diff --git a/scripts/vps-clone-without-docker.sh b/scripts/vps-clone-without-docker.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..40bbab6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/vps-clone-without-docker.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Clone Dawnforger/Fractured and omit Docker-only paths. Use when this script is
+# already on disk (e.g. scp). Otherwise: git clone … && cd Fractured && bash scripts/vps-sparse-checkout-no-docker.sh
+#
+# Usage:
+#   bash scripts/vps-clone-without-docker.sh /path/to/Fractured git@github.com:Dawnforger/Fractured.git
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+TARGET="${1:?usage: $0 /path/to/Fractured <git-remote-url>}"
+REMOTE="${2:?usage: $0 /path/to/Fractured <git-remote-url>}"
+
+if [[ -e "$TARGET" ]]; then
+  echo "error: $TARGET already exists; remove it or pick another path." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+mkdir -p "$(dirname "$TARGET")"
+git clone "$REMOTE" "$TARGET"
+
+cd "$TARGET"
+if [[ ! -f scripts/vps-sparse-checkout-no-docker.sh ]]; then
+  echo "error: clone missing scripts/vps-sparse-checkout-no-docker.sh — pull latest main." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+bash scripts/vps-sparse-checkout-no-docker.sh
+
+echo "Done. Next: docs/DEPLOY_LINUX_VPS.md"
diff --git a/scripts/vps-sparse-checkout-no-docker.sh b/scripts/vps-sparse-checkout-no-docker.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9e7935f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/vps-sparse-checkout-no-docker.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Omit Docker-only paths from the working tree (native VPS / production clones).
+# Repository root is the AzerothCore tree (flat layout).
+#
+# Run from repository root (directory that contains acore.sh and apps/).
+#
+# Usage:
+#   bash scripts/vps-sparse-checkout-no-docker.sh
+#
+# Restore full tree: git sparse-checkout disable
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+cd "$ROOT"
+
+if [[ ! -d .git ]]; then
+  echo "error: run from a git clone (no .git in $ROOT)." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+git sparse-checkout init --no-cone
+
+cat >.git/info/sparse-checkout <<'EOF'
+/*
+!/docker-compose.yml
+!/docker-compose.override.yml
+!/apps/docker/
+!/env/docker-focal-build/
+!/.devcontainer/
+EOF
+
+if git sparse-checkout reapply 2>/dev/null; then
+  :
+else
+  git read-tree -mu HEAD
+fi
+
+echo "Sparse checkout applied (Docker-only paths omitted)."
+echo "To restore full tree locally: git sparse-checkout disable"