diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/setup-supertest.ts b/server/src/__tests__/setup-supertest.ts
index d837215ecb3..3a34850d1dd 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/setup-supertest.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/setup-supertest.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ if (!process.env.CODEX_HOME) {
   process.env.CODEX_HOME = codexHome;
 }
 
+// The automatic Tailscale HTTPS default (PAP-17158) probes for a real host
+// broker socket, so leaving it enabled would make every test that starts a
+// service named `paperclip-dev` behave differently on a broker-capable host
+// than on CI. Tests that exercise the default opt in explicitly.
+if (!process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS) {
+  process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS = "off";
+}
+
 if (!SupertestTest.prototype.__paperclipLoopbackPatched) {
   SupertestTest.prototype.serverAddress = function serverAddress(app, path) {
     const addr = app.address();
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
index 4942658d9f6..f26e0acf6c6 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
@@ -41,8 +41,10 @@ import {
   resolveWorkspaceRuntimeReadinessTimeoutSec,
   resolveShell,
   sanitizeRuntimeServiceBaseEnv,
+  setWorkspaceRuntimeExposureDepsForTests,
   startRuntimeServicesForWorkspaceControl,
   stopRuntimeServicesForExecutionWorkspace,
+  stopRuntimeServicesForProjectWorkspace,
   WORKSPACE_RUNTIME_PORT_ALLOCATION_ATTEMPTS,
   type RealizedExecutionWorkspace,
 } from "../services/workspace-runtime.ts";
@@ -6565,6 +6567,222 @@ describeEmbeddedPostgres("workspace runtime startup reconciliation", () => {
     }
   }, 20_000);
 
+  it("backfills a pre-existing HTTP-only managed worktree runtime to verified HTTPS in place", async () => {
+    // PAP-17158: an eligible workspace created before the feature must come
+    // forward on the *same* workspace/runtime-service row — not by recreating it
+    // — and must never keep its HTTP URL as a healthy fallback.
+    const workspaceRoot = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "paperclip-runtime-https-backfill-"));
+    const paperclipHome = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "paperclip-runtime-home-"));
+    const previousPaperclipHome = process.env.PAPERCLIP_HOME;
+    const previousPaperclipInstanceId = process.env.PAPERCLIP_INSTANCE_ID;
+    const previousHttpsMode = process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS;
+    process.env.PAPERCLIP_HOME = paperclipHome;
+    process.env.PAPERCLIP_INSTANCE_ID = `runtime-https-backfill-${randomUUID()}`;
+
+    const reservePort = async () => {
+      const probe = net.createServer();
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve) => probe.listen(0, "127.0.0.1", resolve));
+      const address = probe.address();
+      const port = typeof address === "object" && address ? address.port : null;
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+        probe.close((error) => error ? reject(error) : resolve());
+      });
+      if (!port) throw new Error("Failed to reserve HTTPS backfill test port");
+      return port;
+    };
+    const isLoopbackPortFree = async (port: number) => {
+      const probe = net.createServer();
+      return await new Promise<boolean>((resolve) => {
+        probe.once("error", () => resolve(false));
+        probe.listen(port, "127.0.0.1", () => {
+          probe.close(() => resolve(true));
+        });
+      });
+    };
+
+    // Stands in for the persisted template's hard-coded 45439: a pinned port
+    // outside the broker's dedicated allowlist, so the backfill has to relocate.
+    const legacyPort = await reservePort();
+    const companyId = randomUUID();
+    const projectId = randomUUID();
+    const projectWorkspaceId = randomUUID();
+    // Binds the app port and its HMR companion, both loopback-only.
+    const command =
+      "node -e \"const http=require('node:http');const p=Number(process.env.PORT);for(const q of [p,p+10000])http.createServer((req,res)=>res.end('ok')).listen(q,'127.0.0.1');setInterval(()=>{},1000)\"";
+    const workspaceRuntime = {
+      services: [
+        {
+          name: "paperclip-dev",
+          command,
+          port: legacyPort,
+          // The pre-feature block: backend URL only, no exposure declaration.
