diff --git a/.github/workflows/prod-server-deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/prod-server-deploy.yml
index dfcaa56b..2ac77182 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/prod-server-deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/prod-server-deploy.yml
@@ -33,24 +33,62 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    
+    - name: Parse deployment target from release
+      id: deployment_target
+      run: |
+        # Extract deployment target from release body or use current commit
+        RELEASE_BODY="${{ github.event.release.body }}"
+        TARGET_COMMIT="${{ github.sha }}"
+        TARGET_TAG=""
+        
+        # Look for deployment target in release body
+        # Format: deploy-target: <commit-hash|tag|branch>
+        if echo "$RELEASE_BODY" | grep -i "deploy-target:"; then
+          TARGET_REF=$(echo "$RELEASE_BODY" | grep -i "deploy-target:" | head -1 | sed -E 's/.*[Dd][Ee][Pp][Ll][Oo][Yy]-[Tt][Aa][Rr][Gg][Ee][Tt]:[[:space:]]*//' | awk '{print $1}')
+          echo "Found deployment target: $TARGET_REF"
+          
+          # Check if it's a valid commit/tag/branch
+          if git cat-file -e "$TARGET_REF" 2>/dev/null; then
+            TARGET_COMMIT=$(git rev-parse "$TARGET_REF")
+            if git tag --list | grep -q "^${TARGET_REF}$"; then
+              TARGET_TAG="$TARGET_REF"
+            fi
+            echo "Resolved target to commit: $TARGET_COMMIT"
+          else
+            echo "Invalid deployment target '$TARGET_REF', using current commit"
+          fi
+        else
+          echo "No deployment target specified, using current commit"
+        fi
+        
+        echo "deploy_commit=$TARGET_COMMIT" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+        echo "deploy_tag=$TARGET_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+        echo "Using deployment commit: $TARGET_COMMIT"
+    
+    - name: Checkout deployment target
+      if: steps.deployment_target.outputs.deploy_commit != github.sha
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      with:
+        ref: ${{ steps.deployment_target.outputs.deploy_commit }}
 
     - name: Build action runner
-      run: docker build -t "wgd-action-runner:prod" --build-arg "GIT_SHA=${GITHUB_SHA}" apps/wgd-action-runner
+      run: docker build -t "wgd-action-runner:prod" --build-arg "GIT_SHA=${{ steps.deployment_target.outputs.deploy_commit }}" apps/wgd-action-runner
 
     - uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
       with:
-        tags: "wikigdrive-prod:${{ github.sha }},wikigdrive-prod:latest"
+        tags: "wikigdrive-prod:${{ steps.deployment_target.outputs.deploy_commit }},wikigdrive-prod:latest"
         push: false
         build-args: |
-          GIT_SHA=${{ github.sha }}
+          GIT_SHA=${{ steps.deployment_target.outputs.deploy_commit }}
           BUILD_UI=yes
 
     - name: Build docs
       run: |
         docker run \
         -v "/var/www/wikigdrive.com:/usr/src/app/website/.vitepress/dist" \
-        -e "GIT_SHA=${{ github.sha }}" \
-        "wikigdrive-prod:${{ github.sha }}" deno task -f wikigdrive-website build
+        -e "GIT_SHA=${{ steps.deployment_target.outputs.deploy_commit }}" \
+        "wikigdrive-prod:${{ steps.deployment_target.outputs.deploy_commit }}" deno task -f wikigdrive-website build
 
