diff --git a/doc/plans/2026-10-30-aggregate-maintenance-sleep.md b/doc/plans/2026-10-30-aggregate-maintenance-sleep.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..19a68c6db66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/plans/2026-10-30-aggregate-maintenance-sleep.md
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+# Aggregate maintenance interval integration
+
+## Delivery boundary
+
+Remove the catch-all heartbeat maintenance interval only after its domain duties
+have replacement owners. Keep existing routine, agent-timer and issue-monitor
+scheduling, feature toggles, plugin readiness, environment cleanup, idle tracking,
+hot-restart shutdown, and conservative sleep-safety checks. This work does not
+qualify actual database or host suspension, Cloud alarms, or cost savings.
+
+The dependency base currently retains the interval while residual run recovery
+is being completed. The assembled acceptance harness is implemented first so
+that its observation boundary has a positive control before interval removal.
+
+## Duty ownership
+
+| Former interval duty | Owning replacement |
+| --- | --- |
+| Attention retention | Attention eligibility, committed source notifications and actual archive deadlines |
+| Run/task recovery | Run dispatch, issue recovery, watchdogs, locks, residual live/orphan obligations |
+| Routine execution projection | Routine execution-status notifications and projection debt |
+| GitHub discovery/credentials | Durable supported event ingress, enrollment and credential continuity |
+| Merged PR confirmations | Actual unresolved cards, provider ingress and scoped fallback |
+| External objects | Supported source/configuration producers, exact refresh and retry deadlines |
+| Status cards | Feature-owned scheduled/reactive evaluation, claims and assignment sequencing |
+| Native backup expiration | Existing backup/session/file records and source-owned retention deadlines |
+| Ephemeral runtime status | Expiry on read, explicit terminal clear and time-gated cleanup on output writes |
+
+The in-memory runtime-status store performs at most one expired-entry scan per
+strictly more than 90 seconds of continuing writes. It has no maintenance timer.
+An otherwise inactive process can retain its last unread abandoned cohort until
+its next read/write or process exit; those entries are never returned after TTL.
+
+## Assembled acceptance boundary
+
+`server/src/__tests__/maintenance-server-routes.test.ts` starts the real exported
+`startServer` in a child with its real app, services, coordinator and PostgreSQL.
+The suite prepares shared/SDK/Runner TypeScript artifacts, uses the existing
+owned embedded PostgreSQL helper by default, and accepts validated disposable
+external database overrides for constrained hosts. The file name places this
+expensive suite in the existing serialized route lane. It does not skip merely
+because an external database environment variable is absent.
+
+The test-only PostgreSQL proxy observes all frontend simple Query messages and
+extended Parse/Bind/Execute messages. It counts prepared executions that reuse
+an earlier parse, raw tagged SQL, transaction commands and rollback. SQL
+parameters and result values are not written to measurement receipts. Receipts
+contain fingerprints, static table names and separate protocol frame counts.
+The observer issues no database queries and has a real-socket calibration test.
+Setup and independent result inspection use another bounded client outside the
+application's measured connection boundary.
+
+Child-local diagnostics observe outbound HTTP requests and non-database TCP
+connections/bytes. A controlled GitHub HTTP endpoint is explicitly simulated;
+its request log independently records provider activity. The Cloud standby case
+uses actual managed bootstrap validation, an S3 HTTP guard and generated
+Ed25519 signing keys, without a deployed Cloud service or real bucket.
+
+The absent-feature fixture disables telemetry, announcements, scheduled database
+backups and UI serving. It supplies no provider secrets or configured external
+channels. Other maintenance registrations remain on their production paths.
+Those exclusions are fixture conditions, not a claim that configured periodic
+backups, live operation keepalives or authorized external reconciliation disappear.
+
+## Clock and settlement
+
+One positive control uses a real 31-second observation after actual startup
+settlement. Longer windows use only child-local Date/setTimeout/setInterval
+control. Boot and ordinary HTTP producer phases advance at real speed. The
+clock freezes after readiness and real socket settlement, then advances at most
+30 seconds per step, settling real I/O between steps. Parent deadlines,
+setImmediate and database sockets remain usable. Receipts distinguish real
+elapsed time from simulated elapsed time. PostgreSQL's server clock is not
+advanced; this window does not replace owner-specific durable deadline tests.
+
+The final enabled-mode claim still requires a separate real 90-second quiet
+window after interval removal. A fake clock alone is insufficient.
+
+## Evidence and remaining gates
+
+Before removal, empty enabled boot issued 325 startup SQL statements and another
+26 executions in the next real 31-second window: 24 extended executions and two
+simple queries, covering residual heartbeat/native/resource/wake recovery.
+This establishes that the observer sees the legacy interval's actual effect.
+The obsolete-positive assertion will be replaced when the interval is removed;
+the raw/prepared real-PostgreSQL calibration remains.
+
+Current assembled cases cover:
+
+- Disabled-heartbeat empty boot across two simulated hourly windows.
+- Ordinary HTTP company/settings/completed-task creation, independent durable
+  inspection, drain/resume and two additional hourly windows without owner work.
+- An ordinary HTTP issue insertion held by an isolated PostgreSQL lock while
+  idle drain starts, followed by its actual commit and external-object source
+  ingestion. Provider work waits during drain, then resume fetches the simulated
+  merged PR, persists terminal state and settles for two hourly windows.
+- A real HTTP 503 from the controlled provider, durable retry deadline, no
+  SQL/provider retry during drain, successful resume and quiet after settlement.
+- Actual Cloud warm standby, signed identity claim and durable canonical identity.
+
+Warm standby retains exactly one identified startup intent: the committed
+`companyTransferRunService.recoverStrandedApplyingRuns` notification to import
+spool cleanup. The Cloud coordinator deliberately disables both dispatch and
+reconciliation before claim, so the hold remains even with zero transfer rows.
+The test qualifies SQL/network quiet with that explicit deferred intent, then
+requires the ordinary signed claim to release it to zero active work at the
+existing bounded 30-second retry deadline. It does not call standby sleep-eligible
+while this hold exists. Temporary diagnostic begin/end tracing used to identify
+this owner is not part of the production change.
+
+Remaining acceptance before a removal PR: final recovery integration, all owner
+first-producer paths through assembled wiring, enabled empty/configured/history
+quiet including the real 90-second window, scheduling suppression, startup and
+shutdown races, relevant contracts across the combined tree, current-head
+Greptile 5/5 and required CI. No aggregate-removal acceptance or deployment claim
+is made by the preliminary harness checkpoint.
