diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/program.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/program.ts
index 6230e0f1..fbbb1e46 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/program.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/program.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ function cleanCommandOptions(commandOptions: Record<string, unknown>) {
   if (commandOptions.specs === true) {
     delete commandOptions.specs;
   }
+  if (commandOptions.syncPolicyRoles === true) {
+    delete commandOptions.syncPolicyRoles;
+  }
   return commandOptions;
 }
 
@@ -142,6 +145,10 @@ export function createProgram() {
     '--no-collections',
     `should pull and push the collections (default "${DefaultConfig.collections}")`,
   );
+  const noSyncPolicyRolesOption = new Option(
+    '--no-sync-policy-roles',
+    `should sync the role ↔ policy attachments (directus_access entries linking roles and policies). Disable to leave existing role-policy assignments on the target untouched (default "${DefaultConfig.syncPolicyRoles}")`,
+  );
   const preserveIdsOption = new Option(
     '--preserve-ids <preserveIds>',
     `comma separated list of collections that preserve their original ids (default to none). Use "*" or "all" to preserve all ids, if applicable.`,
@@ -197,6 +204,7 @@ export function createProgram() {
     .addOption(excludeCollectionsOption)
     .addOption(onlyCollectionsOption)
     .addOption(noCollectionsOption)
+    .addOption(noSyncPolicyRolesOption)
     .addOption(preserveIdsOption)
     .addOption(snapshotPathOption)
     .addOption(noSnapshotOption)
@@ -215,6 +223,7 @@ export function createProgram() {
     .addOption(excludeCollectionsOption)
     .addOption(onlyCollectionsOption)
     .addOption(noCollectionsOption)
+    .addOption(noSyncPolicyRolesOption)
     .addOption(snapshotPathOption)
     .addOption(noSnapshotOption)
     .addOption(noSplitOption)
@@ -230,6 +239,7 @@ export function createProgram() {
     .addOption(excludeCollectionsOption)
     .addOption(onlyCollectionsOption)
     .addOption(noCollectionsOption)
+    .addOption(noSyncPolicyRolesOption)
     .addOption(preserveIdsOption)
     .addOption(snapshotPathOption)
     .addOption(noSnapshotOption)
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/collections/policies/data-client.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/collections/policies/data-client.ts
index fe0cd179..091d0a00 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/collections/policies/data-client.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/collections/policies/data-client.ts
@@ -17,10 +17,15 @@ import {
 import { LoggerService } from '../../logger';
 import { POLICIES_COLLECTION } from './constants';
 import deepmerge from 'deepmerge';
+import { ConfigService } from '../../config';
 
 @Service()
 export class PoliciesDataClient extends DataClient<DirectusPolicy> {
-  constructor(loggerService: LoggerService, migrationClient: MigrationClient) {
+  constructor(
+    loggerService: LoggerService,
+    migrationClient: MigrationClient,
+    protected readonly config: ConfigService,
+  ) {
     super(loggerService.getChild(POLICIES_COLLECTION), migrationClient);
   }
 
@@ -33,9 +38,15 @@ export class PoliciesDataClient extends DataClient<DirectusPolicy> {
   }
 
   protected getQueryCommand(query: Query<DirectusPolicy>) {
+    // When role-policy attachments sync is disabled, omit the roles fields
+    // entirely from the dump so they are neither tracked nor diffed.
+    // See https://github.com/tractr/directus-sync/issues/199
+    const extraFields = this.config.shouldSyncPolicyRoles()
+      ? ['*', 'roles.role', 'roles.sort']
+      : ['*'];
     return readPolicies(
       deepmerge<Query<BaseDirectusPolicy>>(query, {
-        fields: ['*', 'roles.role', 'roles.sort'],
+        fields: extraFields,
       }),
     );
   }
@@ -44,6 +55,13 @@ export class PoliciesDataClient extends DataClient<DirectusPolicy> {
     itemId: string,
     diffItem: Partial<WithoutIdAndSyncId<DirectusPolicy>>,
   ) {
+    // When role-policy attachments sync is disabled, drop the roles diff
+    // entirely so existing attachments on the target are left untouched.
+    // See https://github.com/tractr/directus-sync/issues/199
+    if (!this.config.shouldSyncPolicyRoles() && diffItem.roles) {
+      const { roles: _ignored, ...rest } = diffItem as Partial<DirectusPolicy>;
+      diffItem = rest as Partial<WithoutIdAndSyncId<DirectusPolicy>>;
+    }
     // Explicit update of the roles field (many-to-many relation)
     // Issue : https://github.com/tractr/directus-sync/issues/148
     if (diffItem.roles) {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/collections/policies/data-mapper.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/collections/policies/data-mapper.ts
index 243880d2..3cf1e519 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/collections/policies/data-mapper.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/collections/policies/data-mapper.ts
@@ -4,18 +4,27 @@ import { LoggerService } from '../../logger';
 import { POLICIES_COLLECTION } from './constants';
 import { DirectusPolicy } from './interfaces';
 import { RolesIdMapperClient } from '../roles';
+import { ConfigService } from '../../config';
 