+          expose: { type: "url", urlTemplate: "http://127.0.0.1:{{port}}" },
+          readiness: { type: "http", urlTemplate: "http://127.0.0.1:{{port}}", timeoutSec: 10, intervalMs: 50 },
+          lifecycle: "shared",
+          reuseScope: "project_workspace",
+          stopPolicy: { type: "manual" },
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+
+    await db.insert(companies).values({
+      id: companyId,
+      name: "Paperclip",
+      issuePrefix: `T${companyId.replace(/-/g, "").slice(0, 6).toUpperCase()}`,
+      requireBoardApprovalForNewAgents: false,
+    });
+    await db.insert(projects).values({
+      id: projectId,
+      companyId,
+      name: "Runtime HTTPS backfill",
+      status: "in_progress",
+    });
+    await db.insert(projectWorkspaces).values({
+      id: projectWorkspaceId,
+      companyId,
+      projectId,
+      name: "Primary",
+      sourceType: "local_path",
+      cwd: workspaceRoot,
+      isPrimary: true,
+      metadata: {
+        runtimeConfig: {
+          workspaceRuntime,
+          desiredState: "running",
+          serviceStates: { "0": "running" },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const actor = { id: null, name: "Paperclip", companyId };
+    const workspace = {
+      ...buildWorkspace(workspaceRoot),
+      projectId,
+      workspaceId: projectWorkspaceId,
+    };
+
+    // A broker fake that remembers what it published, so a second reconciliation
+    // can recognize its own live listeners instead of tearing them down.
+    const exposedByRuntimeId = new Map<string, { port: number; purpose: "app" | "vite_hmr" }[]>();
+    const pendingByHandle = new Map<string, { runtimeId: string; listeners: { port: number; purpose: "app" | "vite_hmr" }[] }>();
+    let handleCounter = 0;
+    const brokerCalls: string[] = [];
+    const broker = {
+      async reserve(runtimeId: string, listeners: { port: number; purpose: "app" | "vite_hmr" }[]) {
+        brokerCalls.push("reserve");
+        handleCounter += 1;
+        const handle = `backfill-handle-${handleCounter}`;
+        pendingByHandle.set(handle, { runtimeId, listeners: listeners.map((l) => ({ ...l })) });
+        return { handle, reservedPorts: listeners.map((listener) => listener.port) };
+      },
+      async expose(runtimeId: string, handle: string) {
+        brokerCalls.push("expose");
+        const pending = pendingByHandle.get(handle);
+        if (!pending || pending.runtimeId !== runtimeId) throw new Error("listener_ownership_mismatch");
+        exposedByRuntimeId.set(runtimeId, pending.listeners);
+        return { handle, publicPorts: pending.listeners.map((listener) => listener.port) };
+      },
+      async remove(runtimeId: string, handle: string) {
+        brokerCalls.push("remove");
+        const listeners = exposedByRuntimeId.get(runtimeId) ?? pendingByHandle.get(handle)?.listeners ?? [];
+        exposedByRuntimeId.delete(runtimeId);
+        pendingByHandle.delete(handle);
+        return { removedPorts: listeners.map((listener) => listener.port) };
+      },
+      async list() {
+        return [...exposedByRuntimeId.entries()].flatMap(([runtimeId, listeners]) =>
+          listeners.map((listener) => ({ runtimeId, port: listener.port, purpose: listener.purpose })),
+        );
+      },
+    };
+    const installExposureDeps = () => setWorkspaceRuntimeExposureDepsForTests({
+      broker,
+      isPortAvailable: isLoopbackPortFree,
+      isBrokerAvailable: async () => true,
+      resolveHostname: async () => "runner.tail123.ts.net",
+      probeHealth: async () => true,
+      now: () => new Date().toISOString(),
+    });
+
+    try {
+      // ---- Before: the workspace as it exists today, on plain HTTP. ----
+      process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS = "off";
+      const before = await startRuntimeServicesForWorkspaceControl({
+        db,
+        actor,
+        issue: null,
+        workspace,
+        config: { workspaceRuntime, desiredState: "running", serviceStates: { "0": "running" } },
+        adapterEnv: {},
+      });
+      const runtimeServiceId = before[0]?.id;
+      expect(runtimeServiceId).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(before[0]?.port).toBe(legacyPort);
+      expect(before[0]?.url).toBe(`http://127.0.0.1:${legacyPort}`);
+      const [httpRow] = await db.select().from(workspaceRuntimeServices);
+      expect(httpRow.exposure).toBeNull();
+      expect(httpRow.url).toBe(`http://127.0.0.1:${legacyPort}`);
+      await expect(fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${legacyPort}`)).resolves.toMatchObject({ ok: true });
+      expect(brokerCalls).toEqual([]);
+
+      // ---- Deploy: the feature turns on and Paperclip restarts. ----
+      await resetRuntimeServicesForTests();
+      delete process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS;
+      installExposureDeps();
+
+      const result = await reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db);
+      expect(result).toMatchObject({ backfilled: 1, restarted: 1, restartFailed: 0 });
+      expect(brokerCalls).toEqual(["reserve", "expose"]);
+
+      // ---- After: same row, verified HTTPS URL, no HTTP anywhere. ----
+      const afterRows = await db.select().from(workspaceRuntimeServices);
+      expect(afterRows).toHaveLength(1);
+      const httpsRow = afterRows[0]!;
+      expect(httpsRow.id).toBe(runtimeServiceId);
+      expect(httpsRow.status).toBe("running");
+      expect(httpsRow.port).not.toBe(legacyPort);
+      expect(httpsRow.port).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(42_000);
+      expect(httpsRow.port).toBeLessThanOrEqual(42_999);
+      expect(httpsRow.url).toBe(`https://runner.tail123.ts.net:${httpsRow.port}`);
+      expect(httpsRow.exposure).toMatchObject({
+        provider: "tailscale_https",
+        state: "ready",
+        publicUrl: `https://runner.tail123.ts.net:${httpsRow.port}`,
+        hostname: "runner.tail123.ts.net",
+      });
+      expect(httpsRow.exposureHandle).toBeTruthy();
+      // The old HTTP backend is gone, not merely shadowed.
