diff --git a/pkg/agent/runtime_linux.go b/pkg/agent/runtime_linux.go
index 1ea06a2..24435a6 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/runtime_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/runtime_linux.go
@@ -54,35 +54,33 @@ func (s *Server) configureRuntime(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	bird := &BirdManager{
-		NodeName:   s.Node,
-		ConfigPath: "/etc/flock/bird/bird.conf",
+		NodeName:    s.Node,
+		ConfigPath:  "/etc/flock/bird/bird.conf",
 		BirdcSocket: "/run/flock/bird.ctl",
-		Logger:     s.Logger,
+		Logger:      s.Logger,
 	}
+	// Install kernel blackhole routes for the node summary CIDRs. These
+	// stay regardless of BGP — they keep the kernel from sending unknown
+	// destinations within our /64 to a default route loop.
 	if err := bird.SummaryRoutes(nc); err != nil {
 		s.Logger.Warn("install summary routes", "err", err)
 	}
-	if err := bird.Render(nc, nil, nil, routerIDFromNodeIP(s.restCfg)); err != nil {
-		s.Logger.Warn("initial bird render", "err", err)
-	}
-	// Re-render whenever NodeConfig changes (cheap).
-	go func() {
-		t := time.NewTicker(15 * time.Second)
-		defer t.Stop()
-		for {
-			select {
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-				return
-			case <-t.C:
-				cur := s.NodeConfig.Load()
-				if cur == nil {
-					continue
-				}
-				_ = bird.SummaryRoutes(cur)
-				_ = bird.Render(cur, nil, nil, routerIDFromNodeIP(s.restCfg))
-			}
-		}
-	}()
+	// BGP is intentionally NOT rendered on the first cutover.
+	//
+	// Calico's calico-node DaemonSet still runs on this node (it's
+	// Tigera-Operator-managed via ArgoCD with selfHeal=true) and Calico's
+	// bird is bound to BGP port 179 with the same ASN we'd advertise from.
+	// A clean coexistence requires either an Installation-CR change or a
+	// post-cutover Calico stop. Both are out of scope for the first M2
+	// cutover. crt001 carries a static route for the flock /64 instead.
+	//
+	// To switch to live BGP later: replace this block with bird.Render(nc,
+	// ...) + 15s tick re-render, after disabling calico-node on flock-
+	// labeled nodes. The bird sidecar is already running with a bootstrap
+	// config (just protocol kernel + device — no BGP), so flipping this on
+	// is a one-line change here.
+	s.Logger.Info("BIRD BGP disabled for first cutover; static route on crt001 carries flock /64",
+		"node_cidr6", nc.Spec.CIDR6, "node_cidr4", nc.Spec.CIDR4)
 
 	handler := &PodHandler{
 		Node:         s.Node,