 
   # default production ref name (pattern)
   PROD_REF: '/^(master|main)$/'
@@ -525,7 +527,6 @@ gcp-staging:
     # only on production branch(es), with $GCP_STAGING_PROJECT set
     - if: '$GCP_STAGING_PROJECT && $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ $PROD_REF'
 
-# Deploy to production if on branch master and variable GCP_PROD_PROJECT defined and AUTODEPLOY_TO_PROD is set
 gcp-production:
   extends: .gcp-deploy
   stage: production
@@ -548,10 +549,6 @@ gcp-production:
     # exclude if $GCP_PROD_PROJECT not set
     - if: '$GCP_PROD_PROJECT == null || $GCP_PROD_PROJECT == ""'
       when: never
-    # if $AUTODEPLOY_TO_PROD: auto
-    - if: '$AUTODEPLOY_TO_PROD == "true"'
-    # else if PUBLISH_ON_PROD enabled: auto (because the publish job was blocking)
-    - if: '$PUBLISH_ON_PROD == "true"'
-    # else: manual, blocking
-    - if: $GCP_PROD_PROJECT # useless test, just to prevent GitLab warning
+    - if: '$GCP_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY == "manual"'
       when: manual
+    - if: '$GCP_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY == "auto"'