diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-canvas.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-canvas.yml
index 30a38e5f..67fe1d6d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-canvas.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-canvas.yml
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ on:
   # spending CI cycles. See e2e-api.yml for the rationale on why this
   # is a single job rather than two-jobs-sharing-name.
   push:
-    branches: [main, staging]
+    branches: [main]
   pull_request:
-    branches: [main, staging]
+    branches: [main]
   workflow_dispatch:
   schedule:
     # Weekly on Sunday 08:00 UTC — catches Chrome / Playwright / Next.js
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-external.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-external.yml
index acd9cef2..5b8d4a9c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-external.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-external.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ name: E2E Staging External Runtime
 
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [staging, main]
+    branches: [main]
     paths:
       - 'workspace-server/internal/handlers/workspace.go'
       - 'workspace-server/internal/handlers/registry.go'
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ on:
       - 'tests/e2e/test_staging_external_runtime.sh'
       - '.github/workflows/e2e-staging-external.yml'
   pull_request:
-    branches: [staging, main]
+    branches: [main]
     paths:
       - 'workspace-server/internal/handlers/workspace.go'
       - 'workspace-server/internal/handlers/registry.go'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-saas.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-saas.yml
index bab88409..43e81aba 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-saas.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-staging-saas.yml
@@ -20,13 +20,12 @@ name: E2E Staging SaaS (full lifecycle)
 #     via the same paths watcher that e2e-api.yml uses)
 
 on:
-  # Fire on staging push too — previously this only ran on main, which
-  # meant the most thorough end-to-end test caught regressions AFTER
-  # they shipped to staging (and then to the auto-promote PR). Running
-  # on staging push catches them BEFORE the staging→main promotion
-  # opens, so a green canary into auto-promote is more meaningful.
+  # Trunk-based (Phase 3 of internal#81): main is the only branch.
+  # Previously this fired on staging push too because staging was a
+  # superset of main and ran the gate ahead of auto-promote; with no
+  # staging branch, main is where E2E gates the deploy.
   push:
-    branches: [staging, main]
+    branches: [main]
     paths:
       - 'workspace-server/internal/handlers/registry.go'
       - 'workspace-server/internal/handlers/workspace_provision.go'
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ on:
       - 'tests/e2e/test_staging_full_saas.sh'
       - '.github/workflows/e2e-staging-saas.yml'
   pull_request:
-    branches: [staging, main]
+    branches: [main]
     paths:
       - 'workspace-server/internal/handlers/registry.go'
       - 'workspace-server/internal/handlers/workspace_provision.go'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/redeploy-tenants-on-staging.yml b/.github/workflows/redeploy-tenants-on-staging.yml
index 2726db9e..695f6643 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/redeploy-tenants-on-staging.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/redeploy-tenants-on-staging.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ on:
   workflow_run:
     workflows: ['publish-workspace-server-image']
     types: [completed]
-    branches: [staging]
+    branches: [main]
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       target_tag:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..847a85ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# Top-level Makefile — convenience wrappers around docker compose.
+#
+# Most molecule-core dev work happens via these shortcuts. CI doesn't
+# use this Makefile; CI calls docker compose / go test directly so the
+# Makefile can evolve without breaking the build.
+
+.PHONY: help dev up down logs build test
+
+help: ## Show this help.
+	@grep -E '^[a-zA-Z_-]+:.*?## ' $(MAKEFILE_LIST) | awk 'BEGIN {FS = ":.*?## "}; {printf "\033[36m%-12s\033[0m %s\n", $$1, $$2}'
+
+dev: ## Start the full stack with air hot-reload for the platform service.
+	docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.dev.yml up
+
+up: ## Start the full stack in production-shape mode (no air, normal Dockerfile).
+	docker compose up
+
+down: ## Stop the stack and remove containers (volumes preserved).
+	docker compose down
+
+logs: ## Tail logs from all services (Ctrl-C to detach).
+	docker compose logs -f
+
+build: ## Force a fresh build of the platform image (no cache).
+	docker compose build --no-cache platform
+
+test: ## Run Go unit tests in workspace-server/.
