diff --git a/scripts/deploy-production-release.sh b/scripts/deploy-production-release.sh
index 22c42b4..1643bd5 100755
--- a/scripts/deploy-production-release.sh
+++ b/scripts/deploy-production-release.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 root=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)
 production_host=${AI_GATEWAY_PRODUCTION_HOST:-root@110.42.51.33}
-deploy_mode=${AI_GATEWAY_DEPLOY_MODE:-compose}
+deploy_mode=${AI_GATEWAY_DEPLOY_MODE:-kubernetes}
 case $deploy_mode in
   compose) default_remote_helper=/usr/local/sbin/easyai-ai-gateway-release ;;
   kubernetes) default_remote_helper=/usr/local/sbin/easyai-ai-gateway-cluster-release ;;
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ Usage:
 
 This command changes production. Run it only after a successful publish
 command and an explicit user request to release or deploy to production.
+
+AI_GATEWAY_DEPLOY_MODE defaults to kubernetes. Set it to compose only for an
+explicit legacy-environment operation.
 EOF
 }
 
diff --git a/scripts/publish-release-images.sh b/scripts/publish-release-images.sh
index f7955ca..db265b3 100755
--- a/scripts/publish-release-images.sh
+++ b/scripts/publish-release-images.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ cd "$root"
 
 components=auto
 production_host=${AI_GATEWAY_PRODUCTION_HOST:-root@110.42.51.33}
-deploy_mode=${AI_GATEWAY_DEPLOY_MODE:-compose}
+deploy_mode=${AI_GATEWAY_DEPLOY_MODE:-kubernetes}
 case $deploy_mode in
   compose) default_remote_helper=/usr/local/sbin/easyai-ai-gateway-release ;;
   kubernetes) default_remote_helper=/usr/local/sbin/easyai-ai-gateway-cluster-release ;;
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ changes production. When the user requested a production release, continue
 with scripts/deploy-production-release.sh without requesting confirmation again.
 
 Environment:
+  AI_GATEWAY_DEPLOY_MODE          Production target (default: kubernetes)
   AI_GATEWAY_PRODUCTION_HOST       SSH target used for read-only release status
   AI_GATEWAY_REMOTE_RELEASE_HELPER Fixed status/deploy helper on the server
   AI_GATEWAY_IMAGE_REGISTRY        Registry namespace
diff --git a/tests/release/manual-release-test.sh b/tests/release/manual-release-test.sh
index d0cf7ec..829da40 100755
--- a/tests/release/manual-release-test.sh
+++ b/tests/release/manual-release-test.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@ root=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../.." && pwd)
 tmp=$(mktemp -d)
 trap 'rm -rf "$tmp"' EXIT
 
+for release_script in \
+  "$root/scripts/publish-release-images.sh" \
+  "$root/scripts/deploy-production-release.sh"; do
+  grep -F "deploy_mode=\${AI_GATEWAY_DEPLOY_MODE:-kubernetes}" "$release_script" >/dev/null || {
+    echo "production release script does not default to Kubernetes: $release_script" >&2
+    exit 1
+  }
+done
+
 new_repo() {
   local name=$1
   local repo=$tmp/$name