diff --git a/modules/gcp/firestore/main.tf b/modules/gcp/firestore/main.tf
index 3f1d5ec..f7eeda3 100644
--- a/modules/gcp/firestore/main.tf
+++ b/modules/gcp/firestore/main.tf
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ resource "google_project_service" "firestore" {
 }
 
 resource "google_firestore_database" "this" {
+  count = var.create_database ? 1 : 0
+
   project                     = var.project_id
   name                        = var.database_name
   location_id                 = var.region
diff --git a/modules/gcp/firestore/outputs.tf b/modules/gcp/firestore/outputs.tf
index 99c0df9..401f35a 100644
--- a/modules/gcp/firestore/outputs.tf
+++ b/modules/gcp/firestore/outputs.tf
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 output "firestore_db_id" {
   description = "The Firestore database resource name."
-  value       = google_firestore_database.this.name
+  value       = try(google_firestore_database.this[0].name, var.database_name)
 }
 
 output "firestore_db_project" {
   description = "The project that owns the Firestore database."
-  value       = google_firestore_database.this.project
+  value       = try(google_firestore_database.this[0].project, var.project_id)
 }
diff --git a/modules/gcp/firestore/variables.tf b/modules/gcp/firestore/variables.tf
index b3af309..08af61d 100644
--- a/modules/gcp/firestore/variables.tf
+++ b/modules/gcp/firestore/variables.tf
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ variable "database_name" {
   default     = "payloadcms-poc-db"
 }
 
+variable "create_database" {
+  description = "Whether this module should create/manage the Firestore database. Set to false if the database already exists and is managed outside Terraform."
+  type        = bool
+  default     = true
+}
+
 variable "api_service_name" {
   description = "The Google API service to enable before creating Firestore."
   type        = string
diff --git a/workspaces/prod/main.tf b/workspaces/prod/main.tf
index 2a9f3a9..15394b8 100644
--- a/workspaces/prod/main.tf
+++ b/workspaces/prod/main.tf
@@ -68,11 +68,27 @@ module "gcp_budget" {
   depends_on = [module.gcp_project_apis]
 }
 
-module "gcp_firestore" {
+# production firestore instance (uncomment when needed)
+# module "gcp_firestore" {
+#   source = "../../modules/gcp/firestore"
+# 
+#   project_id              = var.gcp_project_id
+#   region                  = var.gcp_region
+#   database_name           = "prod-payloadcms-db"
+#   create_database         = var.create_database
+#   delete_protection_state = var.firestore_delete_protection_state
+# 
+#   depends_on = [module.gcp_project_apis]
+# }
+
+module "dev_gcp_firestore" {
   source = "../../modules/gcp/firestore"
 
-  project_id = var.gcp_project_id
-  region     = var.gcp_region
+  project_id              = var.gcp_project_id
+  region                  = var.gcp_region
+  database_name           = "dev-payloadcms-db"
+  create_database         = var.create_database
+  delete_protection_state = "DELETE_PROTECTION_DISABLED"
 
   depends_on = [module.gcp_project_apis]
 }
diff --git a/workspaces/prod/outputs.tf b/workspaces/prod/outputs.tf
index 8206270..d489ca2 100644
--- a/workspaces/prod/outputs.tf
+++ b/workspaces/prod/outputs.tf
@@ -23,9 +23,15 @@ output "gcp_budget_name" {
   value       = module.gcp_budget.budget_name
 }
 
-output "gcp_firestore_db_id" {
-  description = "ID of the Firestore database in prod."
-  value       = module.gcp_firestore.firestore_db_id
+# Production Firestore instance outputs (uncomment when needed, use a distinct name like gcp_prod_firestore_db_id).
+#output "gcp_prod_firestore_db_id" {
+#  description = "ID of the Firestore database in prod."
+#  value       = module.gcp_firestore.firestore_db_id
+#}
+
+output "dev_gcp_firestore_db_id" {
+  description = "ID of the Firestore database in dev."
+  value       = module.dev_gcp_firestore.firestore_db_id
 }
 
 output "github_oidc_role_arn" {
diff --git a/workspaces/prod/terraform.tfvars b/workspaces/prod/terraform.tfvars
index c504c11..406f66f 100644
--- a/workspaces/prod/terraform.tfvars
+++ b/workspaces/prod/terraform.tfvars
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 # Non-sensitive prod workspace defaults.
 # Set prod_account_id and gcp_project_id as TFC workspace variables (sensitive for account ID).
 
-aws_region           = "ap-southeast-1"
-gcp_project_id       = "durianpy-cms"
-gcp_region           = "asia-southeast1"
-gcp_budget_limit_usd = 1
+aws_region                        = "ap-southeast-1"
+gcp_project_id                    = "durianpy-cms"
+gcp_region                        = "asia-southeast1"
+gcp_budget_limit_usd              = 1
+create_database                   = true
+firestore_delete_protection_state = "DELETE_PROTECTION_ENABLED"
 
 budget_notification_email = "durianpy.davao+devops@gmail.com"
 budget_limit_usd          = 50
diff --git a/workspaces/prod/variables.tf b/workspaces/prod/variables.tf
index 8ea678d..4646e30 100644
--- a/workspaces/prod/variables.tf
+++ b/workspaces/prod/variables.tf
@@ -16,6 +16,17 @@ variable "gcp_region" {
   default     = "asia-southeast1"
 }
 
+variable "create_database" {
+  description = "Whether the prod workspace should create/manage the Firestore database."
+  type        = bool
+  default     = true
+}
+
+variable "firestore_delete_protection_state" {
+  description = "Delete protection state for the prod Firestore database."
+  type        = string
+}
+
 variable "gcp_budget_limit_usd" {
   description = "Monthly GCP spend limit in USD for the prod project."
   type        = number
diff --git a/workspaces/root/main.tf b/workspaces/root/main.tf
index cd19558..b8298c8 100644
--- a/workspaces/root/main.tf
+++ b/workspaces/root/main.tf
@@ -56,13 +56,6 @@ module "amplify" {
   source = "./amplify"
 }
 
-module "gcp_firestore" {
-  source = "../../modules/gcp/firestore"
-
-  project_id = var.gcp_project_id
-  region     = var.gcp_region
-}
-
 module "vpc" {
   source = "../../modules/aws/vpc"
 
diff --git a/workspaces/root/outputs.tf b/workspaces/root/outputs.tf
index ec8c278..aa4bc21 100644
--- a/workspaces/root/outputs.tf
+++ b/workspaces/root/outputs.tf
@@ -48,10 +48,6 @@ output "amplify_app_ids" {
   value       = module.amplify.app_ids
 }
 
-output "gcp_firestore_db_id" {
-  description = "ID of the Firestore database in root."
-  value       = module.gcp_firestore.firestore_db_id
-}
 output "vpc_id" {
   description = "ID of the root account VPC."
   value       = module.vpc.vpc_id