diff --git a/tools/block-deployments b/tools/block-deployments
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..c5de591ea2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/block-deployments
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+exec ssh zulip@staging.zulip.net 'mkdir deployments/lock'
diff --git a/tools/unblock-deployments b/tools/unblock-deployments
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..b4eabfc9fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/unblock-deployments
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+exec ssh zulip@staging.zulip.net 'rmdir deployments/lock'