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/postgres-proxy.ts b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/postgres-proxy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8c6b1c72d41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/postgres-proxy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
+import { createConnection, createServer, type Socket } from "node:net";
+
+export type ObservedQuery = { protocol: "simple" | "extended"; sql: string; fingerprint: string };
+
+export function createPostgresProtocolObserver(onQuery: (query: ObservedQuery) => void, onFrame: (type: string) => void = () => {}) {
+  let frontend = Buffer.alloc(0), backend = Buffer.alloc(0), startup = true, pending = 0;
+  const statements = new Map<string, string>(), portals = new Map<string, string>();
+  function cstring(body: Buffer, offset = 0): [string, number] {
+    const end = body.indexOf(0, offset);
+    if (end < 0) throw new Error("PostgreSQL protocol string is incomplete");
+    return [body.toString("utf8", offset, end), end + 1];
+  }
+  function observe(protocol: ObservedQuery["protocol"], sql: string) {
+    onQuery({ protocol, sql, fingerprint: createHash("sha256").update(sql).digest("hex").slice(0, 16) });
+  }
+  return {
+    get pending() { return pending; },
+    frontend(chunk: Buffer) {
+      frontend = Buffer.concat([frontend, chunk]);
+      while (frontend.length >= (startup ? 8 : 5)) {
+        const length = frontend.readInt32BE(startup ? 0 : 1);
+        if (length < (startup ? 8 : 4) || length > 64 * 1024 * 1024) throw new Error("Invalid PostgreSQL frame length");
+        const total = length + (startup ? 0 : 1);
+        if (frontend.length < total) return;
+        const frame = frontend.subarray(0, total);
+        frontend = frontend.subarray(total);
+        if (startup) {
+          const protocol = frame.readInt32BE(4);
+          if (protocol === 196608) startup = false;
+          else if (protocol !== 80877103 && protocol !== 80877104 && protocol !== 80877102) throw new Error("Unsupported PostgreSQL startup protocol");
+          continue;
+        }
+        const type = String.fromCharCode(frame[0]!), body = frame.subarray(5);
+        onFrame(type);
+        if (type === "Q") { pending++; observe("simple", cstring(body)[0]); }
+        else if (type === "P") {
+          const [name, offset] = cstring(body);
+          statements.set(name, cstring(body, offset)[0]);
+        } else if (type === "B") {
+          const [portal, offset] = cstring(body);
+          portals.set(portal, cstring(body, offset)[0]);
+        } else if (type === "E") {
+          const portal = cstring(body)[0], statement = portals.get(portal);
+          if (statement === undefined || !statements.has(statement)) throw new Error("Executed PostgreSQL statement was not observed");
+          observe("extended", statements.get(statement)!);
+        } else if (type === "S") pending++;
+        else if (type === "C") {
+          const name = cstring(body, 1)[0];
+          if (body[0] === 83) statements.delete(name);
+          else portals.delete(name);
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    backend(chunk: Buffer) {
+      backend = Buffer.concat([backend, chunk]);
+      if (startup && backend.length === 1 && backend[0] === 78) { backend = Buffer.alloc(0); return; }
+      while (backend.length >= 5) {
+        const length = backend.readInt32BE(1);
+        if (length < 4 || length > 64 * 1024 * 1024) throw new Error("Unsupported encrypted or invalid PostgreSQL response");
+        if (backend.length < length + 1) return;
+        if (backend[0] === 90) pending = Math.max(0, pending - 1);
+        backend = backend.subarray(length + 1);
+      }
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+export async function startMaintenancePostgresProxy(databaseUrl: string) {
+  const upstream = new URL(databaseUrl), queries: ObservedQuery[] = [], errors: Error[] = [];
+  const frames = { Query: 0, Parse: 0, Bind: 0, Execute: 0, Sync: 0 };
+  const sockets = new Set<Socket>(), observers = new Set<ReturnType<typeof createPostgresProtocolObserver>>();
+  const server = createServer(client => {
+    const target = createConnection({ host: upstream.hostname, port: Number(upstream.port) || 5432 });
+    const observer = createPostgresProtocolObserver(query => queries.push(query), type => {
+      if (type === "Q") frames.Query++; else if (type === "P") frames.Parse++; else if (type === "B") frames.Bind++;
+      else if (type === "E") frames.Execute++; else if (type === "S") frames.Sync++;
+    });
+    observers.add(observer);
+    for (const socket of [client, target]) {
+      sockets.add(socket);
+      socket.on("error", error => { errors.push(error); client.destroy(); target.destroy(); });
+      socket.on("close", () => { sockets.delete(socket); if (client.destroyed && target.destroyed) observers.delete(observer); });
+    }
+    client.on("data", chunk => { try { observer.frontend(chunk); } catch (error) { errors.push(error as Error); client.destroy(); target.destroy(); } });
+    target.on("data", chunk => { try { observer.backend(chunk); } catch (error) { errors.push(error as Error); client.destroy(); target.destroy(); } });
+    client.pipe(target); target.pipe(client);
+    client.on("end", () => target.end()); target.on("end", () => client.end());
+  });
+  await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => { server.once("error", reject); server.listen(0, "127.0.0.1", resolve); });
+  const address = server.address();
+  if (!address || typeof address === "string") throw new Error("PostgreSQL observer failed to bind");
+  const url = new URL(databaseUrl); url.hostname = "127.0.0.1"; url.port = String(address.port); url.searchParams.set("sslmode", "disable");
+  return {
+    url: url.toString(), queries, errors,
+    get frames() { return { ...frames }; },
+    get pending() { return [...observers].reduce((sum, observer) => sum + observer.pending, 0); },
+    async stop() {
+      for (const socket of sockets) socket.destroy();
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => server.close(error => error ? reject(error) : resolve()));
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/runtime-build.ts b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/runtime-build.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3b43d7c205c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/runtime-build.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { execFile } from "node:child_process";
+import { promisify } from "node:util";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+let ready: Promise<void> | undefined;
+export function prepareMaintenanceRuntime() {
+  ready ??= (async () => {
+    const script = process.env.npm_execpath;
+    const javascript = script && /\.[cm]?js$/i.test(script);
+    const command = javascript ? process.execPath : script ?? "pnpm";
+    const prefix = javascript ? [script!] : [];
+    for (const args of [
+      ["--filter", "@paperclipai/plugin-sdk", "ensure-build-deps"],
+      ["--filter", "@paperclipai/paperclip-runner", "build:typescript"],
+    ]) await promisify(execFile)(command, [...prefix, ...args], {
+      cwd: fileURLToPath(new URL("../../../../..", import.meta.url)), env: process.env,
+      timeout: 90_000, maxBuffer: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
+    });
+  })();
+  return ready;
+}