+	cd workspace-server && go test -race ./...
diff --git a/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker-compose.dev.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ac668dfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# docker-compose.dev.yml — overlay over docker-compose.yml for local dev
+# with air-driven live reload of the platform (workspace-server) service.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.dev.yml up
+#   (or `make dev` shorthand from repo root)
+#
+# What this overlay changes vs docker-compose.yml alone:
+#   - Platform service uses workspace-server/Dockerfile.dev (air on top of
+#     golang:1.25-alpine) instead of the multi-stage prod Dockerfile.
+#   - Platform service bind-mounts the host's workspace-server/ source
+#     into /app/workspace-server so air sees source edits live.
+#   - Other services (postgres, redis, langfuse, etc.) inherit unchanged
+#     from docker-compose.yml.
+#
+# What stays the same:
+#   - All env vars, volumes, depends_on, healthchecks from docker-compose.yml.
+#   - Network topology + ports.
+#   - Postgres/Redis as service containers (no in-process replacements).
+
+services:
+  platform:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: workspace-server/Dockerfile.dev
+    # Rebind source: edits under host's workspace-server/ propagate live.
+    # The named volume on go-build-cache speeds up first build per container.
+    volumes:
+      - ./workspace-server:/app/workspace-server
+      - go-build-cache:/root/.cache/go-build
+      - go-mod-cache:/go/pkg/mod
+    # Air signals the running binary on rebuild; ensure shell stops cleanly.
+    init: true
+    # Mark the service as dev-mode so the platform can short-circuit any
+    # behavior that's incompatible with hot-reload (e.g. background
+    # cron-style watchers that don't survive process restart). No-op
+    # today; reserved for future flag use.
+    environment:
+      MOLECULE_DEV_HOT_RELOAD: "1"
+
+volumes:
+  go-build-cache:
+  go-mod-cache:
diff --git a/workspace-server/.air.toml b/workspace-server/.air.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6e365f3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workspace-server/.air.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# air.toml — live-reload config for local docker-compose dev mode.
+#
+# Active when the platform service runs from workspace-server/Dockerfile.dev
+# (selected via docker-compose.dev.yml overlay). In production, the regular
+# Dockerfile builds a static binary; air is dev-only.
+#
+# Reference: https://github.com/air-verse/air
+
+root = "."
+testdata_dir = "testdata"
+tmp_dir = "tmp"
+
+[build]
+  # Same build invocation as Dockerfile's builder stage minus the
+  # CGO_ENABLED=0 toggle (CGO ok in dev for richer race detector output).
+  cmd = "go build -o ./tmp/server ./cmd/server"
+  bin = "tmp/server"
+  full_bin = ""
+  args_bin = []
+  # Watch every .go and .yaml file under workspace-server/.
+  include_ext = ["go", "yaml", "tmpl"]
+  # Don't watch tests, build artifacts, vendored deps, or migration .sql
+  # (migrations need a clean DB anyway — handled by docker-compose down/up).
+  exclude_dir = ["assets", "tmp", "vendor", "testdata", "node_modules"]
+  exclude_file = []
+  # _test.go and *_mock.go shouldn't trigger a rebuild — saves cycles.
+  exclude_regex = ["_test\\.go$", "_mock\\.go$"]
+  exclude_unchanged = true
+  follow_symlink = false
+  log = "build-errors.log"
+  # Kill running binary 1s before starting new one.
+  kill_delay = "1s"
+  send_interrupt = true
+  stop_on_error = true
+  # Debounce: wait this long after last change before triggering rebuild.
+  delay = 500
+
+[log]
+  time = false
+
+[color]
+  main = "magenta"
+  watcher = "cyan"
+  build = "yellow"
+  runner = "green"
+
+[misc]
+  # Don't keep the tmp/ dir around between runs.
+  clean_on_exit = true
diff --git a/workspace-server/Dockerfile.dev b/workspace-server/Dockerfile.dev
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f8a0a1db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workspace-server/Dockerfile.dev
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Dockerfile.dev — local-development image with air-driven live reload.
+#
+# Selected by docker-compose.dev.yml (overlay over docker-compose.yml).
+# Production stays on workspace-server/Dockerfile (static binary, no air).
+#
+# Workflow:
+#   1. docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.dev.yml up
+#   2. Edit any .go file under workspace-server/
+#   3. air detects, rebuilds, kills old binary, starts new one (~3-5s)
+#   4. No `docker compose up --build` needed
+#
+# Templates + plugins are NOT pre-cloned here — air-mode assumes the
+# developer's filesystem has the workspace-configs-templates/ + plugins/
+# dirs available, mounted at runtime via docker-compose.dev.yml.
