diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-release.yml b/.github/workflows/create-release.yml
index 3546f8a..93488c5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-release.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ on:
         description: 'Release notes (markdown) - generated by Claude'
         required: true
         type: string
+      draft_only:
+        description: 'Create draft release only (do not publish)'
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
 
 concurrency:
   group: release-${{ github.event.inputs.version || github.ref || github.run_id }}
@@ -442,6 +447,7 @@ jobs:
           gh release upload "${TAG}" release/pulse-auto-update.sh
 
       - name: Publish release
+        if: ${{ github.event.inputs.draft_only != 'true' }}
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: |
@@ -466,7 +472,14 @@ jobs:
             echo "✓ Release published as latest: ${TAG}"
           fi
 
+      - name: Skip publish (draft only)
+        if: ${{ github.event.inputs.draft_only == 'true' }}
+        run: |
+          echo "Draft-only mode: Release remains as draft for review"
+          echo "View draft at: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.release_url }}"
+
       - name: Trigger Docker image publish
+        if: ${{ github.event.inputs.draft_only != 'true' }}
         continue-on-error: true  # Non-fatal if dispatch fails
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.WORKFLOW_PAT }}
@@ -481,6 +494,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "✓ Docker publish workflow dispatched"
 
       - name: Trigger demo server update
+        if: ${{ github.event.inputs.draft_only != 'true' }}
         continue-on-error: true  # Non-fatal if dispatch fails
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.WORKFLOW_PAT }}