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/server-child.ts b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/server-child.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..029b0762f0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/server-child.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+import { channel } from "node:diagnostics_channel";
+import { mock } from "node:test";
+import type { Socket } from "node:net";
+
+const realTimeout = globalThis.setTimeout, realInterval = globalThis.setInterval, clearRealInterval = globalThis.clearInterval, realNow = Date.now;
+const fakeClock = process.env.PAPERCLIP_MAINTENANCE_FAKE_CLOCK === "true";
+let bootClock: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | undefined;
+function runClock() {
+  if (bootClock) clearRealInterval(bootClock);
+  let previous = realNow();
+  bootClock = realInterval(() => { const now = realNow(); mock.timers.tick(Math.max(0, now - previous)); previous = now; }, 10);
+}
+if (fakeClock) {
+  mock.timers.enable({ apis: ["Date", "setTimeout", "setInterval"], now: realNow() });
+  runClock();
+}
+
+if (process.env.PAPERCLIP_MAINTENANCE_GITHUB_ORIGIN) {
+  const fetch = globalThis.fetch;
+  globalThis.fetch = (input, init) => {
+    const url = new URL(input instanceof Request ? input.url : input.toString());
+    return fetch(url.origin === "https://api.github.com"
+      ? new URL(url.pathname + url.search, process.env.PAPERCLIP_MAINTENANCE_GITHUB_ORIGIN) : input, init);
+  };
+}
+
+let outgoingHttpRequests = 0;
+const sockets: Array<{ socket: Socket; database: boolean }> = [];
+channel("net.client.socket").subscribe(message => {
+  const socket = (message as { socket: Socket }).socket;
+  socket.once("connect", () => sockets.push({ socket, database: socket.remotePort === Number(new URL(process.env.DATABASE_URL!).port) }));
+});
+function network() {
+  return { nonDatabaseConnections: sockets.filter(entry => !entry.database).length,
+    databaseConnections: sockets.filter(entry => entry.database).length,
+    nonDatabaseBytesWritten: sockets.filter(entry => !entry.database).reduce((sum, entry) => sum + entry.socket.bytesWritten, 0) };
+}
+const observeRequest = () => { outgoingHttpRequests++; };
+channel("undici:request:create").subscribe(observeRequest);
+channel("http.client.request.start").subscribe(observeRequest);
+
+try {
+  const { startServer } = await import("../../../index.js");
+  const { idleWorkSnapshot, startTaskDrain, stopTaskDrain } = await import("../../../services/task-admission.js");
+  const { getStartupRecoveryState } = await import("../../../startup-recovery-state.js");
+  const server = await startServer();
+  process.send?.({ kind: "ready", port: server.listenPort });
+  process.on("message", async (message: { id: number; command: string; ms?: number }) => {
+    try {
+      if (message.command === "snapshot" || message.command === "advance" || message.command === "drain" || message.command === "resume" || message.command === "freeze" || message.command === "realtime") {
+        if (message.command === "freeze" && bootClock) { clearRealInterval(bootClock); bootClock = realInterval(() => mock.timers.tick(0), 10); }
+        if (message.command === "realtime" && fakeClock) runClock();
+        if (message.command === "advance") {
+          if (!fakeClock || typeof message.ms !== "number" || !Number.isFinite(message.ms) || message.ms < 0 || message.ms > 30_000) throw new Error("Invalid maintenance clock advance");
+          mock.timers.tick(message.ms);
+        }
+        if (message.command === "drain") startTaskDrain({ purpose: "idle" });
+        if (message.command === "resume") stopTaskDrain();
+        if (fakeClock) mock.timers.tick(0);
+        process.send?.({ id: message.id, kind: "snapshot", idle: idleWorkSnapshot(), startup: getStartupRecoveryState(), outgoingHttpRequests, network: network(), now: Date.now() });
+      } else if (message.command === "shutdown") {
+        if (bootClock) { clearRealInterval(bootClock); bootClock = undefined; }
+        await server.shutdown();
+        process.send?.({ id: message.id, kind: "stopped", outgoingHttpRequests });
+        if (fakeClock) mock.timers.reset();
+        await new Promise(resolve => realTimeout(resolve, 20));
+        process.exit(0);
+      } else throw new Error(`Unknown maintenance harness command: ${message.command}`);
+    } catch (error) { process.send?.({ id: message.id, kind: "error", error: error instanceof Error ? error.stack : String(error) }); }
+  });
+} catch (error) {
+  if (bootClock) clearRealInterval(bootClock);
+  process.send?.({ kind: "error", error: error instanceof Error ? error.stack : String(error) });
+  process.exitCode = 1;
+}
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/server-harness.ts b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/server-harness.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e438420bb6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/server-harness.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+import { fork } from "node:child_process";
+import { randomBytes, randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
+import { createWriteStream } from "node:fs";
+import { mkdtemp, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { createServer } from "node:net";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { setTimeout as delay } from "node:timers/promises";
+import { startMaintenancePostgresProxy } from "./postgres-proxy.js";
+
+async function withDeadline<T>(promise: Promise<T>, ms: number, message: () => string): Promise<T> {
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  try {
+    return await Promise.race([promise, delay(ms, undefined, { signal: controller.signal }).then(() => { throw new Error(message()); })]);
+  } finally { controller.abort(); }
+}
+
+type Snapshot = { idle: { active: number; generation: number }; startup: { phase: string }; outgoingHttpRequests: number; network: { nonDatabaseConnections: number; databaseConnections: number; nonDatabaseBytesWritten: number }; now: number };
+
+export async function startMaintenanceServer(databaseUrl: string, options: { enabled?: boolean; clock?: boolean; suppressed?: boolean; githubOrigin?: string; cloud?: { jwks: string; s3Origin: string; standby: boolean } } = {}) {
+  const proxy = await startMaintenancePostgresProxy(databaseUrl);
+  const directory = await mkdtemp(path.join(tmpdir(), "paperclip-maintenance-"));
+  const reservation = createServer();
+  await new Promise<void>(resolve => reservation.listen(0, "127.0.0.1", resolve));
+  const address = reservation.address();
+  if (!address || typeof address === "string") throw new Error("Maintenance HTTP reservation failed");
+  const configPath = path.join(directory, "config.json");
+  await writeFile(configPath, JSON.stringify({
+    $meta: { version: 1, updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(), source: "onboard" },
+    database: { mode: "postgres", connectionString: proxy.url, backup: { enabled: false, dir: path.join(directory, "backups") } },
+    logging: { mode: "file", logDir: path.join(directory, "logs") },
+    server: { deploymentMode: "local_trusted", exposure: "private", bind: "loopback", host: "127.0.0.1", port: address.port, serveUi: false },
+    storage: options.cloud ? { provider: "s3", s3: { bucket: "maintenance-test", region: "us-east-1", endpoint: options.cloud.s3Origin, forcePathStyle: true } }
+      : { provider: "local_disk", localDisk: { baseDir: path.join(directory, "storage") } },
+    secrets: { provider: "local_encrypted", strictMode: false, localEncrypted: { keyFilePath: path.join(directory, "master.key") } },