     - name: Stop and remove
       run: docker stop wikigdrive-prod ; docker rm wikigdrive-prod
@@ -69,10 +107,10 @@ jobs:
           -v "/var/www/preview-prod:/var/www/preview-prod" \
           -v "/srv/overlay_mounts:/srv/overlay_mounts" \
           -e "DOMAIN=https://wikigdrive.com" \
-          -e "GIT_SHA=${GITHUB_SHA}" \
+          -e "GIT_SHA=${{ steps.deployment_target.outputs.deploy_commit }}" \
           --publish 127.0.0.1:3000:3000 \
           --restart unless-stopped \
-          "wikigdrive-prod:${GITHUB_SHA}" wikigdrive \
+          "wikigdrive-prod:${{ steps.deployment_target.outputs.deploy_commit }}" wikigdrive \
           --service_account /service_account.json \
           --share_email mie-docs-wikigdrive@wikigdrive.iam.gserviceaccount.com \
           --workdir /data \
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c7fc4a08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Documentation
+
+This directory contains additional documentation for WikiGDrive development and operations.
+
+## Files
+
+- [deployment-control.md](deployment-control.md) - Guide for release-based deployment control
+- [deployment-examples.md](deployment-examples.md) - Example release descriptions for deployment control
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/deployment-control.md b/docs/deployment-control.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea81ccca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/deployment-control.md
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+# Release-based Deployment Control
+
+This document describes how to control which version of the code is deployed to production using the GitHub release system.
+
+## Overview
+
+The production deployment system now supports deploying specific versions of the code without needing to reset the master branch. This is accomplished by specifying a deployment target in the release description.
+
+## How it Works
+
+When you create a GitHub release, the production deployment workflow will:
+
+1. Check the release description for a deployment target specification
+2. If found, checkout and deploy that specific commit/tag/branch
+3. If not found, deploy the current commit (default behavior)
+
+## Specifying a Deployment Target
+
+To deploy a specific version, include the following line in your release description:
+
+```
+deploy-target: <commit-hash|tag|branch>
+```
+
+### Examples
+
+**Deploy a specific commit:**
+```
+deploy-target: a1b2c3d4e5f6
+```
+
+**Deploy a specific tag:**
+```
+deploy-target: v2.15.14
+```
+
+**Deploy a specific branch:**
+```
+deploy-target: hotfix/security-patch
+```
+
+## Use Cases
+
+### Rollback to Previous Version
+
+To rollback to a previous release:
+
+1. Create a new release with the title "Rollback to v2.15.14"
+2. In the release description, add:
+   ```
+   deploy-target: v2.15.14
+   
+   Rolling back production to stable version due to issues with latest release.
+   ```
+3. Publish the release
+
+### Deploy a Hotfix
+
+To deploy a hotfix branch without merging to master:
+
+1. Create a hotfix branch: `git checkout -b hotfix/critical-fix`
+2. Make your changes and push the branch
+3. Create a new release with the title "Hotfix: Critical Security Patch"
+4. In the release description, add:
+   ```
+   deploy-target: hotfix/critical-fix
+   
+   Emergency deployment of security patch.
+   ```
+5. Publish the release
+
+### Deploy for Testing
+
+To deploy a specific commit for testing:
+
+1. Find the commit hash you want to deploy
+2. Create a new release with the title "Testing Deploy"
+3. In the release description, add:
+   ```
+   deploy-target: abc123def456
+   
+   Deploying specific commit for testing purposes.
+   ```
+4. Publish the release
+
+## Benefits
+
+- **Safe Rollbacks**: Easily rollback to any previous version without touching master
+- **Hotfix Deployment**: Deploy critical fixes without waiting for full merge cycle
+- **Testing Flexibility**: Deploy specific versions for testing without disrupting development
+- **Audit Trail**: All deployments are tracked through GitHub releases
+- **No Master Branch Risk**: Never need to reset or force-push master branch
+
+## Validation
+
+The deployment workflow validates that the specified target exists before attempting deployment. If an invalid target is specified, the deployment will fall back to using the current commit and log a warning.
+
+## Monitoring
+
+You can verify which version is currently deployed by:
+
+1. Checking the Docker container tags in production
+2. Looking at the `GIT_SHA` environment variable in the running container
+3. Reviewing the deployment logs in GitHub Actions
+
+## Migration from Manual Process
+
+Previously, deploying specific versions required:
+
+1. Resetting master to the target commit
+2. Creating a release from that reset
+3. Resetting master back to its original state
+
+With this new system, you simply:
+
+1. Create a release with the deployment target specified
+2. The system handles checkout and deployment automatically
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/deployment-examples.md b/docs/deployment-examples.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..da0bc5dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/deployment-examples.md
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+# Example Release Descriptions
+
+This file provides examples of how to use the deployment control feature in GitHub releases.
+
+## Example 1: Deploy Specific Tag (Rollback)
+
+**Release Title:** Rollback to v2.15.14
+
+**Release Description:**
+```
+deploy-target: v2.15.14
+
