diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2deaf6c616ce9356f4e91e76493fd03508fa8371..4d2812413ec280f9be613730467c05a40621d2ea 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ Here are variables supported to configure the production environment:
 | `HELM_PROD_ENVIRONMENT_URL`| The production environment url _(only define for static environment URLs declaration and if different from default)_ | `$HELM_ENVIRONMENT_URL` |
 | `HELM_PROD_NAMESPACE`    | The Kubernetes namespace to use for `production` env _(only define to override default)_ | `$KUBE_NAMESPACE` |
 | :lock: `HELM_PROD_KUBE_CONFIG` | Specific kubeconfig for `production` env _(only define to override default)_ | `$HELM_DEFAULT_KUBE_CONFIG` |
-| `AUTODEPLOY_TO_PROD`     | Set this variable to auto-deploy to production. If not set deployment to production will be `manual` (default behaviour). | _none_ (disabled) |
+| `HELM_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY`| Defines the deployment to production strategy. One of `manual` (i.e. _one-click_) or `auto`. | `manual` |
 | `HELM_PROD_VALUES`       | The [Values file](https://helm.sh/docs/chart_template_guide/values_files/) to use with the production environment | _none_ |
 
 ### `helm-lint` job
@@ -407,6 +407,7 @@ This job publishes the packaged chart to a [chart repository](https://helm.sh/do
 | :lock: `HELM_PUBLISH_PASSWORD`      | Helm registry password                       | `$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD` |
 | `HELM_PUBLISH_URL`                  | The URL of the Helm repository to publish your Helm package.<br/>Supports both [chart repository](https://helm.sh/docs/topics/chart_repository/) or [OCI-based registry](https://helm.sh/docs/topics/registries/) (url must be prefixed with `oci://`) | `oci://$CI_REGISTRY/$CI_PROJECT_PATH/charts` ([GitLab's container registry](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/packages/container_registry/)) |
 | `HELM_PUBLISH_ON`                   | Defines on which branch(es) the publish job shall be enabled (`prod` to enable on production branch only, `protected` to enable on protected references and `all` to enable on all Git references) | `prod`                  |
+| `HELM_PUBLISH_STRATEGY`             | Defines the publish strategy. One of `manual` (i.e. _one-click_), `auto` or `none` (disabled). | `manual` |
 | `HELM_CM_PUSH_PLUGIN_VERSION`       | cm-push plugin version to install (only when using `push` method with a regular chart [repository](https://helm.sh/docs/topics/chart_repository/)) | _none_ (latest) |
 
 
diff --git a/kicker.json b/kicker.json
index b3baf2fe3cc76822a6957dcd0c04b655b620e54d..8a633624e032103be564f7b63bdabad04b31029a 100644
--- a/kicker.json
+++ b/kicker.json
@@ -219,6 +219,13 @@
           "values": ["prod", "protected", "all"]
         },
         {
+          "name": "HELM_PUBLISH_STRATEGY",
+          "description": "Defines the publish strategy.",
+          "type": "enum",
+          "values": ["none", "manual", "auto"],
+          "default": "manual"
+        },
+            {
           "name": "HELM_CM_PUSH_PLUGIN_VERSION",
           "description": "cm-push plugin version to install (only when using `push` method with a regular chart [repository](https://helm.sh/docs/topics/chart_repository/)",
           "advanced": true
@@ -343,9 +350,11 @@
       "enable_with": "HELM_PROD_ENABLED",
       "variables": [
         {
-          "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": "HELM_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY",
+          "description": "Defines the deployment to production strategy.",
+          "type": "enum",
+          "values": ["manual", "auto"],
+          "default": "manual"
         },
         {
           "name": "HELM_PROD_APP_NAME",
diff --git a/templates/gitlab-ci-helm.yml b/templates/gitlab-ci-helm.yml
index d34ea30fe13646bcc512ed806483dd5b2a606db4..d910ed1966f740bbf670091cb4e58ead58d939db 100644
--- a/templates/gitlab-ci-helm.yml
+++ b/templates/gitlab-ci-helm.yml
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ variables:
   # HELM_PUBLISH_URL: "${CI_API_V4_URL}/projects/${CI_PROJECT_ID}/packages/helm/release"
   # HELM_PUBLISH_URL: "${CI_API_V4_URL}/projects/${CI_PROJECT_ID}/packages/helm/release"
   HELM_PUBLISH_METHOD: "auto"
-
+  HELM_PUBLISH_STRATEGY: "manual"
+  
   HELM_REPOS: "stable@https://charts.helm.sh/stable bitnami@https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami"
 
   HELM_ENV_VALUE_NAME: environmentType
@@ -109,6 +110,9 @@ variables:
   HELM_REVIEW_ENVIRONMENT_SCHEME: "https"
   HELM_PUBLISH_ON: "prod"
 
+  # default: one-click deploy
+  HELM_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY: manual
+
   # default production ref name (pattern)
   PROD_REF: '/^(master|main)$/'
   # default integration ref name (pattern)
@@ -900,13 +904,13 @@ helm-publish:
       when: never
     - if: '$HELM_PUBLISH_ON == "protected" && $CI_COMMIT_REF_PROTECTED != "true"'
       when: never
-    - if: '$AUTODEPLOY_TO_PROD == "true"'
+    - if: '$HELM_PUBLISH_STRATEGY == "manual"'
       exists:
         - "**/Chart.yaml"
-    # else: manual + blocking
-    - exists:
-        - "**/Chart.yaml"
       when: manual
+    - if: '$HELM_PUBLISH_STRATEGY == "auto"'
+      exists:
+        - "**/Chart.yaml"
 
 # Deploy job prototype
 # Can be extended to define a concrete environment
@@ -1208,10 +1212,6 @@ helm-production:
     # exclude if $HELM_PROD_ENABLED not set
     - if: '$HELM_PROD_ENABLED != "true"'
       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: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME # useless test, just to prevent GitLab warning
+    - if: '$HELM_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY == "manual"'
       when: manual
+    - if: '$HELM_PROD_DEPLOY_STRATEGY == "auto"'