diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a3ff56e3..52794961 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 
 - Fix infinite loop / Gateway Timeout when a ticket's assigned technician and assigned group are changed simultaneously, caused by a synchronous actor removal during `pre_item_update()`
 - Fixed group reassignment to remove previously assigned groups only when using the Escalade reassignment action
+- Fixed `_plugin_escalade_rules_only` being ignored on group assignments, so callers could not opt out of escalade's automatic processing
 
 ## [2.10.6] - 2026-07-31
 
diff --git a/hook.php b/hook.php
index 4655b2e2..752848fe 100644
--- a/hook.php
+++ b/hook.php
@@ -523,6 +523,7 @@ function plugin_escalade_pre_item_add_group_ticket($item)
     if (
         $item instanceof Group_Ticket
         && $item->input['type'] == CommonITILActor::ASSIGN
+        && empty($item->input['_plugin_escalade_rules_only'])
     ) {
         if (!isset($_SESSION['plugin_escalade']['current_group_assignment'])) {
             $_SESSION['plugin_escalade']['current_group_assignment'] = [];
diff --git a/inc/ticket.class.php b/inc/ticket.class.php
index 55bdfbc0..f5ea3187 100644
--- a/inc/ticket.class.php
+++ b/inc/ticket.class.php
@@ -532,6 +532,14 @@ public static function addHistoryOnAddGroup(CommonDBTM $item)
 
     public static function processAfterAddGroup(Group_Ticket $item)
     {
+        // Explicit opt-out for callers that assign a technician group on their own
+        // (other plugins, scripts). Same meaning as in pre_item_update(): escalade
+        // skips its logic entirely, so no group cleanup, no technician unassignment,
+        // no history entry and no automatic status change for this assignment.
+        if (!empty($item->input['_plugin_escalade_rules_only'])) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         $tickets_id = $item->fields['tickets_id'];
         $groups_id = $item->fields['groups_id'];
 
diff --git a/tests/Units/GroupEscalationTest.php b/tests/Units/GroupEscalationTest.php
index c3eab8b9..3fcdd92a 100644
--- a/tests/Units/GroupEscalationTest.php
+++ b/tests/Units/GroupEscalationTest.php
@@ -97,6 +97,107 @@ public function testStandardGroupAssignmentKeepsExistingGroups(): void
         ]));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Without the opt-out flag, adding a technician group triggers the escalade
+     * processing: the previously assigned technician is unassigned.
+     */
+    public function testGroupAssignmentWithoutOptOutRemovesTechnician(): void
+    {
+        $this->initConfig([
+            'remove_tech'  => 1,
+            'show_history' => 1,
+        ]);
+
+        $tech = getItemByTypeName(User::class, 'tech');
+        $group = $this->createGroup('no_opt_out_group_' . uniqid());
+
+        $ticket = $this->createItem(Ticket::class, [
+            'name' => 'Group assignment without opt-out',
+            'content' => '',
+            '_actors' => [
+                'assign' => [
+                    [
+                        'items_id' => $tech->getID(),
+                        'itemtype' => 'User',
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+        ]);
+
+        $group_ticket = new Group_Ticket();
+        $this->assertNotFalse($group_ticket->add([
+            'tickets_id' => $ticket->getID(),
+            'groups_id'  => $group->getID(),
+            'type'       => CommonITILActor::ASSIGN,
+        ]));
+
+        $this->assertEquals(0, countElementsInTable(Ticket_User::getTable(), [
+            'tickets_id' => $ticket->getID(),
+            'users_id'   => $tech->getID(),
+            'type'       => CommonITILActor::ASSIGN,
+        ]));
+
+        $this->assertEquals(1, countElementsInTable('glpi_plugin_escalade_histories', [
+            'tickets_id' => $ticket->getID(),
+        ]));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * A caller that assigns a technician group on its own can opt out of the
+     * escalade processing with _plugin_escalade_rules_only: the technician stays
+     * assigned and no escalation history entry is created.
+     */
+    public function testGroupAssignmentWithOptOutKeepsTechnician(): void
+    {
+        $this->initConfig([
+            'remove_tech'  => 1,
+            'show_history' => 1,
+        ]);
+
+        $tech = getItemByTypeName(User::class, 'tech');
+        $group = $this->createGroup('opt_out_group_' . uniqid());
+
+        $ticket = $this->createItem(Ticket::class, [
+            'name' => 'Group assignment with opt-out',
+            'content' => '',
+            '_actors' => [
+                'assign' => [
+                    [
+                        'items_id' => $tech->getID(),
+                        'itemtype' => 'User',
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+        ]);
+
+        $group_ticket = new Group_Ticket();
+        $this->assertNotFalse($group_ticket->add([
+            'tickets_id'                  => $ticket->getID(),
+            'groups_id'                   => $group->getID(),
+            'type'                        => CommonITILActor::ASSIGN,
+            '_plugin_escalade_rules_only' => true,
+        ]));
+
+        // The group is still linked to the ticket...
+        $this->assertEquals(1, countElementsInTable(Group_Ticket::getTable(), [
+            'tickets_id' => $ticket->getID(),
+            'groups_id'  => $group->getID(),
+            'type'       => CommonITILActor::ASSIGN,
+        ]));
+
+        // ... but escalade did not unassign the technician.
+        $this->assertEquals(1, countElementsInTable(Ticket_User::getTable(), [
+            'tickets_id' => $ticket->getID(),
+            'users_id'   => $tech->getID(),
+            'type'       => CommonITILActor::ASSIGN,
+        ]));
+
+        // ... and did not record an escalation.
+        $this->assertEquals(0, countElementsInTable('glpi_plugin_escalade_histories', [
+            'tickets_id' => $ticket->getID(),
+        ]));
+    }
+
     /**
      * A real Escalade reassignment must remove old groups while preserving
      * every previously assigned group in the visual assignment history.