diff --git a/src/build/skew-protection.test.ts b/src/build/skew-protection.test.ts
index 0fbc2d206a..ccb5e076ad 100644
--- a/src/build/skew-protection.test.ts
+++ b/src/build/skew-protection.test.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ describe('shouldEnableSkewProtection', () => {
 
     // Reset env vars
     delete process.env.NETLIFY_NEXT_SKEW_PROTECTION
+    delete process.env.NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN
     // Set valid DEPLOY_ID by default
     process.env.DEPLOY_ID = 'test-deploy-id'
 
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ describe('shouldEnableSkewProtection', () => {
         expect(result).toEqual({
           enabled: true,
           enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_IN_ENV_VAR,
+          token: 'test-deploy-id',
         })
       })
 
@@ -83,6 +85,7 @@ describe('shouldEnableSkewProtection', () => {
         expect(result).toEqual({
           enabled: true,
           enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_IN_ENV_VAR,
+          token: 'test-deploy-id',
         })
       })
     })
@@ -121,6 +124,7 @@ describe('shouldEnableSkewProtection', () => {
       expect(result).toEqual({
         enabled: true,
         enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_IN_FF,
+        token: 'test-deploy-id',
       })
     })
 
@@ -146,6 +150,7 @@ describe('shouldEnableSkewProtection', () => {
       expect(result).toEqual({
         enabled: false,
         enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_OUT_NO_VALID_DEPLOY_ID,
+        token: undefined,
       })
     })
 
@@ -158,6 +163,7 @@ describe('shouldEnableSkewProtection', () => {
       expect(result).toEqual({
         enabled: false,
         enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_OUT_NO_VALID_DEPLOY_ID,
+        token: '0',
       })
     })
 
@@ -171,6 +177,7 @@ describe('shouldEnableSkewProtection', () => {
       expect(result).toEqual({
         enabled: false,
         enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_OUT_NO_VALID_DEPLOY_ID_ENV_VAR,
+        token: '0',
       })
     })
   })
@@ -197,6 +204,50 @@ describe('shouldEnableSkewProtection', () => {
       expect(result).toEqual({
         enabled: true,
         enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_IN_ENV_VAR,
+        token: 'test-deploy-id',
+      })
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN handling', () => {
+    it('should prefer NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN over DEPLOY_ID', () => {
+      process.env.NETLIFY_NEXT_SKEW_PROTECTION = 'true'
+      process.env.NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN = 'custom-token'
+      process.env.DEPLOY_ID = 'deploy-id'
+
+      const result = shouldEnableSkewProtection(mockCtx)
+
+      expect(result).toEqual({
+        enabled: true,
+        enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_IN_ENV_VAR,
+        token: 'custom-token',
+      })
+    })
+
+    it('should fall back to DEPLOY_ID when NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN is not set', () => {
+      process.env.NETLIFY_NEXT_SKEW_PROTECTION = 'true'
+      delete process.env.NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN
+      process.env.DEPLOY_ID = 'deploy-id'
+
+      const result = shouldEnableSkewProtection(mockCtx)
+
+      expect(result).toEqual({
+        enabled: true,
+        enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_IN_ENV_VAR,
+        token: 'deploy-id',
+      })
+    })
+
+    it('should use NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN with feature flag', () => {
+      mockCtx.featureFlags = { 'next-runtime-skew-protection': true }
+      process.env.NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN = 'ff-custom-token'
+
+      const result = shouldEnableSkewProtection(mockCtx)
+
+      expect(result).toEqual({
+        enabled: true,
+        enabledOrDisabledReason: EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_IN_FF,
+        token: 'ff-custom-token',
       })
     })
   })
@@ -217,6 +268,7 @@ describe('setSkewProtection', () => {
 
     // Reset env vars
     delete process.env.NETLIFY_NEXT_SKEW_PROTECTION
+    delete process.env.NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN
     delete process.env.NEXT_DEPLOYMENT_ID
     // Set valid DEPLOY_ID by default
     process.env.DEPLOY_ID = 'test-deploy-id'
@@ -331,4 +383,20 @@ describe('setSkewProtection', () => {
       'Setting up Next.js Skew Protection due to NETLIFY_NEXT_SKEW_PROTECTION=1 environment variable.',
     )
   })
+
+  it('should use NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN when available', async () => {
+    process.env.NETLIFY_NEXT_SKEW_PROTECTION = 'true'
+    process.env.NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN = 'custom-skew-token'
+    process.env.DEPLOY_ID = 'deploy-id'
+
+    vi.mocked(dirname).mockReturnValue('/test/path')
+
+    await setSkewProtection(mockCtx, mockSpan)
+
+    expect(process.env.NEXT_DEPLOYMENT_ID).toBe('custom-skew-token')
+    expect(mockSpan.setAttribute).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'skewProtection',
+      EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_IN_ENV_VAR,
+    )
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/build/skew-protection.ts b/src/build/skew-protection.ts
index 150ad15f39..503903342f 100644
--- a/src/build/skew-protection.ts
+++ b/src/build/skew-protection.ts
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ export function shouldEnableSkewProtection(ctx: PluginContext) {
     }
   }
 
-  if (
-    (!process.env.DEPLOY_ID || process.env.DEPLOY_ID === '0') &&
-    optInOptions.has(enabledOrDisabledReason)
-  ) {
+  // For compatibility with old environments, fall back to the raw deploy ID.
+  const token = process.env.NETLIFY_SKEW_PROTECTION_TOKEN || process.env.DEPLOY_ID
+
+  if ((!token || token === '0') && optInOptions.has(enabledOrDisabledReason)) {
     // We can't proceed without a valid DEPLOY_ID, because Next.js does inline deploy ID at build time
     // This should only be the case for CLI deploys
     return {
@@ -78,17 +78,19 @@ export function shouldEnableSkewProtection(ctx: PluginContext) {
           : // this is silent disablement to avoid spam logs for users opted in via feature flag
             // that don't explicitly opt in via env var
             EnabledOrDisabledReason.OPT_OUT_NO_VALID_DEPLOY_ID,
+      token,
     }
   }
 
   return {
     enabled: optInOptions.has(enabledOrDisabledReason),
     enabledOrDisabledReason,
+    token: token as string,
   }
 }
 
 export const setSkewProtection = async (ctx: PluginContext, span: Span) => {
-  const { enabled, enabledOrDisabledReason } = shouldEnableSkewProtection(ctx)
+  const { enabled, enabledOrDisabledReason, token } = shouldEnableSkewProtection(ctx)
 
   span.setAttribute('skewProtection', enabledOrDisabledReason)
 
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ export const setSkewProtection = async (ctx: PluginContext, span: Span) => {
     console.log('Setting up Next.js Skew Protection.')
   }
 
-  process.env.NEXT_DEPLOYMENT_ID = process.env.DEPLOY_ID
+  process.env.NEXT_DEPLOYMENT_ID = token
 
   await mkdir(dirname(ctx.skewProtectionConfigPath), {
     recursive: true,