diff --git a/game/reconstructed/btl4gau3.cpp b/game/reconstructed/btl4gau3.cpp
index f5bf3b0..10fea2e 100644
--- a/game/reconstructed/btl4gau3.cpp
+++ b/game/reconstructed/btl4gau3.cpp
@@ -454,6 +454,38 @@ void
 void
 	PilotList::Execute()
 {
+	//
+	// FIELD A/B SWITCH for Gitea #48 (`BT_NO_PILOTLIST=1`).  The operator reports
+	// -- consistently, across two sessions -- that the MFD artifacts began the
+	// night the Comm pilot list was enabled (#43) and were never seen before it.
+	// Four static theories of mine died (plane masks, L4GraphicLamp = dead code,
+	// the sec-port lamps = wrong plane/colour, vertBar = properly clamped), and
+	// no rig has reproduced the artifact: not 2 pilots, not 5 pilots, not
+	// autofire + valve moves.  So stop theorising and make the operator's own
+	// hypothesis DECIDABLE in the field: set this and the pilot list draws
+	// nothing at all, while everything else is untouched.
+	//
+	//   artifacts GONE with it set, PRESENT without  => this widget, confirmed,
+	//                                                  and this is the workaround
+	//   artifacts appear EITHER WAY                  => not the pilot list; the
+	//                                                  correlation was timing
+	//
+	// Diagnostic only, default OFF -- nothing changes unless the gate is set.
+	//
+	{
+		static int s_off = -1;
+		if (s_off < 0)
+		{
+			const char *e = getenv("BT_NO_PILOTLIST");
+			s_off = (e != NULL && *e != '0') ? 1 : 0;
+			if (s_off)
+				DEBUG_STREAM << "[score] BT_NO_PILOTLIST=1 -- the Comm pilot "
+					"list is DISABLED (Gitea #48 A/B)\n" << std::flush;
+		}
+		if (s_off)
+			return;
+	}
+
 	void *local = BTResolveRosterPilot(0);				// slot-0 (local) pilot gates the body
 	{
 		static int s_pl = 0;