+Rolling back production to stable version v2.15.14 due to critical issues discovered in v2.15.15.
+
+This deployment will:
+- Restore the stable codebase
+- Fix the authentication issues reported in production
+- Maintain data integrity
+
+Once deployed, we will investigate the issues in v2.15.15 before the next release.
+```
+
+## Example 2: Deploy Hotfix Branch
+
+**Release Title:** Emergency Security Patch
+
+**Release Description:**
+```
+deploy-target: hotfix/security-cve-2024-001
+
+Emergency deployment of security patch for CVE-2024-001.
+
+This hotfix addresses:
+- SQL injection vulnerability in user authentication
+- Cross-site scripting vulnerability in file upload
+- Privilege escalation in admin dashboard
+
+The fix has been tested in staging and is ready for immediate production deployment.
+```
+
+## Example 3: Deploy Specific Commit
+
+**Release Title:** Deploy Tested Build
+
+**Release Description:**
+```
+deploy-target: a1b2c3d4e5f6789012345678901234567890abcd
+
+Deploying specific commit that has been thoroughly tested in staging environment.
+
+This commit includes:
+- Performance improvements for large file processing
+- Bug fixes for Google Drive synchronization
+- UI improvements for mobile devices
+
+Testing completed:
+- ✅ Unit tests: 100% pass
+- ✅ Integration tests: 100% pass
+- ✅ Performance tests: Within acceptable limits
+- ✅ Security scan: No vulnerabilities found
+```
+
+## Example 4: Regular Release (No Deploy Target)
+
+**Release Title:** WikiGDrive v2.16.0
+
+**Release Description:**
+```
+New features and improvements in this release:
+
+- Added support for collaborative editing
+- Improved markdown rendering performance
+- Enhanced file synchronization reliability
+- New authentication options
+
+Full changelog: https://github.com/mieweb/wikiGDrive/compare/v2.15.14...v2.16.0
+
+This release will deploy the current codebase automatically.
+```
+
+## Example 5: Deploy Feature Branch for Testing
+
+**Release Title:** Testing New File Processor
+
+**Release Description:**
+```
+deploy-target: feature/new-file-processor
+
+Deploying feature branch for production testing of the new file processing engine.
+
+⚠️ This is a testing deployment and may be unstable.
+
+Changes in this branch:
+- Rewritten file processing pipeline
+- Improved error handling and recovery
+- Better memory management for large files
+
+Monitoring required:
+- Watch for memory usage spikes
+- Monitor file processing times
+- Check error logs for any issues
+
+Plan to rollback if issues are detected within 2 hours.
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/test_deployment_parsing.sh b/test/test_deployment_parsing.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..5fdd52c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_deployment_parsing.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Test script for deployment target parsing
+# This simulates the logic used in the GitHub Actions workflow
+
+test_deployment_target_parsing() {
+    local release_body="$1"
+    local expected_target="$2"
+    local test_name="$3"
+    
+    echo "Testing: $test_name"
+    echo "Release body: $release_body"
+    
+    # Simulate the parsing logic
+    if echo "$release_body" | grep -i "deploy-target:"; then
+        target_ref=$(echo "$release_body" | grep -i "deploy-target:" | head -1 | sed -E 's/.*[Dd][Ee][Pp][Ll][Oo][Yy]-[Tt][Aa][Rr][Gg][Ee][Tt]:[[:space:]]*//' | awk '{print $1}')
+        echo "Found deployment target: $target_ref"
+        if [ "$target_ref" = "$expected_target" ]; then
+            echo "✅ PASS: Correctly parsed target '$target_ref'"
+        else
+            echo "❌ FAIL: Expected '$expected_target', got '$target_ref'"
+        fi
+    else
+        if [ "$expected_target" = "" ]; then
+            echo "✅ PASS: No deployment target found (as expected)"
+        else
+            echo "❌ FAIL: Expected target '$expected_target' but found none"
+        fi
+    fi
+    echo ""
+}
+
+# Test cases
+test_deployment_target_parsing "deploy-target: v2.15.14" "v2.15.14" "Simple tag deployment"
+
+test_deployment_target_parsing "Emergency fix
+
+deploy-target: hotfix/security-patch
+
+This deploys a critical security fix." "hotfix/security-patch" "Deployment target in multiline description"
+
+test_deployment_target_parsing "Deploy-Target: a1b2c3d4e5f6" "a1b2c3d4e5f6" "Case insensitive matching"
+
+test_deployment_target_parsing "Regular release without deployment target" "" "No deployment target specified"
+
+test_deployment_target_parsing "deploy-target: main
+Additional text here" "main" "Target with additional content"
+
+echo "All deployment target parsing tests completed."
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/website/docs/developer-guide.md b/website/docs/developer-guide.md
index d20b22ba..40478cce 100644
--- a/website/docs/developer-guide.md
+++ b/website/docs/developer-guide.md
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ curl -fsSL https://deno.land/install.sh | DENO_INSTALL=/usr/local sh
 ## Version Strategy
 * We use labels to set the version number based on https://github.com/marketplace/actions/create-tag-release
 * See background info: https://github.com/mieweb/wikiGDrive/issues/297
+
+## Deployment Control
+* Production deployments support release-based version control
+* You can deploy specific commits, tags, or branches without resetting master
+* See [deployment-control.md](../../docs/deployment-control.md) for detailed instructions
+* Specify deployment targets in release descriptions using: `deploy-target: <commit-hash|tag|branch>`
   
 
 ## Install locally