diff --git a/.vscode/tasks.json b/.vscode/tasks.json
index 1ddfd14..25d508d 100644
--- a/.vscode/tasks.json
+++ b/.vscode/tasks.json
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@
       "id": "updateDependencies",
       "type": "pickString",
       "description": "Update dependencies after creating branch:",
-      "default": "yes",
+      "default": "no",
       "options": ["yes", "no"]
     },
     {
diff --git a/bin/create-feature.sh b/bin/create-feature.sh
index 870c02e..946123c 100755
--- a/bin/create-feature.sh
+++ b/bin/create-feature.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ set -e
 BRANCH_TYPE=${1:-feature}
 BRANCH_NAME=${2:-}
 BASE_BRANCH=${3:-main}
-UPDATE_DEPS=${4:-yes}
+UPDATE_DEPS=${4:-no}
 
 # Validate branch type
 if [[ "$BRANCH_TYPE" != "feature" && "$BRANCH_TYPE" != "bugfix" && "$BRANCH_TYPE" != "hotfix" && "$BRANCH_TYPE" != "chore" && "$BRANCH_TYPE" != "refactor" ]]; then
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ git push -u origin $FULL_BRANCH
 echo ""
 echo "🎉 Successfully created and checked out $FULL_BRANCH"
 
-# Update dependencies if requested (default: yes)
+# Update dependencies only when explicitly requested (default: no).
+# Pass "yes" as the 4th arg to refresh deps on the new branch; otherwise
+# branch creation leaves the lockfile untouched.
 if [[ "$UPDATE_DEPS" == "yes" ]]; then
   echo ""
   echo "📦 Updating dependencies..."
diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index 7e9014f..d7fc96c 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ build-package:
     python -m build
 
 # Create a feature branch
-create-feature branch_type="feature" branch_name="" base_branch="main" update="yes":
+create-feature branch_type="feature" branch_name="" base_branch="main" update="no":
     bin/create-feature.sh {{branch_type}} {{branch_name}} {{base_branch}} {{update}}
 
 # Version management