+      await expect(fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${legacyPort}`)).rejects.toThrow();
+
+      // ---- Repeat deploy: converges, no listener churn, same port. ----
+      await resetRuntimeServicesForTests();
+      installExposureDeps();
+      brokerCalls.length = 0;
+      const second = await reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db);
+      expect(second).toMatchObject({ backfilled: 0 });
+      expect(brokerCalls).toEqual([]);
+      const [repeatRow] = await db.select().from(workspaceRuntimeServices);
+      expect(repeatRow.port).toBe(httpsRow.port);
+      expect(repeatRow.url).toBe(httpsRow.url);
+      expect(repeatRow.status).toBe("running");
+    } finally {
+      await stopRuntimeServicesForProjectWorkspace({
+        db,
+        projectWorkspaceId,
+        workspaceCwd: workspaceRoot,
+      }).catch(() => undefined);
+      await resetRuntimeServicesForTests();
+      await fs.rm(paperclipHome, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      await fs.rm(workspaceRoot, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      if (previousPaperclipHome === undefined) delete process.env.PAPERCLIP_HOME;
+      else process.env.PAPERCLIP_HOME = previousPaperclipHome;
+      if (previousPaperclipInstanceId === undefined) delete process.env.PAPERCLIP_INSTANCE_ID;
+      else process.env.PAPERCLIP_INSTANCE_ID = previousPaperclipInstanceId;
+      if (previousHttpsMode === undefined) delete process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS;
+      else process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS = previousHttpsMode;
+    }
+  }, 40_000);
+
   it("adopts a live auto-port shared service after runtime state is reset", async () => {
     const workspaceRoot = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "paperclip-runtime-reconcile-"));
     const paperclipHome = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "paperclip-runtime-home-"));
diff --git a/server/src/index.ts b/server/src/index.ts
index 22d914d7a1c..1e0c97cf86d 100644
--- a/server/src/index.ts
+++ b/server/src/index.ts
@@ -818,12 +818,20 @@ export async function startServer(): Promise<StartedServer> {
 
   void reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db as any)
     .then((result) => {
-      if (result.reconciled > 0 || result.restarted > 0 || result.restartFailed > 0) {
+      if (
+        result.reconciled > 0
+        || result.restarted > 0
+        || result.restartFailed > 0
+        || result.backfilled > 0
+      ) {
         logger.warn(
           {
             reconciled: result.reconciled,
             adopted: result.adopted,
             stopped: result.stopped,
+            // Managed HTTP-only services taken down so they come back on a
+            // verified HTTPS origin (PAP-17158).
+            httpsBackfilled: result.backfilled,
             restarted: result.restarted,
             restartFailed: result.restartFailed,
           },
diff --git a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure-backfill.test.ts b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure-backfill.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..de28db28638
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure-backfill.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+/**
+ * Backfill decision coverage for PAP-17158.
+ *
+ * `decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill` is the whole contract for which
+ * pre-feature workspaces get upgraded to HTTPS in place and which are left
+ * alone, so each branch is asserted by its reason code rather than only by the
+ * resulting action.