+    telemetry: { enabled: false }, updates: { checkEnabled: false },
+  }), { mode: 0o600 });
+  await new Promise<void>(resolve => reservation.close(() => resolve()));
+  const child = fork(fileURLToPath(new URL("./server-child.ts", import.meta.url)), [], {
+    cwd: fileURLToPath(new URL("../../../../..", import.meta.url)),
+    execArgv: ["--import", fileURLToPath(new URL("../../../../node_modules/tsx/dist/loader.mjs", import.meta.url))],
+    env: {
+      PATH: process.env.PATH, TMPDIR: process.env.TMPDIR, NODE_ENV: "production",
+      PAPERCLIP_HOME: directory, PAPERCLIP_CONFIG: configPath, PAPERCLIP_INSTANCE_ID: "maintenance-test",
+      DATABASE_URL: proxy.url, DATABASE_POOL_MAX: "6", DATABASE_APPLICATION_NAME: "maintenance-integration-test",
+      PAPERCLIP_AGENT_JWT_SECRET: randomUUID(), PAPERCLIP_DECISION_SIGNING_SECRET: randomUUID(),
+      PAPERCLIP_TOOL_ACTION_SIGNING_SECRET: randomUUID(), BETTER_AUTH_SECRET: randomUUID(),
+      CODEX_HOME: path.join(directory, "codex"), PAPERCLIP_ANNOUNCEMENTS_ENABLED: "false",
+      PAPERCLIP_DB_BACKUP_ENABLED: "false", PAPERCLIP_UI_DEV_MIDDLEWARE: "false",
+      HEARTBEAT_SCHEDULER_ENABLED: String(options.enabled ?? true),
+      PAPERCLIP_MAINTENANCE_FAKE_CLOCK: String(options.clock ?? false),
+      ...(options.suppressed ? { PAPERCLIP_IN_WORKTREE: "true" } : {}),
+      ...(options.githubOrigin ? { PAPERCLIP_MAINTENANCE_GITHUB_ORIGIN: options.githubOrigin } : {}),
+      ...(options.cloud ? {
+        PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_CONFIG: JSON.stringify({ v: 1, mode: "cloud", catalogVersion: "2026.720.0", features: {}, plugins: { autoInstall: [] } }),
+        PAPERCLIP_SECRETS_MASTER_KEY: randomBytes(32).toString("hex"),
+        PAPERCLIP_CLOUD_TENANT_SERVER_TOKEN: "maintenance-tenant-token", PAPERCLIP_CLOUD_STACK_ID: "maintenance-stack",
+        PAPERCLIP_CLOUD_RUNTIME_IDENTITY_JWKS: options.cloud.jwks, PAPERCLIP_CLOUD_WARM_STANDBY: options.cloud.standby ? "1" : "0",
+        PAPERCLIP_PUBLIC_URL: "https://pool-maintenance.staging.paperclip.app", PAPERCLIP_PRIMARY_HOST: "pool-maintenance.staging.paperclip.app",
+        AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: "maintenance-fixture", AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: "maintenance-fixture", AWS_EC2_METADATA_DISABLED: "true",
+      } : {}),
+      PAPERCLIP_MIGRATION_PROMPT: "never", PAPERCLIP_MIGRATION_AUTO_APPLY: "true", PAPERCLIP_MANAGED_RUNTIME_HTTPS: "off",
+    },
+    stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe", "ipc"],
+  });
+  let output = "", requestId = 0;
+  const log = createWriteStream(path.join(directory, "server.log"));
+  child.stdout?.on("data", chunk => { output += String(chunk); log.write(chunk); });
+  child.stderr?.on("data", chunk => { output += String(chunk); log.write(chunk); });
+  const requests = new Map<number, { resolve: (value: any) => void; reject: (error: Error) => void }>();
+  let readyResolve: (port: number) => void, readyReject: (error: Error) => void;
+  const ready = new Promise<number>((resolve, reject) => { readyResolve = resolve; readyReject = reject; });
+  const exited = new Promise<void>(resolve => child.once("exit", () => resolve()));
+  child.on("message", (message: any) => {
+    if (message.kind === "ready") readyResolve(message.port);
+    else if (message.id) {
+      const request = requests.get(message.id); requests.delete(message.id);
+      if (message.kind === "error") request?.reject(new Error(message.error)); else request?.resolve(message);
+    } else if (message.kind === "error") readyReject(new Error(message.error));
+  });
+  child.once("error", error => readyReject(error));
+  child.once("exit", (code, signal) => {
+    const error = new Error(`Maintenance child exited (${code}/${signal}): ${output.slice(-12_000)}`);
+    readyReject(error);
+    for (const request of requests.values()) request.reject(error);
+    requests.clear();
+  });
+  async function request<T>(command: string, payload: { ms?: number } = {}): Promise<T> {
+    const id = ++requestId;
+    const result = new Promise<T>((resolve, reject) => requests.set(id, { resolve, reject }));
+    child.send({ id, command, ...payload });
+    try { return await withDeadline(result, 30_000, () => `Maintenance child ${command} timed out: ${output.slice(-8_000)}`); }
+    finally { requests.delete(id); }
+  }
+  async function stop() {
+    try {
+      if (child.exitCode === null && child.signalCode === null && child.connected) await request("shutdown");
+      await withDeadline(exited, 30_000, () => "Maintenance child did not exit after shutdown");
+    } finally {
+      if (child.exitCode === null && child.signalCode === null) child.kill("SIGKILL");
+      await proxy.stop();
+      await new Promise<void>(resolve => log.end(resolve));
+    }
+  }
+  try {
+    const port = await withDeadline(ready, 90_000, () => `Maintenance boot timed out: ${output.slice(-12_000)}`);
+    return {
+      proxy, directory, port, stop,
+      async api<T>(method: string, route: string, body?: unknown): Promise<T> {
+        if (options.clock) await request("realtime");
+        try {
+          const response = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/api${route}`, { method, signal: AbortSignal.timeout(30_000),
+            headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" }, ...(body === undefined ? {} : { body: JSON.stringify(body) }) });
+          const value = await response.json();
+          if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Maintenance API ${method} ${route}: ${response.status} ${JSON.stringify(value)}`);
+          return value as T;
+        } finally { if (options.clock) await request("freeze"); }
+      },
+      snapshot: () => request<Snapshot>("snapshot"),
+      drain: () => request<Snapshot>("drain"), resume: () => request<Snapshot>("resume"),
+      advance: (ms: number) => request<Snapshot>("advance", { ms }), freeze: () => request<Snapshot>("freeze"),
+      get output() { return output; },
+      async settled(quietMs = 500, deferredStartupHolds = 0) {
+        let previous = -1, quietSince = Date.now();
+        for (const deadline = Date.now() + 30_000; Date.now() < deadline;) {
+          const snapshot = await request<Snapshot>("snapshot");
+          if (proxy.errors.length) throw new AggregateError(proxy.errors, "PostgreSQL observer failed");
+          if (snapshot.idle.active !== deferredStartupHolds || proxy.pending !== 0 || proxy.queries.length !== previous) quietSince = Date.now();
+          previous = proxy.queries.length;
+          if (snapshot.idle.active === deferredStartupHolds && proxy.pending === 0 && Date.now() - quietSince >= quietMs) return snapshot;
+          await delay(25);
+        }
+        throw new Error(`Maintenance did not settle: ${JSON.stringify({ queries: proxy.queries.length, pending: proxy.pending, snapshot: await request("snapshot") })}\n${output.slice(-12_000)}`);
+      },
+    };
+  } catch (error) { await stop().catch(() => {}); throw error; }
+}
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/tsconfig.json b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/tsconfig.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..39a4753761d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/helpers/maintenance/tsconfig.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "extends": "../../../../../tsconfig.base.json",
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "noEmit": true,
+    "rootDir": "../../../../.."
