diff --git a/.gitea/scripts/deploy-qt.sh b/.gitea/scripts/deploy-qt.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..356dbd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitea/scripts/deploy-qt.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Deploys the whole qt/ ui directory to /sls/bd/hla/<env>/qt.
+#
+# Run from the repo root (the qt/ source path is relative), e.g.
+# Usage: ./.gitea/scripts/deploy-qt.sh <dev|prod>
+set -euo pipefail
+
+source "$(dirname "$0")/common.sh"
+
+AGEBD_ENV=${1:-}
+
+if [ -z "${AGEBD_ENV}" ]; then
+    echo "Usage: $0 <dev|prod>" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+set_env_suffix "${AGEBD_ENV}"
+
+DEST_DIR=${HLA_ROOT}/${AGEBD_ENV}/qt
+
+echo "=========================================="
+echo "Deploying qt/ (${AGEBD_ENV}) to ${DEST_DIR}"
+echo "=========================================="
+
+# TODO: see https://gitea.psi.ch/sls/hla_framework_bd/issues/50
+# rm -rf "${DEST_DIR}"
+# mkdir -p "${DEST_DIR}"
+# cp -r ./qt/* "${DEST_DIR}/"
+
+mkdir -p "${DEST_DIR}"
+
+rsync -avz --delete \
+    --exclude='.nfs*' \
+    --exclude='.git/' \
+    --exclude='.venv/' \
+    --exclude='__pycache__/' \
+    --exclude='*.pyc' \
+    --exclude='.pytest_cache/' \
+    ./qt/* "${DEST_DIR}/"
+
+### SUBSTITUTIONS
+sed -i "s/{{ *agebd_env_suffix_upper* }}/${AGEBD_ENV_SUFFIX_UPPER}/g" "${DEST_DIR}/"*
+sed -i "s/{{ *agebd_env_suffix_lower* }}/${AGEBD_ENV_SUFFIX_LOWER}/g" "${DEST_DIR}/"*
+sed -i "s/{{ *agebd_env_suffix_paren* }}/${AGEBD_ENV_SUFFIX_PAREN}/g" "${DEST_DIR}/"*
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/add-new-service.yml b/.gitea/workflows/add-new-service.yml
index 65159c0..d37019b 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/add-new-service.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/add-new-service.yml
@@ -32,26 +32,8 @@ jobs:
           echo "service_name_lower=$SERVICE_NAME" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
       - name: Qt - deploy
-        env:
-          DEST_DIR: /sls/bd/hla/dev/qt
         run: |
-          mkdir -p "${DEST_DIR}"
-
-          rsync -avz --delete \
-            --exclude='.nfs*' \
-            --exclude='.git/' \
-            --exclude='.venv/' \
-            --exclude='__pycache__/' \
-            --exclude='*.pyc' \
-            --exclude='.pytest_cache/' \
-            ./qt/* "${DEST_DIR}/"
-
-          ### SUBSTITUTIONS
-          source "${{ github.workspace }}/.gitea/scripts/common.sh"
-          set_env_suffix "dev"
-          sed -i "s/{{ *agebd_env_suffix_upper* }}/${AGEBD_ENV_SUFFIX_UPPER}/g" "${DEST_DIR}/"*
-          sed -i "s/{{ *agebd_env_suffix_lower* }}/${AGEBD_ENV_SUFFIX_LOWER}/g" "${DEST_DIR}/"*
-          sed -i "s/{{ *agebd_env_suffix_paren* }}/${AGEBD_ENV_SUFFIX_PAREN}/g" "${DEST_DIR}/"*
+          ./.gitea/scripts/deploy-qt.sh "dev"
 
       # The ioc steps read the deployed ioc files on /sls, so the service
       # has to be deployed before its ioc is installed.
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 3a060b2..ebd9fff 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -99,29 +99,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Qt - deploy
         if: steps.filter.outputs.qt == 'true'
-        env:
-          DEST_DIR: /sls/bd/hla/${{ env.AGEBD_ENV }}/qt
         run: |
-          # TODO: see https://gitea.psi.ch/sls/hla_framework_bd/issues/50
-          # rm -rf "${DEST_DIR}"
-          # mkdir -p "${DEST_DIR}"
-          # cp -r ./qt/* "${DEST_DIR}/"
-          
-          rsync -avz --delete \
-            --exclude='.nfs*' \
-            --exclude='.git/' \
-            --exclude='.venv/' \
-            --exclude='__pycache__/' \
-            --exclude='*.pyc' \
-            --exclude='.pytest_cache/' \
-            ./qt/* "${DEST_DIR}/"
-
-          ### SUBSTITUTIONS
-          source "${{ github.workspace }}/.gitea/scripts/common.sh"
-          set_env_suffix "${AGEBD_ENV}"
-          sed -i "s/{{ *agebd_env_suffix_upper* }}/${AGEBD_ENV_SUFFIX_UPPER}/g" "${DEST_DIR}/"*
-          sed -i "s/{{ *agebd_env_suffix_lower* }}/${AGEBD_ENV_SUFFIX_LOWER}/g" "${DEST_DIR}/"*
-          sed -i "s/{{ *agebd_env_suffix_paren* }}/${AGEBD_ENV_SUFFIX_PAREN}/g" "${DEST_DIR}/"*
+          ./.gitea/scripts/deploy-qt.sh "${AGEBD_ENV}"
 
       # -----------------------------------------------------------------
       # Services Detection, Testing, and Deployment
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/qt.yml b/.gitea/workflows/qt.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f7f907
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/qt.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+name: Qt
+
+# Manually re-deploy the whole qt/ ui directory in dev, from any branch.
+# Handy to try out panel changes on a feature branch without pushing to main.
+# There is deliberately no prod option here - prod deploys go through the
+# normal push-to-main flow (see the 'Deploy' workflow), which requires review.
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  deploy-dev:
+    runs-on: hla-dev
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Deploy qt from ${{ github.ref_name }}
+        run: |
+          ./.gitea/scripts/deploy-qt.sh "dev"