developer(ET): auto-commit from developer run_id=355

tests/conftest.py

@@ -75,3 +75,23 @@ def _reset_webhook_secrets(monkeypatch):
     if db_path_env:
         monkeypatch.setattr(db_mod.settings, "db_path", db_path_env, raising=False)
     yield
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _disable_merge_verify(monkeypatch):
+    """ORCH-071: disable the merge-verify under-gate by default in ALL tests.
+
+    The under-gate (deploy -> done) runs a deterministic merge-actor + a
+    post-deploy merge verification that make REAL Gitea/git calls. Leaving it ON
+    by default would (a) reach the network from unrelated deploy->done tests and
+    (b) make them pass/fail by ACCIDENT depending on whether the live Gitea still
+    has the historical PR merged (a hidden CI flake). We therefore default it to
+    its documented kill-switch OFF state (``merge_verify_enabled=False`` == 1:1
+    pre-ORCH-071 behaviour). Tests that specifically target the under-gate
+    (test_merge_verify / test_deploy_finalizer_merge_gate / test_merge_actor /
+    test_deploy_restart_merge_recovery) re-enable it via their own monkeypatch
+    AFTER this autouse fixture, scoping the feature ON to just those tests.
+    """
+    from src import config as _cfg
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_cfg.settings, "merge_verify_enabled", False, raising=False)
+    yield