+ */
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill } from "./workspace-runtime.js";
+
+/** A persisted, running, pre-feature Paperclip App dev runtime. */
+function httpOnlyRunningRow(overrides: Partial<Parameters<typeof decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill>[0]> = {}) {
+  return {
+    mode: "auto" as const,
+    brokerAvailable: true,
+    provider: "local_process",
+    serviceName: "paperclip-dev",
+    command: "pnpm dev --bind lan",
+    status: "running",
+    hasExposure: false,
+    declaredIntent: "unset" as const,
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+describe("decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill", () => {
+  it("reprovisions a running HTTP-only managed worktree runtime", () => {
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow())).toEqual({
+      action: "reprovision",
+      reason: "http_only_managed_service",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("reprovisions a service that is mid-start as well as one already running", () => {
+    for (const status of ["provisioning", "starting", "running"]) {
+      expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ status })).action).toBe("reprovision");
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("leaves a stopped service to pick the default up on its next start", () => {
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ status: "stopped" }))).toEqual({
+      action: "keep",
+      reason: "stopped_defaults_on_next_start",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("preserves a deliberate opt-out", () => {
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ declaredIntent: "disabled" }))).toEqual({
+      action: "keep",
+      reason: "deliberate_opt_out",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("is idempotent: a row that already carries exposure state is never re-driven", () => {
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ hasExposure: true }))).toEqual({
+      action: "keep",
+      reason: "already_exposed",
+    });
+    // Repeated deploys see the same row and must keep converging on "keep".
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ hasExposure: true })).action).toBe("keep");
+  });
+
+  it("leaves unmanaged and custom services alone", () => {
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({
+      serviceName: "preview",
+      command: "pnpm vite",
+    }))).toEqual({ action: "keep", reason: "unmanaged_or_custom_service" });
+  });
+
+  it("leaves external (non local_process) runtime services alone", () => {
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ provider: "external" }))).toEqual({
+      action: "keep",
+      reason: "not_a_managed_local_process",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does nothing when the automatic default is switched off", () => {
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ mode: "off" }))).toEqual({
+      action: "keep",
+      reason: "https_default_disabled",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("skips the backfill when the host broker is unavailable, unless forced", () => {
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ brokerAvailable: false }))).toEqual({
+      action: "keep",
+      reason: "broker_unavailable",
+    });
+    expect(
+      decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ brokerAvailable: false, mode: "force" })).action,
+    ).toBe("reprovision");
+  });
+
+  it("never takes down a row it cannot restart from a configured entry", () => {
+    expect(decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ declaredIntent: null }))).toEqual({
+      action: "keep",
+      reason: "no_configured_service_entry",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("reprovisions an explicit opt-in that is somehow running without exposure", () => {
+    expect(
+      decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({ declaredIntent: "enabled" })).action,
+    ).toBe("reprovision");
+  });
+
+  it("checks the opt-out before broker availability so an opt-out never depends on host state", () => {
+    expect(
+      decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(httpOnlyRunningRow({
+        declaredIntent: "disabled",
+        brokerAvailable: false,
+      })).reason,
+    ).toBe("deliberate_opt_out");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure.test.ts b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure.test.ts
index c49a979ff45..5412a347ca6 100644
--- a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
 import type { BrokerClient, BrokerListenerRequest } from "./runtime-exposure/broker-client.js";
 import {
@@ -11,7 +11,18 @@ import {
 const EXECUTION_WORKSPACE_ID = "11111111-2222-4333-8444-555566667777";
 const HANDLE = "handle-abcdef1234567890";
 
+// The shared test setup pins the automatic default off so unrelated suites do
+// not probe for a real host broker. This suite is about the default, so it opts
+// back in and restores the harness value afterwards.
+let previousHttpsMode: string | undefined;
+beforeEach(() => {
+  previousHttpsMode = process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS;
+  process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS = "auto";
+});
+
 afterEach(async () => {
+  if (previousHttpsMode === undefined) delete process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS;
+  else process.env.PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS = previousHttpsMode;
   await resetRuntimeServicesForTests();
 });
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime.ts b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime.ts
index 0a1d1489ecc..21cc89777e7 100644
--- a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   readRuntimeExposureIntent,
   resolveDeclaredRuntimeExposureConfig,
   type RuntimeExposureConfigInput,
+  type RuntimeExposureIntent,
   type RuntimeExposureStatus,
   type GitWorktreeBranchAncestryVerdict,
   type GitWorktreeBranchIncoherenceEvidence as SharedGitWorktreeBranchIncoherenceEvidence,
@@ -6272,6 +6273,96 @@ export async function listWorkspaceRuntimeServicesForProjectWorkspaces(
   return grouped;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Statuses that mean "there is, or is supposed to be, a live backend process".