+  },
+  "include": ["*.ts", "../../maintenance-*.test.ts", "../../../types/express.d.ts"]
+}
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/maintenance-postgres-proxy.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/maintenance-postgres-proxy.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e28226be4ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/maintenance-postgres-proxy.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+import { createDb } from "@paperclipai/db";
+import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase } from "./helpers/embedded-postgres.js";
+import { resolveExternalTestDatabaseUrl } from "./helpers/external-test-database.js";
+import { createPostgresProtocolObserver, startMaintenancePostgresProxy, type ObservedQuery } from "./helpers/maintenance/postgres-proxy.js";
+
+const startup = Buffer.from([0, 0, 0, 8, 0, 3, 0, 0]);
+function frame(type: string, body: Buffer | string = "") {
+  const payload = Buffer.from(body), header = Buffer.alloc(5);
+  header[0] = type.charCodeAt(0); header.writeInt32BE(payload.length + 4, 1);
+  return Buffer.concat([header, payload]);
+}
+
+describe("passive maintenance PostgreSQL observer", () => {
+  it("counts fragmented simple and reused prepared executions without counting parses or parameter values", () => {
+    const queries: ObservedQuery[] = [];
+    const observer = createPostgresProtocolObserver(query => queries.push(query));
+    const bytes = Buffer.concat([startup,
+      frame("Q", "select 1\0"),
+      frame("P", "statement\0select $1::text\0"),
+      frame("B", "portal\0statement\0parameter-value-sentinel"),
+      frame("E", Buffer.concat([Buffer.from("portal\0"), Buffer.alloc(4)])), frame("S"),
+      frame("B", "portal2\0statement\0other-value-sentinel"),
+      frame("E", Buffer.concat([Buffer.from("portal2\0"), Buffer.alloc(4)])), frame("S"),
+    ]);
+    for (let index = 0; index < bytes.length; index += 3) observer.frontend(bytes.subarray(index, index + 3));
+    expect(queries.map(query => [query.protocol, query.sql])).toEqual([
+      ["simple", "select 1"], ["extended", "select $1::text"], ["extended", "select $1::text"],
+    ]);
+    expect(queries[1]!.fingerprint).toBe(queries[2]!.fingerprint);
+    expect(JSON.stringify(queries)).not.toContain("value-sentinel");
+    expect(observer.pending).toBe(3);
+    const ready = frame("Z", "I");
+    for (const byte of Buffer.concat([ready, ready, ready])) observer.backend(Buffer.from([byte]));
+    expect(observer.pending).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects unobserved prepared executions instead of silently claiming quiet", () => {
+    const observer = createPostgresProtocolObserver(() => {});
+    observer.frontend(startup);
+    expect(() => observer.frontend(frame("E", Buffer.from("missing\0\0\0\0\0")))).toThrow("not observed");
+  });
+});
+
+let databaseUrl = resolveExternalTestDatabaseUrl("PAPERCLIP_MAINTENANCE_TEST_DATABASE_URL");
+let temporary: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase>> | undefined;
+describe("maintenance observer against PostgreSQL", () => {
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    if (!databaseUrl) { temporary = await startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase("maintenance-observer-"); databaseUrl = temporary.connectionString; }
+  }, 90_000);
+  afterAll(async () => { await temporary?.cleanup(); });
+  it("observes raw tagged SQL, simple SQL, rollback and reused prepared executions with real sockets", async () => {
+    const proxy = await startMaintenancePostgresProxy(databaseUrl!);
+    const db = createDb(proxy.url, { prepare: true, maxConnections: 1 });
+    try {
+      const tagged = (value: number) => db.$client`select ${value}::integer as value`;
+      expect((await tagged(1))[0]!.value).toBe(1);
+      const first = proxy.queries.length, frames = proxy.frames;
+      expect((await tagged(2))[0]!.value).toBe(2);
+      expect(proxy.queries.length).toBe(first + 1);
+      expect(proxy.frames.Parse).toBe(frames.Parse);
+      expect(proxy.frames.Execute).toBe(frames.Execute + 1);
+      expect(proxy.queries.at(-1)!.fingerprint).toBe(proxy.queries.at(-2)!.fingerprint);
+      await db.$client.unsafe("select 3 as value").simple();
+      await expect(db.$client.begin(async tx => { await tx`select 4`; throw new Error("rollback control"); })).rejects.toThrow("rollback control");
+      expect(proxy.queries.some(query => query.protocol === "simple" && query.sql.includes("select 3"))).toBe(true);
+      expect(proxy.queries.some(query => /rollback/i.test(query.sql))).toBe(true);
+      expect(proxy.pending).toBe(0);
+      expect(proxy.errors).toEqual([]);
+      const before = proxy.queries.length;
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 100));
+      expect(proxy.queries.length).toBe(before);
+    } finally { await db.$client.end(); await proxy.stop(); }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/maintenance-server-routes.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/maintenance-server-routes.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0f98f927163
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/maintenance-server-routes.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,262 @@
+import { generateKeyPairSync, sign } from "node:crypto";
+import { createServer } from "node:http";
+import { createDb } from "@paperclipai/db";
+import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { setTimeout as delay } from "node:timers/promises";
+import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase } from "./helpers/embedded-postgres.js";
+import { resolveExternalTestDatabaseUrl } from "./helpers/external-test-database.js";
+import { CLOUD_RUNTIME_IDENTITY_AUDIENCE, CLOUD_RUNTIME_IDENTITY_ISSUER, CLOUD_RUNTIME_IDENTITY_JWS_TYPE } from "../services/cloud-runtime-identity.js";
+import { prepareMaintenanceRuntime } from "./helpers/maintenance/runtime-build.js";
+import { startMaintenanceServer } from "./helpers/maintenance/server-harness.js";
+
+let databaseUrl = resolveExternalTestDatabaseUrl("PAPERCLIP_MAINTENANCE_BOOT_TEST_DATABASE_URL");
+let temporary: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase>> | undefined;
+async function clearDatabase() {
+  if (!temporary && !new URL(databaseUrl!).pathname.endsWith("_test")) throw new Error("Maintenance boot requires an owned disposable _test database");
