diff --git a/appview/db/repos.go b/appview/db/repos.go
index c3a9ee3b..b3b71cb0 100644
--- a/appview/db/repos.go
+++ b/appview/db/repos.go
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ func UpdateDescription(e Execer, repoAt, newDescription string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func UpdateSpindle(e Execer, repoAt, spindle string) error {
+func UpdateSpindle(e Execer, repoAt string, spindle *string) error {
 	_, err := e.Exec(
 		`update repos set spindle = ? where at_uri = ?`, spindle, repoAt)
 	return err
diff --git a/appview/pages/templates/repo/settings/pipelines.html b/appview/pages/templates/repo/settings/pipelines.html
index a731e1dc..0fcb72b1 100644
--- a/appview/pages/templates/repo/settings/pipelines.html
+++ b/appview/pages/templates/repo/settings/pipelines.html
@@ -38,8 +38,13 @@
           name="spindle"
           required 
           class="p-1 max-w-64 border border-gray-200 bg-white dark:bg-gray-800 dark:text-white dark:border-gray-700">
-          <option value="" disabled>
+          {{/* For some reason, we can't use an empty string in a <select> in all scenarios unless it is preceded by a disabled select?? No idea, could just be a Firefox thing? */}}
+          <option value="[[none]]" class="py-1" {{ if not $.CurrentSpindle }}selected{{ end }}>
+            {{ if not $.CurrentSpindle }}
             Choose a spindle
+            {{ else }}
+            Disable pipelines
+            {{ end }}
           </option>
           {{ range $.Spindles }}
             <option value="{{ . }}" class="py-1" {{ if eq . $.CurrentSpindle }}selected{{ end }}>
diff --git a/appview/repo/repo.go b/appview/repo/repo.go
index 9e9433de..093bd248 100644
--- a/appview/repo/repo.go
+++ b/appview/repo/repo.go
@@ -657,26 +657,34 @@ func (rp *Repo) EditSpindle(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	newSpindle := r.FormValue("spindle")
+	removingSpindle := newSpindle == "[[none]]" // see pages/templates/repo/settings/pipelines.html for more info on why we use this value
 	client, err := rp.oauth.AuthorizedClient(r)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail("Failed to authorize. Try again later.", err)
 		return
 	}
 
-	// ensure that this is a valid spindle for this user
-	validSpindles, err := rp.enforcer.GetSpindlesForUser(user.Did)
-	if err != nil {
-		fail("Failed to find spindles. Try again later.", err)
-		return
+	if !removingSpindle {
+		// ensure that this is a valid spindle for this user
+		validSpindles, err := rp.enforcer.GetSpindlesForUser(user.Did)
+		if err != nil {
+			fail("Failed to find spindles. Try again later.", err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		if !slices.Contains(validSpindles, newSpindle) {
+			fail("Failed to configure spindle.", fmt.Errorf("%s is not a valid spindle: %q", newSpindle, validSpindles))
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
-	if !slices.Contains(validSpindles, newSpindle) {
-		fail("Failed to configure spindle.", fmt.Errorf("%s is not a valid spindle: %q", newSpindle, validSpindles))
-		return
+	spindlePtr := &newSpindle
+	if removingSpindle {
+		spindlePtr = nil
 	}
 
 	// optimistic update
-	err = db.UpdateSpindle(rp.db, string(repoAt), newSpindle)
+	err = db.UpdateSpindle(rp.db, string(repoAt), spindlePtr)
 	if err != nil {
 		fail("Failed to update spindle. Try again later.", err)
 		return
@@ -699,7 +707,7 @@ func (rp *Repo) EditSpindle(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 				Owner:       user.Did,
 				CreatedAt:   f.CreatedAt,
 				Description: &f.Description,
-				Spindle:     &newSpindle,
+				Spindle:     spindlePtr,
 			},
 		},
 	})
@@ -709,11 +717,13 @@ func (rp *Repo) EditSpindle(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// add this spindle to spindle stream
-	rp.spindlestream.AddSource(
-		context.Background(),
-		eventconsumer.NewSpindleSource(newSpindle),
-	)
+	if !removingSpindle {
+		// add this spindle to spindle stream
+		rp.spindlestream.AddSource(
+			context.Background(),
+			eventconsumer.NewSpindleSource(newSpindle),
+		)
+	}
 
 	rp.pages.HxRefresh(w)
 }