 @Service()
 export class PoliciesDataMapper extends DataMapper<DirectusPolicy> {
-  protected fieldsToIgnore: Field<DirectusPolicy>[] = ['users', 'permissions'];
-  protected idMappers: IdMappers<DirectusPolicy> = {
-    roles: {
-      // @ts-expect-error TODO: Bad SDK Typing
-      role: Container.get(RolesIdMapperClient),
-    },
-  };
+  protected fieldsToIgnore: Field<DirectusPolicy>[];
+  protected idMappers: IdMappers<DirectusPolicy>;
 
-  constructor(loggerService: LoggerService) {
+  constructor(loggerService: LoggerService, config: ConfigService) {
     super(loggerService.getChild(POLICIES_COLLECTION));
+
+    if (config.shouldSyncPolicyRoles()) {
+      this.fieldsToIgnore = ['users', 'permissions'];
+      this.idMappers = {
+        roles: {
+          // @ts-expect-error TODO: Bad SDK Typing
+          role: Container.get(RolesIdMapperClient),
+        },
+      };
+    } else {
+      this.fieldsToIgnore = ['users', 'permissions', 'roles'];
+      this.idMappers = {};
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/config.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/config.ts
index 58ef3e81..47bfba27 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/config.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/config.ts
@@ -177,6 +177,11 @@ export class ConfigService {
     return list.filter((collection) => !exclude.includes(collection));
   }
 
+  @Cacheable()
+  shouldSyncPolicyRoles() {
+    return this.requireOptions('syncPolicyRoles');
+  }
+
   @Cacheable()
   shouldPreserveIds(collection: CollectionPreservableIdName) {
     const preserveIds = this.requireOptions('preserveIds');
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/default-config.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/default-config.ts
index 76c904ab..854ffdc4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/default-config.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/default-config.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export const DefaultConfig: Pick<
   | 'excludeCollections'
   | 'onlyCollections'
   | 'collections'
+  | 'syncPolicyRoles'
   | 'preserveIds'
   | 'snapshotPath'
   | 'snapshot'
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ export const DefaultConfig: Pick<
   excludeCollections: [],
   onlyCollections: [],
   collections: true,
+  syncPolicyRoles: true,
   preserveIds: [],
   // Snapshot
   snapshotPath: 'snapshot',
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/schema.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/schema.ts
index da7e71e7..995c25fe 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/schema.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/services/config/schema.ts
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ export const OptionsFields = {
   excludeCollections: z.array(CollectionEnum).optional(),
   onlyCollections: z.array(CollectionEnum).optional(),
   collections: z.boolean(),
+  syncPolicyRoles: z.boolean(),
   preserveIds: z.union([
     z.array(CollectionPreservableIdEnum).optional(),
     z.enum(['all', '*']),
@@ -162,6 +163,7 @@ export const ConfigFileOptionsSchema = z.object({
   excludeCollections: OptionsFields.excludeCollections.optional(),
   onlyCollections: OptionsFields.onlyCollections.optional(),
   collections: OptionsFields.collections.optional(),
+  syncPolicyRoles: OptionsFields.syncPolicyRoles.optional(),
   preserveIds: OptionsFields.preserveIds.optional(),
   // Snapshot config
   snapshotPath: OptionsFields.snapshotPath.optional(),
diff --git a/packages/e2e/spec/entrypoint.spec.ts b/packages/e2e/spec/entrypoint.spec.ts
index b749355d..7143d20e 100644
--- a/packages/e2e/spec/entrypoint.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e/spec/entrypoint.spec.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   pushWithExistingUuid,
   pushWithUserPolicyAssignment,
   pushWithRolePolicyAssignmentChanges,
+  pushWithNoSyncPolicyRoles,
   prettyDiffOutput,
 } from './pull-diff-push/index.js';
 import { sortJson } from './pull-diff-push/sort-json.js';
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ describe('Tests entrypoint ->', () => {
   pushWithExistingUuid(context);
   pushWithUserPolicyAssignment(context);
   pushWithRolePolicyAssignmentChanges(context);
+  pushWithNoSyncPolicyRoles(context);
   updateDefaultData(context);
 