+ * A row in one of these states is what the backfill has to reprovision; a
+ * `stopped` row simply picks the default up on its next start.
+ */
+const LIVE_RUNTIME_SERVICE_STATUSES = new Set(["provisioning", "starting", "running"]);
+
+export type ManagedRuntimeExposureBackfillDecision = {
+  action: "keep" | "reprovision";
+  reason: string;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Decide what the HTTPS backfill should do with one persisted runtime-service
+ * row (PAP-17158).
+ *
+ * Pure so every branch is directly testable: the reasons below are the whole
+ * contract for which pre-feature workspaces get upgraded and which are left
+ * exactly as they are.
+ *
+ * `declaredIntent === null` means no configured service entry could be matched
+ * to this row. Such a row is deliberately left alone: reprovisioning works by
+ * stopping the HTTP backend and letting the desired-state restart bring it back
+ * with exposure, so without a config to restart from we would take a service
+ * down and never bring it back.
+ */
+export function decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill(input: {
+  mode: ManagedRuntimeHttpsMode;
+  brokerAvailable: boolean;
+  provider: string;
+  serviceName: string;
+  command: string | null;
+  status: string;
+  hasExposure: boolean;
+  declaredIntent: RuntimeExposureIntent | null;
+}): ManagedRuntimeExposureBackfillDecision {
+  if (input.mode === "off") return { action: "keep", reason: "https_default_disabled" };
+  if (input.provider !== "local_process") return { action: "keep", reason: "not_a_managed_local_process" };
+  // Idempotence: a row that already carries exposure state is never re-driven,
+  // so repeated deploys and restarts converge instead of churning listeners.
+  if (input.hasExposure) return { action: "keep", reason: "already_exposed" };
+  if (input.declaredIntent === "disabled") return { action: "keep", reason: "deliberate_opt_out" };
+  if (input.declaredIntent === null) return { action: "keep", reason: "no_configured_service_entry" };
+  if (!isManagedHttpsDefaultCandidate({ serviceName: input.serviceName, command: input.command })) {
+    return { action: "keep", reason: "unmanaged_or_custom_service" };
+  }
+  if (input.mode !== "force" && !input.brokerAvailable) {
+    return { action: "keep", reason: "broker_unavailable" };
+  }
+  if (!LIVE_RUNTIME_SERVICE_STATUSES.has(input.status)) {
+    return { action: "keep", reason: "stopped_defaults_on_next_start" };
+  }
+  return { action: "reprovision", reason: "http_only_managed_service" };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Look up the exposure intent a persisted runtime-service row inherits from its
+ * owning workspace configuration, by matching the row's service name against the
+ * configured entries. Returns null when no entry matches.
+ */
+async function buildPersistedRuntimeExposureIntentLookup(db: Db) {
+  const [projectWorkspaceRows, executionWorkspaceRows] = await Promise.all([
+    db.select().from(projectWorkspaces),
+    db.select().from(executionWorkspaces),
+  ]);
+  const projectRuntimeById = new Map(projectWorkspaceRows.map((row) => [
+    row.id,
+    readProjectWorkspaceRuntimeConfig((row.metadata as Record<string, unknown> | null) ?? null)?.workspaceRuntime ?? null,
+  ] as const));
+  const executionRuntimeById = new Map(executionWorkspaceRows.map((row) => [
+    row.id,
+    readExecutionWorkspaceConfig((row.metadata as Record<string, unknown> | null) ?? null)?.workspaceRuntime
+      ?? (row.projectWorkspaceId ? projectRuntimeById.get(row.projectWorkspaceId) ?? null : null),
+  ] as const));
+
+  return (row: {
+    serviceName: string;
+    projectWorkspaceId: string | null;
+    executionWorkspaceId: string | null;
+  }): RuntimeExposureIntent | null => {
+    const runtime = (row.executionWorkspaceId ? executionRuntimeById.get(row.executionWorkspaceId) : null)
+      ?? (row.projectWorkspaceId ? projectRuntimeById.get(row.projectWorkspaceId) ?? null : null);
+    if (!runtime) return null;
+    const entries = listConfiguredRuntimeServiceEntries({ workspaceRuntime: runtime });
+    const entry = entries.find((candidate) => asString(candidate.name, "service") === row.serviceName);
+    if (!entry) return null;
+    return readRuntimeExposureIntent(parseObject(entry.expose));
+  };
+}
+
 export async function reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db: Db) {
   const rows = await db
     .select()
@@ -6283,6 +6374,13 @@ export async function reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db: Db) {
       ),
     );
 
+  // Backfill inputs, resolved once per startup rather than per row.
