diff --git a/src/internal/cfg/cfg.go b/src/internal/cfg/cfg.go
index 90d1720..480a53a 100644
--- a/src/internal/cfg/cfg.go
+++ b/src/internal/cfg/cfg.go
@@ -199,7 +199,9 @@ type SnapshotsCfg struct {
 	// Limit caps how many snapshots a user may keep per container. The default
 	// of 1 gives a light safety net; a snapshot is disk-only (no memory) and
 	// lives under the container in Incus, so it is deleted together with the
-	// container on reinstall/delete. 0 or negative is treated as 1.
+	// container on reinstall/delete. 0 disables snapshots: users cannot create
+	// new ones, but existing snapshots are left untouched. Negative is treated
+	// as 0 (the config validator rejects negatives anyway).
 	Limit int `yaml:"limit"`
 }
 
diff --git a/src/internal/cfg/registry.go b/src/internal/cfg/registry.go
index 55a3567..00882e2 100644
--- a/src/internal/cfg/registry.go
+++ b/src/internal/cfg/registry.go
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ var Fields = []Field{
 			return nil
 		}},
 	{"snapshots.limit", KindOperator, ApplyRestart,
-		"max snapshots a user may keep per container (0 = default 1)",
+		"max snapshots a user may keep per container (0 = disable snapshots)",
 		"1",
 		getStr(func(c *Config) string { return strconv.Itoa(c.Snapshots.Limit) }),
 		func(c *Config, v string) error {
diff --git a/src/internal/mgr/mgr.go b/src/internal/mgr/mgr.go
index 716edbf..e7bc0d1 100644
--- a/src/internal/mgr/mgr.go
+++ b/src/internal/mgr/mgr.go
@@ -875,10 +875,13 @@ var validSnapName = regexp.MustCompile(`^[a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9._-]{0,62}$`)
 // API. Exported for tests and the panel.
 func ValidSnapName(v string) bool { return validSnapName.MatchString(v) }
 
-// SnapshotLimit returns the configured per-container snapshot cap.
+// SnapshotLimit returns the configured per-container snapshot cap. 0 (or a
+// negative value, which the config validator forbids anyway) means snapshots
+// are disabled: users cannot create new ones, but existing snapshots are left
+// untouched. Any positive value is the hard cap.
 func (m *Manager) SnapshotLimit() int {
-	if m.cfg.Snapshots.Limit < 1 {
-		return 1
+	if m.cfg.Snapshots.Limit < 0 {
+		return 0
 	}
 	return m.cfg.Snapshots.Limit
 }
@@ -903,12 +906,16 @@ func (m *Manager) SnapshotCreate(name string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	limit := m.SnapshotLimit()
+	if limit == 0 {
+		return errors.New("snapshots are disabled")
+	}
 	snaps, err := m.lx.SnapshotList(u.Name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if len(snaps) >= m.SnapshotLimit() {
-		return fmt.Errorf("snapshot limit reached (%d)", m.SnapshotLimit())
+	if len(snaps) >= limit {
+		return fmt.Errorf("snapshot limit reached (%d)", limit)
 	}
 	return m.lx.SnapshotCreate(u.Name, snapName())
 }
diff --git a/src/internal/mgr/snapshot_test.go b/src/internal/mgr/snapshot_test.go
index 154f716..d18d3be 100644
--- a/src/internal/mgr/snapshot_test.go
+++ b/src/internal/mgr/snapshot_test.go
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 package mgr
 
 import (
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+
+	"vpsmgr/internal/cfg"
+	"vpsmgr/internal/db"
 )
 
 func TestValidSnapName(t *testing.T) {
@@ -45,3 +49,25 @@ func TestSnapNameFormat(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("snapName() returned the same value twice; concurrent creates would collide")
 	}
 }
+
+// TestSnapshotCreateDisabled verifies that a snapshot cap of 0 refuses creation
+// outright (before any Incus call), while leaving existing snapshots untouched.
+func TestSnapshotCreateDisabled(t *testing.T) {
+	c := cfg.Default()
+	d, err := db.Open(filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "test.db"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer d.Close()
+	if _, err := d.CreateUser("alice", "x", "10.115.0.2", 1, 30001, 10000, 1, 1024, 10); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	m := New(c, d)
+	// A dead socket means any real Incus call would fail; with the cap disabled
+	// we must refuse before reaching Incus at all.
+	c.Incus.Socket = "/nonexistent/vpsmgr-test.sock"
+	c.Snapshots.Limit = 0
+	if err := m.SnapshotCreate("alice"); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "disabled") {
+		t.Fatalf("SnapshotCreate with limit 0 = %v, want 'snapshots are disabled'", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/internal/panel/panel_test.go b/src/internal/panel/panel_test.go
index cfb51d3..631efa7 100644
--- a/src/internal/panel/panel_test.go
+++ b/src/internal/panel/panel_test.go
@@ -920,16 +920,27 @@ func TestSnapshotRoutesRegistered(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestSnapshotLimitClamped checks the config-driven cap is clamped to >= 1.
-func TestSnapshotLimitClamped(t *testing.T) {
+// TestSnapshotLimitSemantics checks the config-driven snapshot cap: default is
+// 1, a positive value is the cap, and 0 (or negative) disables snapshots.
+func TestSnapshotLimitSemantics(t *testing.T) {
 	srv, _ := newTestServer(t)
 	if got := srv.mgr.SnapshotLimit(); got != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("SnapshotLimit() = %d, want 1 (default)", got)
 	}
-	// A zero/negative config value is treated as 1.
+	// A positive value is the hard cap.
+	srv.cfg.Snapshots.Limit = 5
+	if got := srv.mgr.SnapshotLimit(); got != 5 {
+		t.Fatalf("SnapshotLimit() with 5 = %d, want 5", got)
+	}
+	// 0 disables snapshots (no new snapshots, existing ones untouched).
 	srv.cfg.Snapshots.Limit = 0
-	if got := srv.mgr.SnapshotLimit(); got != 1 {
-		t.Fatalf("SnapshotLimit() with 0 = %d, want 1", got)
+	if got := srv.mgr.SnapshotLimit(); got != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("SnapshotLimit() with 0 = %d, want 0 (disabled)", got)
+	}
+	// A negative value (shouldn't pass config validation) is treated as disabled.
+	srv.cfg.Snapshots.Limit = -1
+	if got := srv.mgr.SnapshotLimit(); got != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("SnapshotLimit() with -1 = %d, want 0 (disabled)", got)
 	}
 }