+  const fixture = createDb(databaseUrl!, { maxConnections: 1 });
+  try {
+    const tables = await fixture.$client<{ tablename: string }[]>`select tablename from pg_tables where schemaname='public'`;
+    if (tables.length) await fixture.$client.unsafe(`truncate ${tables.map(table => `"${table.tablename.replaceAll('"', '""')}"`).join(",")} cascade`);
+  } finally { await fixture.$client.end(); }
+}
+function receipt(queries: Array<{ protocol: string; sql: string; fingerprint: string }>) {
+  const groups = new Map<string, { fingerprint: string; protocol: string; calls: number; tables: string[] }>();
+  for (const query of queries) {
+    const key = `${query.protocol}:${query.fingerprint}`;
+    const entry = groups.get(key) ?? { fingerprint: query.fingerprint, protocol: query.protocol, calls: 0,
+      tables: [...new Set([...query.sql.matchAll(/(?:from|join|update|into)\s+"?([a-z_][a-z_0-9]*)"?/gi)].map(match => match[1]!))] };
+    entry.calls++; groups.set(key, entry);
+  }
+  return [...groups.values()];
+}
+describe("assembled maintenance server production wiring", () => {
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    await prepareMaintenanceRuntime();
+    if (!databaseUrl) { temporary = await startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase("maintenance-server-"); databaseUrl = temporary.connectionString; }
+  }, 150_000);
+  afterAll(async () => { await temporary?.cleanup(); });
+  it("detects legacy aggregate recovery SQL after an empty real server boot settles", async () => {
+    await clearDatabase();
+    const server = await startMaintenanceServer(databaseUrl!);
+    try {
+      const settled = await server.settled();
+      expect(settled.startup.phase).toBe("ready");
+      expect(settled.outgoingHttpRequests).toBe(0);
+      const baseline = server.proxy.queries.length, initialFrames = server.proxy.frames;
+      await delay(31_000);
+      await server.settled();
+      const repeated = server.proxy.queries.slice(baseline);
+      expect(repeated.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(repeated.some(query => query.sql.includes('"heartbeat_runs"'))).toBe(true);
+      expect(server.proxy.errors).toEqual([]);
+      expect((await server.snapshot()).outgoingHttpRequests).toBe(0);
+      await writeFile(path.join(server.directory, "measurement.json"), JSON.stringify({ phase: "legacy-positive-control",
+        observationMs: 31_000, startupQueries: baseline, startup: receipt(server.proxy.queries.slice(0, baseline)),
+        repeatedQueries: repeated.length, repeated: receipt(repeated), initialFrames, finalFrames: server.proxy.frames, outgoingHttpRequests: 0 }, null, 2));
+    } finally { await server.stop(); }
+  }, 150_000);
+  it("keeps the disabled-heartbeat boot quiet across two former hourly windows with a qualified child clock", async () => {
+    await clearDatabase();
+    const server = await startMaintenanceServer(databaseUrl!, { enabled: false, clock: true });
+    try {
+      await server.settled();
+      await server.freeze();
+      const baseline = server.proxy.queries.length, start = (await server.snapshot()).now;
+      for (let step = 0; step < 240; step++) {
+        await server.advance(30_000);
+        await server.settled(10);
+      }
+      const after = await server.snapshot();
+      expect(after.now - start).toBe(2 * 60 * 60_000);
+      expect(server.proxy.queries.length).toBe(baseline);
+      expect(after.outgoingHttpRequests).toBe(0);
+      expect(after.network.nonDatabaseConnections).toBe(0);
+      expect(server.proxy.errors).toEqual([]);
+      await writeFile(path.join(server.directory, "measurement.json"), JSON.stringify({ phase: "disabled-empty-boot-clock",
+        clockAdvanceMs: after.now - start, stepMs: 30_000, ioSettledBetweenSteps: true,
+        startupQueries: baseline, startup: receipt(server.proxy.queries), frames: server.proxy.frames, network: after.network, measuredQueries: 0, outgoingHttpRequests: 0 }, null, 2));
+
+      const company = await server.api<{ id: string }>("POST", "/companies", { name: "Configured idle maintenance fixture" });
+      await server.api("PATCH", "/instance/settings/experimental", { enableExternalObjects: true, enableStatusCards: true });
+      const history = await server.api<{ id: string }>("POST", `/companies/${company.id}/issues`, { title: "Retained completed history", status: "done" });
+      await server.advance(30_000);
+      await server.settled();
+      const persisted = createDb(databaseUrl!, { maxConnections: 1 });
+      try {
+        const [saved] = await persisted.$client`select company_id, status from issues where id=${history.id}`;
+        expect(saved).toMatchObject({ company_id: company.id, status: "done" });
+      } finally { await persisted.$client.end(); }
+      const historyBaseline = server.proxy.queries.length;
+      await server.drain();
+      for (let step = 0; step < 3; step++) { await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled(10); }
+      await server.resume(); await server.settled();
+      const resumed = server.proxy.queries.length;
+      for (let step = 0; step < 240; step++) { await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled(10); }
+      expect(server.proxy.queries.length).toBe(resumed);
+      expect((await server.snapshot()).outgoingHttpRequests).toBe(0);
+      await writeFile(path.join(server.directory, "history-measurement.json"), JSON.stringify({ phase: "disabled-configured-history-drain",
+        companyId: company.id, issueId: history.id, historyBaseline, resumedQueries: resumed,
+        postResumeClockMs: 2 * 60 * 60_000, measuredQueries: server.proxy.queries.length - resumed,
+        frames: server.proxy.frames, outgoingHttpRequests: 0 }, null, 2));
+    } finally { await server.stop(); }
+  }, 150_000);
+
+  it("processes the first ordinary external-object producer committed during idle drain and becomes quiet again", async () => {
+    await clearDatabase();
+    const providerRequests: string[] = [];
+    const provider = createServer((req, res) => {
+      providerRequests.push(req.url!);
+      res.setHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
+      if (!/^\/repos\/maintenance\/example\/pulls\/[12]$/.test(req.url!)) { res.statusCode = 500; res.end(JSON.stringify({ error: "Unexpected simulated GitHub request" })); return; }
