diff --git a/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/AndroidComponentsConfig.kt b/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/AndroidComponentsConfig.kt
index ef8fb70f8..be4136c3c 100644
--- a/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/AndroidComponentsConfig.kt
+++ b/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/AndroidComponentsConfig.kt
@@ -61,6 +61,32 @@ fun ApplicationAndroidComponentsExtension.configure(
   tmpDir.mkdirs()
 
   onVariants { variant ->
+    // Validate distribution configuration for this variant
+    val updateSdkVariants = extension.distribution.updateSdkVariants.get()
+    val variantName = variant.name
+
+    if (updateSdkVariants.contains(variantName)) {
+      val isVariantAllowed =
+        isVariantAllowed(extension, variant.name, variant.flavorName, variant.buildType)
+
+      // Check if updateSdkVariants contains a variant that is ignored
+      if (!isVariantAllowed) {
+        throw IllegalArgumentException(
+          "Invalid configuration: updateSdkVariants contains variant '$variantName' which is in ignoredVariants. " +
+            "You cannot use the auto-update SDK in variants where the Sentry SDK is disabled."
+        )
+      }
+
+      // Check if updateSdkVariants is set but distribution uploads are disabled
+      val distributionEnabled = extension.distribution.enabled.get()
+      if (!distributionEnabled) {
+        throw IllegalArgumentException(
+          "Invalid configuration: updateSdkVariants contains variant '$variantName' but buildDistribution.enabled is false. " +
+            "It doesn't make sense to embed the auto-update SDK without uploading the build."
+        )
+      }
+    }
+
     if (isVariantAllowed(extension, variant.name, variant.flavorName, variant.buildType)) {
       val paths = OutputPaths(project, variant.name)
       val sentryTelemetryProvider =
@@ -230,7 +256,7 @@ fun ApplicationAndroidComponentsExtension.configure(
           .toTransform(SingleArtifact.MERGED_MANIFEST)
       }
       val sizeAnalysisEnabled = extension.sizeAnalysis.enabled.get() == true
-      val distributionEnabled = extension.distribution.enabledVariants.get().contains(variant.name)
+      val distributionEnabled = extension.distribution.enabled.get() == true
       if (sizeAnalysisEnabled || distributionEnabled) {
         variant.configureUploadAppTasks(
           project,
@@ -396,11 +422,13 @@ private fun ApplicationVariant.configureDistributionPropertiesTask(
   sentryProject: String?,
 ): TaskProvider<GenerateDistributionPropertiesTask>? {
   val variantName = name
-  if (extension.distribution.enabledVariants.get().contains(variantName)) {
+  val updateSdkVariants = extension.distribution.updateSdkVariants.get()
+
+  if (updateSdkVariants.contains(variantName)) {
     val variant = AndroidVariant74(this)
     // Distribution uses a custom auto-install implementation instead of the standard
     // InstallStrategy approach (see AutoInstall.kt) because it requires variant-specific
-    // installation based on extension.distribution.enabledVariants, whereas other integrations
+    // installation based on extension.distribution.updateSdkVariants, whereas other integrations
     // are installed globally when their dependencies are detected.
     if (extension.autoInstallation.enabled.get()) {
       val sentryVersion = extension.autoInstallation.sentryVersion.get()
diff --git a/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/autoinstall/AutoInstall.kt b/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/autoinstall/AutoInstall.kt
index 325240043..642bee62a 100644
--- a/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/autoinstall/AutoInstall.kt
+++ b/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/autoinstall/AutoInstall.kt
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ internal const val SENTRY_GROUP = "io.sentry"
 // Note: sentry-android-distribution is not included here because it requires variant-specific
 // installation logic. Unlike other integrations that are installed globally when their
 // dependencies are detected, distribution must be installed per-variant based on
-// extension.distribution.enabledVariants. See
+// extension.distribution.updateSdkVariants. See
 // AndroidComponentsConfig.configureDistributionPropertiesTask.
 private val strategies =
   listOf(
diff --git a/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/extensions/DistributionExtension.kt b/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/extensions/DistributionExtension.kt
index fcb513112..30e216ed7 100644
--- a/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/extensions/DistributionExtension.kt
+++ b/plugin-build/src/main/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/extensions/DistributionExtension.kt
@@ -1,21 +1,37 @@
 package io.sentry.android.gradle.extensions
 
+import io.sentry.android.gradle.util.CiUtils.isCi
 import javax.inject.Inject
 import org.gradle.api.model.ObjectFactory
 import org.gradle.api.provider.Property
+import org.gradle.api.provider.ProviderFactory
 import org.gradle.api.provider.SetProperty
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.ApiStatus.Experimental
 
