diff --git a/nullplatform/agent/locals.tf b/nullplatform/agent/locals.tf
index e7bde312..14144903 100644
--- a/nullplatform/agent/locals.tf
+++ b/nullplatform/agent/locals.tf
@@ -55,14 +55,33 @@ locals {
     ) : k => v if v != null
   }
 
+  # Template paths per ingress stack. "alb" sends empty values so the k8s scope
+  # falls back to its own defaults (AWS Load Balancer Controller Ingress);
+  # "istio" points at the Gateway API templates the scopes/containers image
+  # bakes under /app/pkg/k8s/deployment/templates/istio. An explicit
+  # service_template / initial_ingress_path / blue_green_ingress_path wins.
+  worker_ingress_templates = {
+    alb = {
+      SERVICE_TEMPLATE        = ""
+      INITIAL_INGRESS_PATH    = ""
+      BLUE_GREEN_INGRESS_PATH = ""
+    }
+    istio = {
+      SERVICE_TEMPLATE        = "/app/pkg/k8s/deployment/templates/istio/service.yaml.tpl"
+      INITIAL_INGRESS_PATH    = "/app/pkg/k8s/deployment/templates/istio/initial-httproute.yaml.tpl"
+      BLUE_GREEN_INGRESS_PATH = "/app/pkg/k8s/deployment/templates/istio/blue-green-httproute.yaml.tpl"
+    }
+  }
+  worker_templates = local.worker_ingress_templates[var.worker_ingress]
+
   worker_default_env = {
     DNS_TYPE                = var.dns_type
     DOMAIN                  = var.domain
     USE_ACCOUNT_SLUG        = var.use_account_slug
     K8S_NAMESPACE           = var.namespace
-    SERVICE_TEMPLATE        = var.service_template
-    INITIAL_INGRESS_PATH    = var.initial_ingress_path
-    BLUE_GREEN_INGRESS_PATH = var.blue_green_ingress_path
+    SERVICE_TEMPLATE        = var.service_template != "" ? var.service_template : local.worker_templates.SERVICE_TEMPLATE
+    INITIAL_INGRESS_PATH    = var.initial_ingress_path != "" ? var.initial_ingress_path : local.worker_templates.INITIAL_INGRESS_PATH
+    BLUE_GREEN_INGRESS_PATH = var.blue_green_ingress_path != "" ? var.blue_green_ingress_path : local.worker_templates.BLUE_GREEN_INGRESS_PATH
     TRAFFIC_CONTAINER_IMAGE = "${var.agent_traffic_manager_repository}:${var.agent_traffic_manager_tag}"
     IMAGE_PULL_SECRETS      = var.image_pull_secrets
     PRIVATE_GATEWAY_NAME    = var.private_gateway_name
diff --git a/nullplatform/agent/tests/agent_values.tftest.hcl b/nullplatform/agent/tests/agent_values.tftest.hcl
index beeb54dc..ae5cc5ec 100644
--- a/nullplatform/agent/tests/agent_values.tftest.hcl
+++ b/nullplatform/agent/tests/agent_values.tftest.hcl
@@ -358,3 +358,78 @@ run "long_worker_patch_strings_survive_rendering" {
     error_message = "a worker patch string longer than the yamlencode fold width must not pick up a newline when the values are rendered"
   }
 }
+
+################################################################################
+# worker_ingress
+################################################################################
+
+# The k8s scope only knows which ingress stack to deploy through the three
+# template paths; nothing reads an INGRESS_TYPE. The default keeps the scope's
+# own (ALB Ingress) templates by sending empty values.
+run "worker_ingress_defaults_to_alb_and_leaves_the_scope_templates" {
+  command = plan
+
+  assert {
+    condition = alltrue([
+      for key in ["SERVICE_TEMPLATE", "INITIAL_INGRESS_PATH", "BLUE_GREEN_INGRESS_PATH"] :
+      anytrue([
+        for p in yamldecode(helm_release.agent.values[0]).worker.patches :
+        anytrue([for e in try(p.merge.spec.containers[0].env, []) : e.name == key && e.value == ""])
+        if try(p.target.package, "") == "containers"
+      ])
+    ])
+    error_message = "with worker_ingress = alb the three template paths must render empty so the k8s scope uses its own templates"
+  }
+}
+
+run "worker_ingress_istio_derives_the_gateway_api_template_paths" {
+  command = plan
+
+  variables {
+    worker_ingress = "istio"
+  }
+
+  assert {
+    condition = alltrue([
+      for key, want in {
+        SERVICE_TEMPLATE        = "/app/pkg/k8s/deployment/templates/istio/service.yaml.tpl"
+        INITIAL_INGRESS_PATH    = "/app/pkg/k8s/deployment/templates/istio/initial-httproute.yaml.tpl"
+        BLUE_GREEN_INGRESS_PATH = "/app/pkg/k8s/deployment/templates/istio/blue-green-httproute.yaml.tpl"
+      } :
+      anytrue([
+        for p in yamldecode(helm_release.agent.values[0]).worker.patches :
+        anytrue([for e in try(p.merge.spec.containers[0].env, []) : e.name == key && e.value == want])
+        if try(p.target.package, "") == "containers"
+      ])
+    ])
+    error_message = "worker_ingress = istio must point the containers worker at the istio templates baked in the image"
+  }
+}
+
+run "explicit_template_paths_override_worker_ingress" {
+  command = plan
+
+  variables {
+    worker_ingress   = "istio"
+    service_template = "/custom/service.yaml.tpl"
+  }
+
+  assert {
+    condition = anytrue([
+      for p in yamldecode(helm_release.agent.values[0]).worker.patches :
+      anytrue([for e in try(p.merge.spec.containers[0].env, []) : e.name == "SERVICE_TEMPLATE" && e.value == "/custom/service.yaml.tpl"])
+      if try(p.target.package, "") == "containers"
+    ])
+    error_message = "an explicit service_template must win over the path worker_ingress derives"
+  }
+}
+
+run "worker_ingress_rejects_unknown_stacks" {
+  command = plan
+
+  variables {
+    worker_ingress = "nginx"
+  }
+
+  expect_failures = [var.worker_ingress]
+}
diff --git a/nullplatform/agent/variables.tf b/nullplatform/agent/variables.tf
index b0ee81af..21028cbf 100644
--- a/nullplatform/agent/variables.tf
+++ b/nullplatform/agent/variables.tf
@@ -290,23 +290,39 @@ variable "image_pull_secrets" {
 # Ingress / Networking Configuration
 ################################################################################
 
