diff --git a/.github/scripts/recover-demo-runtime.sh b/.github/scripts/recover-demo-runtime.sh
index 5ca75b5a0..0ea231c76 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/recover-demo-runtime.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/recover-demo-runtime.sh
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ runtime_profile_matches() {
     sudo grep -Fxq "PULSE_MOCK_K8S_NODES=${MOCK_K8S_NODES}" /etc/pulse/.env &&
     sudo grep -Fxq "PULSE_MOCK_K8S_PODS=${MOCK_K8S_PODS}" /etc/pulse/.env &&
     sudo grep -Fxq "PULSE_MOCK_K8S_DEPLOYMENTS=${MOCK_K8S_DEPLOYMENTS}" /etc/pulse/.env &&
+    sudo grep -Fxq "PULSE_MOCK_SEED_METRICS_STORE=false" /etc/pulse/.env &&
     sudo grep -Fxq "PULSE_MOCK_TRENDS_SEED_DURATION=${MOCK_SEED_DURATION}" /etc/pulse/.env &&
     sudo grep -Fxq "PULSE_MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL=${MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL}" /etc/pulse/.env
 }
@@ -277,6 +278,10 @@ set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_K8S_CLUSTERS "$MOCK_K8S_CLUSTERS"
 set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_K8S_NODES "$MOCK_K8S_NODES"
 set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_K8S_PODS "$MOCK_K8S_PODS"
 set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_K8S_DEPLOYMENTS "$MOCK_K8S_DEPLOYMENTS"
+# Persistent mock-store backfill is reserved for the isolated local-dev data
+# directory. The governed demo already has persistent runtime data, so a stale
+# opt-in here can turn startup into an unbounded SQLite backfill.
+set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_SEED_METRICS_STORE false
 set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_TRENDS_SEED_DURATION "$MOCK_SEED_DURATION"
 set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL "$MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL"
 sudo chown pulse:pulse /etc/pulse/.env
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-demo-server.yml b/.github/workflows/update-demo-server.yml
index b3da98796..72eaa472d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-demo-server.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-demo-server.yml
@@ -674,6 +674,9 @@ jobs:
           set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_K8S_DEPLOYMENTS "$MOCK_K8S_DEPLOYMENTS"
           set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_RANDOM_METRICS true
           set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_STOPPED_PERCENT 6
+          # Never carry the isolated local-dev metrics-store opt-in onto the
+          # persistent public demo data directory.
+          set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_SEED_METRICS_STORE false
           set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_TRENDS_SEED_DURATION "$MOCK_SEED_DURATION"
           set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL "$MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL"
 
diff --git a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/deployment-installability.md b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/deployment-installability.md
index 9c3ad72a2..5bd5e6687 100644
--- a/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/deployment-installability.md
+++ b/docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/deployment-installability.md
@@ -2037,6 +2037,10 @@ when it carries an explicit `mockLargeEstateStartupReady` marker earned by that
 complete startup and browser proof. The eager-history and update-cohort source
 markers remain necessary but are not sufficient. Runtimes without the explicit
 proof marker use the governed 8-node, two-hour-seed legacy-bounded profile.
+Both normal convergence and recovery force
+`PULSE_MOCK_SEED_METRICS_STORE=false`: persistent mock-store backfill is an
+isolated local-development opt-in, and carrying it into the public demo can
+block startup while its existing metrics database is synchronously backfilled.
 Failed stable-demo recovery must also retain bounded, redacted service evidence:
 structured systemd state, bounded process metadata, and only startup- or
 health-relevant recent journal lines. Diagnostics run after compensation-safe
diff --git a/scripts/installtests/build_release_assets_test.go b/scripts/installtests/build_release_assets_test.go
index 4277f1d4b..c79bb6060 100644
--- a/scripts/installtests/build_release_assets_test.go
+++ b/scripts/installtests/build_release_assets_test.go
@@ -1867,6 +1867,7 @@ func TestUpdateDemoWorkflowUsesGovernedNetworkPath(t *testing.T) {
 		`set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_LXCS_PER_NODE "$MOCK_LXCS_PER_NODE"`,
 		`set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_DOCKER_HOSTS "$MOCK_DOCKER_HOSTS"`,
 		`set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_K8S_PODS "$MOCK_K8S_PODS"`,
+		`set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_SEED_METRICS_STORE false`,
 		`set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_TRENDS_SEED_DURATION "$MOCK_SEED_DURATION"`,
 		`set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL "$MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL"`,
 		`ensure_demo_fixture_entitlement`,
diff --git a/scripts/release_control/release_promotion_policy_test.py b/scripts/release_control/release_promotion_policy_test.py
index a45a12078..2deb6e9aa 100644
--- a/scripts/release_control/release_promotion_policy_test.py
+++ b/scripts/release_control/release_promotion_policy_test.py
@@ -1961,6 +1961,7 @@ class ReleasePromotionPolicyTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn("set_env_value DEMO_MODE true", demo)
         self.assertIn("set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_MODE true", demo)
         self.assertIn('set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_NODES "$MOCK_NODES"', demo)
+        self.assertIn("set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_SEED_METRICS_STORE false", demo)
         self.assertIn('set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_TRENDS_SEED_DURATION "$MOCK_SEED_DURATION"', demo)
         self.assertIn('set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL "$MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL"', demo)
         self.assertIn("ensure_demo_fixture_entitlement", demo)
@@ -2112,6 +2113,8 @@ class ReleasePromotionPolicyTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn('set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_K8S_NODES "$MOCK_K8S_NODES"', recovery)
         self.assertIn('set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_K8S_PODS "$MOCK_K8S_PODS"', recovery)
         self.assertIn('set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_K8S_DEPLOYMENTS "$MOCK_K8S_DEPLOYMENTS"', recovery)
+        self.assertIn("set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_SEED_METRICS_STORE false", recovery)
+        self.assertIn('grep -Fxq "PULSE_MOCK_SEED_METRICS_STORE=false"', recovery)
         self.assertIn('set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_TRENDS_SEED_DURATION "$MOCK_SEED_DURATION"', recovery)
         self.assertIn('set_env_value PULSE_MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL "$MOCK_UPDATE_INTERVAL"', recovery)
         self.assertIn('sudo systemctl restart "$SERVICE_NAME"', recovery)