 @Experimental
-open class DistributionExtension @Inject constructor(objects: ObjectFactory) {
+open class DistributionExtension
+@Inject
+constructor(objects: ObjectFactory, providerFactory: ProviderFactory) {
 
   /**
-   * Set of Android build variants that should have distribution enabled.
+   * Controls whether build distribution uploads are enabled.
    *
-   * Note: The global ignore settings (ignoredVariants, ignoredBuildTypes, ignoredFlavors) have no
-   * relation to distribution and do not affect which variants are enabled here.
+   * Defaults to false.
    */
-  val enabledVariants: SetProperty<String> =
+  val enabled: Property<Boolean> =
+    objects.property(Boolean::class.java).convention(providerFactory.isCi() && false)
+
+  /**
+   * Set of Android build variants that should have the auto-update SDK added and auth token
+   * embedded.
+   *
+   * This must be a subset of variants not in ignoredVariants. It is a build-time error to specify a
+   * variant that is ignored by the Sentry plugin.
+   *
+   * Note: This controls auto-update SDK installation only. The [enabled] property controls whether
+   * builds are uploaded for distribution.
+   */
+  val updateSdkVariants: SetProperty<String> =
     objects.setProperty(String::class.java).convention(emptySet())
 
   /** Auth token used for distribution operations. */
diff --git a/plugin-build/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/extensions/DistributionExtensionTest.kt b/plugin-build/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/extensions/DistributionExtensionTest.kt
index c5a8b9cba..fc030a4a8 100644
--- a/plugin-build/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/extensions/DistributionExtensionTest.kt
+++ b/plugin-build/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/extensions/DistributionExtensionTest.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package io.sentry.android.gradle.extensions
 
 import kotlin.test.assertEquals
+import kotlin.test.assertFalse
 import kotlin.test.assertTrue
 import org.gradle.testfixtures.ProjectBuilder
 import org.junit.Test
@@ -8,21 +9,39 @@ import org.junit.Test
 class DistributionExtensionTest {
 
   @Test
-  fun `enabledVariants is empty by default`() {
+  fun `enabled is false by default`() {
     val project = ProjectBuilder.builder().build()
     val extension = project.objects.newInstance(DistributionExtension::class.java)
 
-    assertTrue(extension.enabledVariants.get().isEmpty())
+    assertFalse(extension.enabled.get())
   }
 
   @Test
-  fun `enabledVariants can be configured with variant names`() {
+  fun `enabled can be configured`() {
     val project = ProjectBuilder.builder().build()
     val extension = project.objects.newInstance(DistributionExtension::class.java)
 
-    extension.enabledVariants.set(setOf("freeDebug", "paidRelease"))
+    extension.enabled.set(true)
 
-    assertEquals(setOf("freeDebug", "paidRelease"), extension.enabledVariants.get())
+    assertTrue(extension.enabled.get())
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  fun `updateSdkVariants is empty by default`() {
+    val project = ProjectBuilder.builder().build()
+    val extension = project.objects.newInstance(DistributionExtension::class.java)
+
+    assertTrue(extension.updateSdkVariants.get().isEmpty())
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  fun `updateSdkVariants can be configured with variant names`() {
+    val project = ProjectBuilder.builder().build()
+    val extension = project.objects.newInstance(DistributionExtension::class.java)
+
+    extension.updateSdkVariants.set(setOf("freeDebug", "paidRelease"))
+
+    assertEquals(setOf("freeDebug", "paidRelease"), extension.updateSdkVariants.get())
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/plugin-build/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/integration/SentryPluginAutoInstallTest.kt b/plugin-build/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/integration/SentryPluginAutoInstallTest.kt
index ed854dfa5..f4768aa95 100644
--- a/plugin-build/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/integration/SentryPluginAutoInstallTest.kt
+++ b/plugin-build/src/test/kotlin/io/sentry/android/gradle/integration/SentryPluginAutoInstallTest.kt
@@ -426,7 +426,8 @@ class SentryPluginAutoInstallTest :
               includeProguardMapping = false
               autoInstallation.enabled = true
               distribution {
-                enabledVariants = ["debug"]
+                enabled = true
+                updateSdkVariants = ["debug"]
               }
             }
             """
@@ -483,7 +484,8 @@ class SentryPluginAutoInstallTest :
               includeProguardMapping = false
               autoInstallation.enabled = false
               distribution {
-                enabledVariants = ["debug"]
+                enabled = true
+                updateSdkVariants = ["debug"]
               }
             }
             """