   pushWithDependencies(context);
diff --git a/packages/e2e/spec/pull-diff-push/index.ts b/packages/e2e/spec/pull-diff-push/index.ts
index 4e2ca762..ddb9e97a 100644
--- a/packages/e2e/spec/pull-diff-push/index.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e/spec/pull-diff-push/index.ts
@@ -11,5 +11,6 @@ export * from './push-twice-on-empty-instance.js';
 export * from './push-with-existing-uuid.js';
 export * from './push-with-user-policy-assignment.js';
 export * from './push-with-role-policy-assignment-changes.js';
+export * from './push-with-no-sync-policy-roles.js';
 export * from './sort-json.js';
 export * from './pretty-diff-output.js';
diff --git a/packages/e2e/spec/pull-diff-push/push-with-no-sync-policy-roles.ts b/packages/e2e/spec/pull-diff-push/push-with-no-sync-policy-roles.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3dacdab8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/e2e/spec/pull-diff-push/push-with-no-sync-policy-roles.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import {
+  createPolicy,
+  DirectusPolicy,
+  readPolicy,
+  updatePolicy,
+} from '@directus/sdk';
+import {
+  Context,
+  getDumpedSystemCollectionsContents,
+  getPolicy,
+  newRole,
+  Schema,
+} from '../helpers/index.js';
+
+/**
+ * Regression test for https://github.com/tractr/directus-sync/issues/199
+ *
+ * When `--no-sync-policy-roles` is passed, role ↔ policy attachments
+ * (directus_access entries) must be left untouched on the target,
+ * even when the local dump's policies have a different set of attachments.
+ */
+export const pushWithNoSyncPolicyRoles = (context: Context) => {
+  it('should leave existing role-policy attachments untouched when --no-sync-policy-roles is set', async () => {
+    const sync = await context.getSync('temp/push-with-no-sync-policy-roles');
+    const directus = context.getDirectus();
+    const client = directus.get();
+
+    const role = (roleId: string) => (access: { role: string }) =>
+      access.role === roleId;
+
+    // Local roles: role1 + role2 attached to the policy
+    const role1 = await newRole(client);
+    const role2 = await newRole(client);
+
+    const policy = await client.request(
+      createPolicy({
+        ...getPolicy(null),
+        roles: [
+          { role: role1.id, sort: 1 },
+          { role: role2.id, sort: 2 },
+        ],
+      } as unknown as DirectusPolicy<Schema>),
+    );
+
+    // Pull the current state (with attachments) using the default behavior
+    await sync.pull();
+
+    // Simulate "production": a third role gets attached and the original
+    // role1 attachment is removed by an admin on the target instance.
+    const role3 = await newRole(client);
+    const currentPolicy = await client.request(
+      readPolicy(policy.id, { fields: ['id', 'roles.*'] }),
+    );
+    const role1Access = currentPolicy.roles.find(role(role1.id));
+    await client.request(
+      updatePolicy(policy.id, {
+        roles: {
+          create: [{ role: role3.id, sort: 3 }],
+          update: [],
+          delete: [role1Access.id],
+        },
+      } as unknown as DirectusPolicy<Schema>),
+    );
+
+    // Sanity check: target now has role2 + role3 (no role1)
+    const beforePush = await client.request(
+      readPolicy(policy.id, { fields: ['id', 'roles.*'] }),
+    );
+    expect(beforePush.roles.length).toBe(2);
+    expect(beforePush.roles.find(role(role1.id))).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(beforePush.roles.find(role(role2.id))).toBeDefined();
+    expect(beforePush.roles.find(role(role3.id))).toBeDefined();
+
+    // Push with --no-sync-policy-roles: target attachments must be preserved
+    await sync.push(['--no-sync-policy-roles']);
+
+    const afterPush = await client.request(
+      readPolicy(policy.id, { fields: ['id', 'roles.*'] }),
+    );
+    // role1 must NOT have been re-added (local dump still has it, but flag is on)
+    expect(afterPush.roles.find(role(role1.id))).toBeUndefined();
+    // role3 must NOT have been removed (it's only on the target, not in dump)
+    expect(afterPush.roles.find(role(role3.id))).toBeDefined();
+    // role2 must still be there
+    expect(afterPush.roles.find(role(role2.id))).toBeDefined();
+    expect(afterPush.roles.length).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it('should not dump role attachments on pull when --no-sync-policy-roles is set', async () => {
+    const sync = await context.getSync('temp/pull-with-no-sync-policy-roles');
+    const directus = context.getDirectus();
+    const client = directus.get();
+
+    const role1 = await newRole(client);
+    const policy = await client.request(
+      createPolicy({
+        ...getPolicy(null),
+        roles: [{ role: role1.id, sort: 1 }],
+      } as unknown as DirectusPolicy<Schema>),
+    );
+
+    await sync.pull(['--no-sync-policy-roles']);
+
+    // Read back the dumped policy file and assert no roles attachments
+    const { policies } = getDumpedSystemCollectionsContents(sync.getDumpPath());
+    const ourPolicy = policies?.find(
+      (p: { name?: string }) => p.name === policy.name,
+    );
+    expect(ourPolicy).toBeDefined();
+    // roles must be absent or empty (we did not query them)
+    expect(ourPolicy?.roles ?? []).toEqual([]);
+  });
+};
diff --git a/website/docs/features/configuration.mdx b/website/docs/features/configuration.mdx
index f33083e7..a9d8ae8e 100644
--- a/website/docs/features/configuration.mdx
+++ b/website/docs/features/configuration.mdx
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ These options can be used with any command to configure the operation of `direct
 - `--no-collections`
   Do not pull and push the Directus collections. By default, the collections are pulled and pushed.
 
