diff --git a/manifests/alaska/alaska.yaml b/manifests/alaska/alaska.yaml
index 9e25b1a..215a41f 100644
--- a/manifests/alaska/alaska.yaml
+++ b/manifests/alaska/alaska.yaml
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ metadata:
     app.kubernetes.io/component: backend
 spec:
   serviceName: "deliveries" # Required for StatefulSet
-  replicas: 4
+  # replicas intentionally omitted - the HPA below owns this field. A
+  # hardcoded value here would fight the HPA on every GitOps reconcile,
+  # yanking replicas back down between HPA corrections.
   selector:
     matchLabels:
       app.kubernetes.io/name: deliveries