+  const httpsMode = resolveManagedRuntimeHttpsMode();
+  const brokerAvailable = httpsMode === "off"
+    ? false
+    : await workspaceRuntimeExposureDeps.isBrokerAvailable().catch(() => false);
+  const readDeclaredExposureIntent = await buildPersistedRuntimeExposureIntentLookup(db);
+
   let ownedExposureListeners: Awaited<ReturnType<BrokerClient["list"]>> | null = [];
   if (rows.some((row) => row.exposure && row.exposure.state !== "removed")) {
     try {
@@ -6295,6 +6393,7 @@ export async function reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db: Db) {
   let reconciled = 0;
   let adopted = 0;
   let stopped = 0;
+  let backfilled = 0;
   for (const row of rows) {
     if (row.status === "stopped" && row.exposure && row.exposure.state !== "removed") {
       await cleanupPersistedExposureRows(db, [{
@@ -6321,6 +6420,25 @@ export async function reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db: Db) {
         new URL("/api/health", row.exposure.publicUrl!).toString(),
       )
     );
+    // Pre-feature rows carry no exposure state at all. An eligible one that is
+    // still serving plain HTTP must not be adopted as-is, or the deploy would
+    // leave `http://paperclip-dev:<port>` as the canonical URL forever. Stopping
+    // it here hands it to the desired-state restart below, which brings it back
+    // through the normal fail-closed exposure lifecycle.
+    const backfillDecision = decideManagedRuntimeExposureBackfill({
+      mode: httpsMode,
+      brokerAvailable,
+      provider: row.provider,
+      serviceName: row.serviceName,
+      command: row.command,
+      status: row.status,
+      hasExposure: Boolean(row.exposure && row.exposure.state !== "removed"),
+      declaredIntent: readDeclaredExposureIntent({
+        serviceName: row.serviceName,
+        projectWorkspaceId: row.projectWorkspaceId ?? null,
+        executionWorkspaceId: row.executionWorkspaceId ?? null,
+      }),
+    });
     let adoptedRecord = await findLocalServiceRegistryRecordByRuntimeServiceId({
       runtimeServiceId: row.id,
       profileKind: "workspace-runtime",
@@ -6366,9 +6484,11 @@ export async function reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db: Db) {
     if (adoptedRecord) {
       const adoptedUrl = adoptedRecord.url ?? row.backendUrl ?? row.url ?? null;
       if (
-        !exposureHealthMatches
+        backfillDecision.action === "reprovision"
+        || !exposureHealthMatches
         || !(await isRuntimeServiceUrlHealthy(adoptedUrl, { serviceName: row.serviceName, command: row.command }))
       ) {
+        if (backfillDecision.action === "reprovision") backfilled += 1;
         await terminateLocalService(adoptedRecord);
         await removeLocalServiceRegistryRecord(adoptedRecord.serviceKey);
       } else {
@@ -6452,7 +6572,10 @@ export async function reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db: Db) {
       .set({
         status: "stopped",
         healthStatus: "unknown",
-        url: stoppedExposure ? null : row.url,
+        // A row queued for HTTPS backfill drops its HTTP URL now rather than
+        // keeping it until the restart succeeds: if the restart fails, the
+        // fail-closed contract says show no URL, not a working HTTP one.
+        url: stoppedExposure || backfillDecision.action === "reprovision" ? null : row.url,
         exposure: stoppedExposure,
         exposureHandle: stoppedExposureHandle,
         stoppedAt: now,
@@ -6476,12 +6599,18 @@ export async function reconcilePersistedRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db: Db) {
   // was never committed. Re-applying persisted desired state adopts that
   // registry entry (or restarts a missing service) and makes it visible to
   // workspace cleanup through workspace_runtime_services again.
+  //
+  // It is also the second half of the HTTPS backfill: services stopped above as
+  // HTTP-only come back here through the ordinary start path, which now applies
+  // the `tailscale_https` default and only reports them healthy behind a
+  // verified HTTPS URL.
   const desiredState = await restartDesiredRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db);
 
   return {
     reconciled,
     adopted,
     stopped,
+    backfilled,
     restarted: desiredState.restarted,
     restartFailed: desiredState.failed,
   };