+- `--no-sync-policy-roles`  
+  Do not sync the role ↔ policy attachments (`directus_access` entries linking roles and policies). When set,
+  these attachments are neither dumped on `pull` nor modified on `push`, leaving existing assignments on the
+  target instance untouched. Useful when end-users manage policy assignments directly in production.
+  See [#199](https://github.com/tractr/directus-sync/issues/199).
+
 - `--preserve-ids <preserveIds>`  
   Comma-separated list of directus collections to preserve the original ids during the `pull` or `push` process.  
   Possible collections are: `dashboards`, `operations`, `panels`, `policies`, `roles` and `translations`.  
@@ -125,6 +131,7 @@ module.exports = {
   onlyCollections: ['roles', 'policies', 'permissions', 'settings'],
   collections: true,
   excludeCollections: ['settings'],
+  syncPolicyRoles: true, // set to false to leave role↔policy attachments untouched on the target
   preserveIds: ['roles', 'panels'], // can be '*' or 'all' to preserve all ids, or an array of collections
   maxPushRetries: 20,
   snapshotPath: 'snapshot',
diff --git a/website/docs/help-outputs/diff.md b/website/docs/help-outputs/diff.md
index eede83f0..3b3a6578 100644
--- a/website/docs/help-outputs/diff.md
+++ b/website/docs/help-outputs/diff.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Options:
   -x, --exclude-collections <excludeCollections>  comma separated list of collections to exclude from the process (default to none)
   -o, --only-collections <onlyCollections>        comma separated list of collections to include in the process (default to all)
   --no-collections                                should pull and push the collections (default "true")
+  --no-sync-policy-roles                          should sync the role ↔ policy attachments (directus_access entries linking roles and policies). Disable to leave existing role-policy assignments on the target untouched (default "true")
   --snapshot-path <snapshotPath>                  the path for the schema snapshot dump, relative to the dump path (default "snapshot")
   --no-snapshot                                   should pull and push the Directus schema (default "true")
   --no-split                                      should split the schema snapshot into multiple files (default "true")
diff --git a/website/docs/help-outputs/pull.md b/website/docs/help-outputs/pull.md
index 92438600..90069605 100644
--- a/website/docs/help-outputs/pull.md
+++ b/website/docs/help-outputs/pull.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Options:
   -x, --exclude-collections <excludeCollections>  comma separated list of collections to exclude from the process (default to none)
   -o, --only-collections <onlyCollections>        comma separated list of collections to include in the process (default to all)
   --no-collections                                should pull and push the collections (default "true")
+  --no-sync-policy-roles                          should sync the role ↔ policy attachments (directus_access entries linking roles and policies). Disable to leave existing role-policy assignments on the target untouched (default "true")
   --preserve-ids <preserveIds>                    comma separated list of collections that preserve their original ids (default to none). Use "*" or "all" to preserve all ids, if applicable.
   --snapshot-path <snapshotPath>                  the path for the schema snapshot dump, relative to the dump path (default "snapshot")
   --no-snapshot                                   should pull and push the Directus schema (default "true")
diff --git a/website/docs/help-outputs/push.md b/website/docs/help-outputs/push.md
index 6f7e7a67..513f9708 100644
--- a/website/docs/help-outputs/push.md
+++ b/website/docs/help-outputs/push.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Options:
   -x, --exclude-collections <excludeCollections>  comma separated list of collections to exclude from the process (default to none)
   -o, --only-collections <onlyCollections>        comma separated list of collections to include in the process (default to all)
   --no-collections                                should pull and push the collections (default "true")
+  --no-sync-policy-roles                          should sync the role ↔ policy attachments (directus_access entries linking roles and policies). Disable to leave existing role-policy assignments on the target untouched (default "true")
   --preserve-ids <preserveIds>                    comma separated list of collections that preserve their original ids (default to none). Use "*" or "all" to preserve all ids, if applicable.
   --snapshot-path <snapshotPath>                  the path for the schema snapshot dump, relative to the dump path (default "snapshot")
   --no-snapshot                                   should pull and push the Directus schema (default "true")