-# Scope service template to use for deployment (required when extra_envs.INGRESS_TYPE is 'istio')
+
+# Which ingress stack the containers worker deploys scopes with. The k8s scope
+# ships two template sets under /app/pkg/k8s/deployment/templates: its default
+# (AWS Load Balancer Controller Ingress) and istio/ (Gateway API HTTPRoutes).
+# Nothing else selects between them: the scope does not read INGRESS_TYPE, it
+# just renders whatever SERVICE_TEMPLATE / INITIAL_INGRESS_PATH /
+# BLUE_GREEN_INGRESS_PATH point at. This input derives the three paths so a
+# root module states the decision instead of copying image paths around.
+variable "worker_ingress" {
+  description = "Ingress stack the containers worker deploys scopes with: \"alb\" keeps the k8s scope's own templates (AWS Load Balancer Controller Ingress), \"istio\" points it at the Gateway API templates baked in the scopes/containers image. service_template, initial_ingress_path and blue_green_ingress_path override the derived paths when set."
+  type        = string
+  default     = "alb"
+
+  validation {
+    condition     = contains(["alb", "istio"], var.worker_ingress)
+    error_message = "worker_ingress must be \"alb\" or \"istio\"."
+  }
+}
+
 variable "service_template" {
-  description = "Specifies the name or reference of the scope service template to be used for deployment. Required when extra_envs.INGRESS_TYPE is 'istio' — the k8s scope's default template is AWS ALB Ingress and won't route traffic correctly through Istio, so it must be pointed at an Istio-compatible template instead."
+  description = "Path, inside the worker image, of the Service template the k8s scope renders. Empty (default) uses the template worker_ingress selects; set it only to point at a custom template."
   type        = string
   default     = ""
 }
 
-# Initial ingress path used on first deploy (required when extra_envs.INGRESS_TYPE is 'istio')
 variable "initial_ingress_path" {
-  description = "Defines the initial ingress path used when deploying the application for the first time. Required when extra_envs.INGRESS_TYPE is 'istio' — the k8s scope's default template is AWS ALB Ingress and won't route traffic correctly through Istio, so it must be pointed at an Istio HTTPRoute template instead."
+  description = "Path, inside the worker image, of the ingress/route template used on a scope's first deployment. Empty (default) uses the template worker_ingress selects; set it only to point at a custom template."
   type        = string
   default     = ""
 }
 
-# Blue-green ingress path used to route traffic to the new version (required when extra_envs.INGRESS_TYPE is 'istio')
 variable "blue_green_ingress_path" {
-  description = "Specifies the ingress path used for blue-green deployments to route traffic to the new version. Required when extra_envs.INGRESS_TYPE is 'istio' — the k8s scope's default template is AWS ALB Ingress and won't route traffic correctly through Istio, so it must be pointed at an Istio HTTPRoute template instead."
+  description = "Path, inside the worker image, of the ingress/route template used to shift traffic during a blue-green deployment. Empty (default) uses the template worker_ingress selects; set it only to point at a custom template."
   type        = string
   default     = ""
 }