diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 17ae275..a6d35ee 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ services:
       # Dedicated ledger-signing key. Falls back to JWT_SECRET (with a warning) if empty;
       # set a distinct one in prod. See apps/server/.env.example + local-jwt-auth.
       EVENT_SIGNING_KEY: ${EVENT_SIGNING_KEY:-}
+      # Dedicated backup-ENCRYPTION key (separate from the signing key). Empty = backups stay
+      # off (the in-UI target + retention do nothing without it). Per-booth + unique; escrow it
+      # offsite. See apps/server/.env.example + wiki/concepts/backup-recovery.md.
+      BACKUP_KEY: ${BACKUP_KEY:-}
       # CRITICAL on the plain-HTTP booth LAN: cookies are Secure (HTTPS-only) by DEFAULT,
       # so without COOKIE_SECURE=0 the auth cookie is never sent over http and operators
       # CANNOT LOG IN. Leave unset only behind TLS. See disk-os-hardening "deploy-time runbook".
diff --git a/komodo/resources.toml b/komodo/resources.toml
index b1ef16f..2a2de15 100644
--- a/komodo/resources.toml
+++ b/komodo/resources.toml
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ registry_provider = "git.infra.msai.al"
 registry_account = "komodo"
 environment = """
 REGISTRY=git.infra.msai.al/mca/parking_solution
-# Staging booth: pin an immutable stage-<sha> per deploy. PLACEHOLDER below — after merging
-# dev → stage and CI builds :stage-<sha>, set this to that exact sha (or override TAG in Core at
-# deploy). The moving `:stage` tag exists as the pointer; we deploy the sha, not the mover.
-TAG=stage-REPLACE_WITH_BUILT_SHA
+# Staging booth: pinned immutable stage-<sha>. After each promotion (merge dev → stage, CI builds
+# :stage-<sha>), bump this to the new sha and re-sync/deploy from Core. The moving `:stage` tag
+# exists as the pointer; we deploy the sha, not the mover.
+TAG=stage-39c778f
 COOKIE_SECURE=0
 VISION_ENABLED=1
 WS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS=