diff --git a/backend/src/lib/scheduler.js b/backend/src/lib/scheduler.js
index 0a8b5f1..223efa9 100644
--- a/backend/src/lib/scheduler.js
+++ b/backend/src/lib/scheduler.js
@@ -148,11 +148,10 @@ async function saveZoneState(zoneId, roomState, bookingStatus) {
 // One poll cycle: fetch bookings once, walk every active room zone, apply heating
 // logic only where the room's state has actually changed since the last cycle.
 export async function pollOnce() {
-  // Master kill switch — overrides every zone's own auto_mode. Off means a full
-  // pause: no NewBook fetch, no state tracking, no device commands. Deliberately
-  // silent (no activity_log entry) since "paused" is a normal standing state, not
-  // an event — the Settings toggle itself is the record of when it changed.
-  if (!(await getConfig('automation_enabled', true))) return
+  // Master switch — same effect as every zone's own auto_mode, just applied stack-wide:
+  // NewBook fetch, room-state tracking and activity logging all keep running as normal,
+  // only the actual device setpoint commands are skipped.
+  const automationEnabled = await getConfig('automation_enabled', true)
 
   const defaults = {
     default_arrival_time: await getConfig('default_arrival_time', '15:00:00'),
@@ -212,7 +211,7 @@ export async function pollOnce() {
 
       await saveZoneState(zone.id, newState, booking?.booking_status || null)
 
-      if (!zone.auto_mode) continue // manual override in effect — don't touch setpoints
+      if (!zone.auto_mode || !automationEnabled) continue // manual override or master switch off — don't touch setpoints
       if (newState === oldState) continue // no transition — never poll-and-reassert
 
       await applyStateTransition(zone, oldState, newState)
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
index 2399334..427dc24 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export default function Settings() {
     try {
       await updateConfig('automation_enabled', next)
       setAutomationEnabled(next)
-      setMsg(next ? 'Automation resumed' : 'Automation paused — no setpoints will be sent to any device until resumed')
+      setMsg(next ? 'Automation resumed' : 'Automation paused — device setpoints will no longer change until resumed')
       setTimeout(() => setMsg(''), 4000)
     } catch (e) {
       setError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Failed to update automation state')
@@ -155,8 +155,9 @@ export default function Settings() {
             {automationEnabled ? 'Automation is ON' : 'Automation is PAUSED'}
           </div>
           <div className="muted" style={{ fontSize: 13, marginTop: 2 }}>
-            Master switch for every zone — overrides each zone's own auto mode. While paused, the scheduler
-            skips its poll entirely: no NewBook fetch, no state tracking, no setpoints sent to any device.
+            Master switch for every zone — overrides each zone's own auto mode. While paused, NewBook polling,
+            room-state tracking and activity logging all keep running as normal — only setpoint changes to
+            TRVs/aircon devices are skipped.
           </div>
         </div>
         <button