+      if (req.url!.endsWith("/2") && providerRequests.filter(url => url.endsWith("/2")).length === 1) {
+        res.statusCode = 503; res.setHeader("Retry-After", "2"); res.end(JSON.stringify({ message: "Controlled provider outage" })); return;
+      }
+      const number = Number(req.url!.split("/").at(-1));
+      res.end(JSON.stringify({ id: number, number, state: "closed", merged: true, merged_at: new Date().toISOString(),
+        title: "Controlled merged pull request", html_url: `https://github.com/maintenance/example/pull/${number}`, user: { login: "fixture" } }));
+    });
+    await new Promise<void>(resolve => provider.listen(0, "127.0.0.1", resolve));
+    const providerAddress = provider.address();
+    if (!providerAddress || typeof providerAddress === "string") throw new Error("Simulated GitHub failed to bind");
+    const server = await startMaintenanceServer(databaseUrl!, { enabled: false, clock: true,
+      githubOrigin: `http://127.0.0.1:${providerAddress.port}` });
+    const fixture = createDb(databaseUrl!, { maxConnections: 1 });
+    let reserved: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fixture.$client.reserve>> | undefined;
+    let pendingIssue: Promise<{ id: string }> | undefined;
+    try {
+      await server.settled();
+      const company = await server.api<{ id: string }>("POST", "/companies", { name: "Drain activation" });
+      await server.api("PATCH", "/instance/settings/experimental", { enableExternalObjects: true });
+      await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled();
+      await fixture.$client.unsafe(`create or replace function maintenance_hold_issue() returns trigger language plpgsql as $$begin
+        if new.title = 'First write during idle drain' then perform pg_advisory_xact_lock(913701); end if;
+        return new; end$$`);
+      await fixture.$client.unsafe(`create trigger maintenance_hold_issue before insert on issues for each row execute function maintenance_hold_issue()`);
+      reserved = await fixture.$client.reserve();
+      await reserved`select pg_advisory_lock(913701)`;
+      const before = server.proxy.queries.length;
+      pendingIssue = server.api<{ id: string }>("POST", `/companies/${company.id}/issues`, {
+        title: "First write during idle drain", description: "https://github.com/maintenance/example/pull/1", status: "done",
+      });
+      void pendingIssue.catch(() => {});
+      await expect.poll(() => server.proxy.queries.slice(before).some(query => /insert into "issues"/.test(query.sql)), { timeout: 10_000 }).toBe(true);
+      await server.drain();
+      await reserved`select pg_advisory_unlock(913701)`; reserved.release(); reserved = undefined;
+      const issue = await pendingIssue;
+      await server.settled();
+      expect(providerRequests).toEqual([]);
+      const [waiting] = await fixture.$client`select eo.company_id, eo.is_terminal, eo.last_resolved_at from external_objects eo
+        join external_object_mentions em on em.object_id=eo.id where em.source_issue_id=${issue.id}`;
+      expect(waiting).toMatchObject({ company_id: company.id, is_terminal: false, last_resolved_at: null });
+      const draining = server.proxy.queries.length;
+      for (let step = 0; step < 4; step++) { await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled(10); }
+      expect(server.proxy.queries.length).toBe(draining);
+      await server.resume(); await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled();
+      const [resolved] = await fixture.$client`select eo.company_id, eo.is_terminal, eo.status_key, floor(extract(epoch from eo.last_resolved_at) * 1000)::float8 as resolved_ms from external_objects eo
+        join external_object_mentions em on em.object_id=eo.id where em.source_issue_id=${issue.id}`;
+      expect(resolved).toMatchObject({ company_id: company.id, is_terminal: true, status_key: "merged", resolved_ms: expect.any(Number) });
+      expect(resolved!.resolved_ms).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(resolved!.resolved_ms).toBeLessThanOrEqual((await server.snapshot()).now);
+      expect(providerRequests).toEqual(["/repos/maintenance/example/pulls/1"]);
+      const settledQueries = server.proxy.queries.length, network = await server.snapshot();
+      for (let step = 0; step < 240; step++) { await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled(10); }
+      expect(server.proxy.queries.length).toBe(settledQueries);
+      expect(providerRequests).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect((await server.snapshot()).outgoingHttpRequests).toBe(network.outgoingHttpRequests);
+      await writeFile(path.join(server.directory, "external-object-measurement.json"), JSON.stringify({
+        phase: "ordinary-issue-producer-commit-during-drain", providerBoundary: "simulated GitHub HTTP; real application/database/transactions",
+        companyId: company.id, issueId: issue.id, resolved, drainedClockMs: 120_000, drainedQueries: 0,
+        postResolveClockMs: 7_200_000, postResolveQueries: 0, providerRequests, frames: server.proxy.frames, network,
+      }, null, 2));
+
+      const retryIssue = await server.api<{ id: string }>("POST", `/companies/${company.id}/issues`, {
+        title: "Retry after idle drain", description: "https://github.com/maintenance/example/pull/2", status: "done",
+      });
+      await server.advance(1_000); await server.settled(100);
+      const [failed] = await fixture.$client`select eo.last_error_code, floor(extract(epoch from eo.next_refresh_at) * 1000)::float8 as next_ms
+        from external_objects eo join external_object_mentions em on em.object_id=eo.id where em.source_issue_id=${retryIssue.id}`;
+      expect(failed!.last_error_code).toBe("github_unreachable");
+      expect(failed!.next_ms).toBeGreaterThan((await server.snapshot()).now);
+      await server.drain(); await server.settled();
+      const retryDrainQueries = server.proxy.queries.length;
+      for (let step = 0; step < 4; step++) { await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled(10); }
+      expect(server.proxy.queries.length).toBe(retryDrainQueries);
+      expect(providerRequests.filter(url => url.endsWith("/2"))).toHaveLength(1);
+      await server.resume(); await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled();
