diff --git a/invenio.cfg b/invenio.cfg
index b2afdef5..aacc553d 100644
--- a/invenio.cfg
+++ b/invenio.cfg
@@ -701,6 +701,10 @@ RDM_CUSTOM_FIELDS_UI = CUSTOM_FIELDS_UI
 # Require files for user upload
 RDM_ALLOW_METADATA_ONLY_RECORDS = False
 
+# Zenodo-style: block new versions for records with an external DOI
+# (provider=external). Only the system process can create a new version.
+RDM_ALLOW_EXTERNAL_DOI_VERSIONING = False
+
 THEME_MATHJAX_CDN = (
     "//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/mathjax/3.2.2/es5/tex-mml-chtml.js"
     "?config=TeX-AMS-MML_HTMLorMML"