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The deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party threatened to cripple the government's national agenda if Northern Ireland's place in the union was compromised by an agreement on Brexit.
But Nigel Dodds said his party would stop triggering a general election.
He was talking before a key cabinet meeting in London.
Theresa May tries to rally the ministers behind her at the beginning of a 48-hour critical period for Brexit.
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On Monday, she told MEPs that an agreement with the EU was "still achievable" despite the apparent stalemate over the Irish border issue.
The DUP supports May's government and the Prime Minister's support for key votes because she does not have a majority in the House of Commons.
Dodds told BBC at Newsnight that his party was ready to withdraw support for the government over key national legislation in the event of an attempt to "split or break up the union".
He took the floor after asking the Westminster prime minister to give assurances that Northern Ireland will not be left in the EU's single market when the rest of the UK will leave under any support agreement.
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The EU and the UK seem to be deadlocked over the so-called "safety net" issue of the Irish border
The safety net is a safety net that will apply at the border if a broader agreement or a technological solution can not maintain it as without friction as it currently is.
The UK rejected the EU's proposed system, which would see Northern Ireland remain in the customs union and a large part of the single market. Instead, he proposed a system that would keep the UK as a whole in the EU Customs Union for a limited period.
Speaking at the BBC Newsnight, Mr. Dodds said his party "would not want to unplug the government and let Jeremy Corbyn get into rank 10".
However, he warned that the DUP "can not support the national, financial, social or other legislation of the government, which does not prevent Jeremy Corbyn from entering the No. 10".
In what appeared to be a direct call to ministers to meet with the Prime Minister on Tuesday morning, he added: "I would tell our colleagues that we do not want that."
"We want to work with the Conservative Party and the Unionist Party, but it was suggested that the union, our precious union described by the Prime Minister, be divided or fragmented in some way by the Conservative Party, we then should say, "How could we continue to implement your national program and budgets?
"We would not be pushing for a general election, but there comes a time when we have to say enough, that's enough."