+      const [retried] = await fixture.$client`select eo.is_terminal, eo.status_key, eo.last_error_code from external_objects eo
+        join external_object_mentions em on em.object_id=eo.id where em.source_issue_id=${retryIssue.id}`;
+      expect(retried).toMatchObject({ is_terminal: true, status_key: "merged", last_error_code: null });
+      expect(providerRequests.filter(url => url.endsWith("/2"))).toHaveLength(2);
+      const retrySettled = server.proxy.queries.length;
+      for (let step = 0; step < 20; step++) { await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled(10); }
+      expect(server.proxy.queries.length).toBe(retrySettled);
+      await writeFile(path.join(server.directory, "retry-measurement.json"), JSON.stringify({ phase: "provider-failure-retry-across-drain",
+        providerBoundary: "simulated GitHub HTTP 503 then merged", retryIssueId: retryIssue.id, failed, retried,
+        drainedClockMs: 120_000, drainedQueries: 0, quietAfterRetryMs: 600_000, quietAfterRetryQueries: 0,
+        providerRequests, frames: server.proxy.frames }, null, 2));
+    } finally {
+      if (reserved) { await reserved`select pg_advisory_unlock(913701)`.catch(() => {}); reserved.release(); }
+      await pendingIssue?.catch(() => {});
+      await fixture.$client.unsafe("drop trigger if exists maintenance_hold_issue on issues").catch(() => {});
+      await fixture.$client.unsafe("drop function if exists maintenance_hold_issue()").catch(() => {});
+      await fixture.$client.end(); await server.stop();
+      provider.closeAllConnections(); await new Promise<void>(resolve => provider.close(() => resolve()));
+    }
+  }, 150_000);
+
+  it("keeps an actual Cloud warm standby quiet and activates after a normally signed durable claim", async () => {
+    await clearDatabase();
+    const pair = generateKeyPairSync("ed25519");
+    const publicJwk = { ...pair.publicKey.export({ format: "jwk" }), kid: "maintenance-test-key", use: "sig", alg: "EdDSA" };
+    const storageRequests: string[] = [];
+    const storage = createServer((req, res) => { storageRequests.push(req.url!); res.statusCode = 500; res.end("Unexpected S3 request in empty standby fixture"); });
+    await new Promise<void>(resolve => storage.listen(0, "127.0.0.1", resolve));
+    const address = storage.address();
+    if (!address || typeof address === "string") throw new Error("Simulated S3 failed to bind");
+    const server = await startMaintenanceServer(databaseUrl!, { clock: true,
+      cloud: { jwks: JSON.stringify({ keys: [publicJwk] }), s3Origin: `http://127.0.0.1:${address.port}`, standby: true } })
+      .catch(async error => { storage.closeAllConnections(); await new Promise<void>(resolve => storage.close(() => resolve())); throw error; });
+    try {
+      const standby = await server.settled(500, 1); await server.freeze();
+      expect(standby.idle.active).toBe(1);
+      const before = server.proxy.queries.length;
+      for (let step = 0; step < 240; step++) { await server.advance(30_000); await server.settled(10, 1); }
+      const health = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${server.port}/api/health`, { signal: AbortSignal.timeout(10_000) });
+      expect(health.status).toBe(200); expect(await health.json()).toMatchObject({ warmStandby: true });
+      expect(server.proxy.queries.length).toBe(before);
+      expect(storageRequests).toEqual([]);
+      expect((await server.snapshot()).network.nonDatabaseConnections).toBe(0);
+      const now = Math.floor((await server.snapshot()).now / 1000);
+      const header = Buffer.from(JSON.stringify({ alg: "EdDSA", typ: CLOUD_RUNTIME_IDENTITY_JWS_TYPE, kid: publicJwk.kid })).toString("base64url");
+      const payload = Buffer.from(JSON.stringify({ v: 1, iss: CLOUD_RUNTIME_IDENTITY_ISSUER, aud: CLOUD_RUNTIME_IDENTITY_AUDIENCE,
+        sub: "maintenance-stack", claimId: "maintenance-claim", previousOrigin: "https://pool-maintenance.staging.paperclip.app",
+        canonicalOrigin: "https://claimed-maintenance.staging.paperclip.app", stackSlug: "claimed-maintenance", iat: now, exp: now + 300 })).toString("base64url");
+      const assertion = `${header}.${payload}.${sign(null, Buffer.from(`${header}.${payload}`, "ascii"), pair.privateKey).toString("base64url")}`;
+      const claimed = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${server.port}/api/health`, {
+        headers: { "x-paperclip-cloud-runtime-identity": assertion }, signal: AbortSignal.timeout(10_000),
+      });
+      expect(claimed.status).toBe(200); expect((await claimed.json()).warmStandby).toBeUndefined();
+      await server.advance(30_000); const afterClaim = await server.settled();
+      expect(afterClaim.idle.active).toBe(0);
+      expect(server.proxy.queries.length).toBeGreaterThan(before);
+      const fixture = createDb(databaseUrl!, { maxConnections: 1 });
+      try {
+        const [transfers] = await fixture.$client`select count(*)::integer as count from company_transfer_runs`;
+        expect(transfers!.count).toBe(0);
+        const [identity] = await fixture.$client`select general from instance_settings where singleton_key='cloud-runtime-identity/v1'`;
+        expect(identity!.general).toMatchObject({ stackId: "maintenance-stack", claimId: "maintenance-claim", canonicalOrigin: "https://claimed-maintenance.staging.paperclip.app" });
+      } finally { await fixture.$client.end(); }
+      await writeFile(path.join(server.directory, "standby-measurement.json"), JSON.stringify({ phase: "real-cloud-standby-signed-claim",
+        cloudBoundary: "actual managed configuration, local S3 HTTP guard, generated Ed25519 trust root; no production Cloud claim",
+        clockMs: 7_200_000, standbyQueries: 0,
+        deferredStartupIntent: { count: 1, queue: "import-spool-cleanup", producer: "companyTransferRunService.recoverStrandedApplyingRuns",
+          reason: "Cloud standby disables both reconciliation and dispatch", releasedAfterSignedClaim: true, boundedResumeMs: 30_000, sleepEligibleWhileHeld: false }, storageRequests, beforeClaimQueries: before, afterClaimQueries: server.proxy.queries.length,
+        frames: server.proxy.frames, network: await server.snapshot() }, null, 2));
+    } finally {
+      await server.stop(); storage.closeAllConnections(); await new Promise<void>(resolve => storage.close(() => resolve()));
+    }
+  }, 150_000);
+
+});