diff --git a/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_bg_worker.py b/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_bg_worker.py
index 3a2c0da..385f917 100644
--- a/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_bg_worker.py
+++ b/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_bg_worker.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 import arxiv
 
-from arxiv_common import get_bg_state_path, parse_research_interests
+from arxiv_common import get_bg_state_path, is_background_enabled, parse_research_interests
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("arxiv.bg_worker")
 logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ def verify(self) -> tuple[bool, str]:
         return True, f"ArXiv background configured with {len(interests)} interest(s)."
 
     def run_cycle(self) -> BgRunResult:
+        if not is_background_enabled():
+            logger.info("Background disabled. Skipping cycle.")
+            return BgRunResult(content=None)
+
         interests = self.interests
         if not interests:
             return BgRunResult(error="no_interests")
diff --git a/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_common.py b/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_common.py
index 7ef1bd8..8795d58 100644
--- a/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_common.py
+++ b/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_common.py
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import json
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
 MAX_RESULTS = 50
 DEFAULT_STORAGE_PATH = Path.home() / ".arxiv-mcp-server" / "papers"
 DEFAULT_BG_STATE_PATH = Path("/root/.arxiv-truffle/arxiv_bg_state.json")
+DEFAULT_SETTINGS_PATH = Path("/root/.arxiv-truffle/arxiv_settings.json")
 
 
 def get_storage_path() -> Path:
@@ -15,6 +17,35 @@ def get_storage_path() -> Path:
     path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     return path
 
+def get_settings_path() -> Path:
+    raw = str(os.getenv("ARXIV_SETTINGS_PATH", "")).strip()
+    path = Path(raw) if raw else DEFAULT_SETTINGS_PATH
+    path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    return path
+
+def load_settings() -> dict:
+    path = get_settings_path()
+    try:
+        if path.exists():
+            data = json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+            return data
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+    return {}
+
+def save_settings(data: dict) -> None:
+    path = get_settings_path()
+    path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    path.write_text(json.dumps(data, indent=2, sort_keys=True), encoding="utf-8")
+
+def is_background_enabled() -> bool:
+    settings = load_settings()
+    return settings.get("background_enabled", True)
+
+def set_background_enabled(enabled: bool) -> None:
+    settings = load_settings()
+    settings["background_enabled"] = enabled
+    save_settings(settings)
 
 def get_bg_state_path() -> Path:
     raw = str(os.getenv("ARXIV_BG_STATE_PATH", "")).strip()
@@ -39,4 +70,3 @@ def parse_research_interests(raw: str | None) -> list[str]:
         seen.add(key)
         out.append(interest)
     return out
-
diff --git a/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_foreground.py b/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_foreground.py
index ac07513..b0e3c13 100644
--- a/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_foreground.py
+++ b/app-store/arxiv/arxiv_foreground.py
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@
 from truffile.app_runtime import ForegroundApp, ToolSpec, phosphor_icon_url
 
 import arxiv_tools
+from arxiv_common import is_background_enabled, set_background_enabled
 
 
 class ArxivForegroundApp(ForegroundApp):
     def __init__(self) -> None:
         super().__init__("arxiv", logger_name="arxiv.foreground")
         self._register_tools()
+        self._register_settings_tools()
         self._register_prompts()
 
     def _register_tools(self) -> None:
@@ -81,6 +83,37 @@ async def list_papers_tool() -> dict[str, Any]:
         async def read_paper_tool(paper_id: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
             return await arxiv_tools.read_paper(paper_id=paper_id)
 
+    def _register_settings_tools(self) -> None:
+        @self.tool(
+            ToolSpec(
+                name="toggle_background",
+                description=(
+                    "Enable or disable background paper recommendations. "
+                    "When disabled, the background worker skips its search cycle."
+                ),
+                icon=phosphor_icon_url("toggle-right"),
+            )
+        )
+        async def toggle_background_tool(
+            enabled: bool,
+        ) -> dict[str, Any]:
+            set_background_enabled(enabled)
+            state = "enabled" if enabled else "disabled"
+            return {"status": "success", "background_enabled": enabled, "message": f"Background recommendations {state}."}
+
+        @self.tool(
+            ToolSpec(
+                name="background_status",
+                description="Check whether background paper recommendations are currently enabled or disabled.",
+                icon=phosphor_icon_url("info"),
+                readonly=True,
+            )
+        )
+        async def background_status_tool() -> dict[str, Any]:
+            enabled = is_background_enabled()
+            state = "enabled" if enabled else "disabled"
+            return {"status": "success", "background_enabled": enabled, "message": f"Background recommendations are {state}."}
+
     def _register_prompts(self) -> None:
         @self.prompt(
             "deep-paper-analysis",
diff --git a/app-store/arxiv/truffile.yaml b/app-store/arxiv/truffile.yaml
index dfdb9bb..4a4c0f7 100644
--- a/app-store/arxiv/truffile.yaml
+++ b/app-store/arxiv/truffile.yaml
@@ -83,4 +83,5 @@ steps:
     run: |
       mkdir -p /root/.arxiv-mcp-server/papers
       mkdir -p /root/.arxiv-truffle
+      python -c 'from arxiv_common import set_background_enabled; import os; enabled = os.getenv("ARXIV_BACKGROUND_ENABLED", "true").lower() in ("true", "1", "yes"); set_background_enabled(enabled)'
       echo "ArXiv MCP installation complete!"