+
+FROM golang:1.25-alpine
+
+# air + git (for go mod) + ca-certs (for TLS) + tzdata (for time-zone DB).
+RUN apk add --no-cache git ca-certificates tzdata wget \
+ && go install github.com/air-verse/air@latest
+
+WORKDIR /app/workspace-server
+
+# Pre-fetch deps so the first `air` rebuild on a fresh container is fast.
+# These are bind-mount-overridden at runtime, so the COPY here is just
+# to warm the module cache.
+COPY workspace-server/go.mod workspace-server/go.sum ./
+RUN go mod download
+
+# Source is bind-mounted at runtime (see docker-compose.dev.yml volumes
+# block) so the Dockerfile doesn't need to COPY it. air watches the
+# bind-mounted dir for changes.
+
+ENV CGO_ENABLED=1
+ENV GOFLAGS="-buildvcs=false"
+
+# Run air with the .air.toml in the bind-mounted source dir.
+CMD ["air", "-c", ".air.toml"]
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_helpers.go b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_helpers.go
index f84baf3d..824fd2d7 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_helpers.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_helpers.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package handlers
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
@@ -102,6 +103,56 @@ func loadWorkspaceEnv(orgBaseDir, filesDir string) map[string]string {
 	return envVars
 }
 
+// loadPersonaEnvFile merges per-role persona credentials into out. The file
+// lives at $MOLECULE_PERSONA_ROOT/<role>/env (default
+// /etc/molecule-bootstrap/personas) and is populated by the operator-host
+// bootstrap kit — one persona per dev-tree role, each carrying the role's
+// Gitea identity (GITEA_USER, GITEA_TOKEN, GITEA_TOKEN_SCOPES,
+// GITEA_USER_EMAIL, GITEA_SSH_KEY_PATH).
+//
+// Lower precedence than the org and workspace .env files: callers should
+// invoke this BEFORE parseEnvFile on those, so a workspace .env can
+// override a persona-default value when needed.
+//
+// Silent no-op when role is empty, when the role name fails the safe-segment
+// check, or when the env file does not exist (workspaces without a role —
+// or running on hosts that don't ship the bootstrap dir — keep their old
+// behavior).
+func loadPersonaEnvFile(role string, out map[string]string) {
+	if !isSafeRoleName(role) {
+		if role != "" {
+			log.Printf("Org import: refusing persona env load for unsafe role name %q", role)
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	root := os.Getenv("MOLECULE_PERSONA_ROOT")
+	if root == "" {
+		root = "/etc/molecule-bootstrap/personas"
+	}
+	parseEnvFile(filepath.Join(root, role, "env"), out)
+}
+
+// isSafeRoleName accepts a single path segment of [A-Za-z0-9_-]+. Rejects
+// empty, ".", "..", and anything containing a path separator — even though
+// the construct is admin-only, defense-in-depth keeps the persona dir
+// shape invariant: one flat directory per role, no climbing out.
+func isSafeRoleName(s string) bool {
+	if s == "" || s == "." || s == ".." {
+		return false
+	}
+	for _, c := range s {
+		switch {
+		case c >= 'a' && c <= 'z':
+		case c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z':
+		case c >= '0' && c <= '9':
+		case c == '-' || c == '_':
+		default:
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 // parseEnvFile reads a .env file and adds KEY=VALUE pairs to the map.
 // Skips comments (#) and empty lines. Values can be quoted.
 func parseEnvFile(path string, out map[string]string) {
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_import.go b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_import.go
index d67087ca..e3be5823 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_import.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_import.go
@@ -443,10 +443,18 @@ func (h *OrgHandler) createWorkspaceTree(ws OrgWorkspace, parentID *string, absX
 			configFiles["system-prompt.md"] = []byte(ws.SystemPrompt)
 		}
 
-		// Inject secrets from .env files as workspace secrets.
-		// Resolution: workspace .env → org root .env (workspace overrides org root).
+		// Inject secrets from persona env + .env files as workspace secrets.
+		// Resolution (later overrides earlier):
+		//   0. Persona env (per-role bootstrap creds; only when ws.Role is set
+		//      and the operator-host bootstrap dir ships a matching file)
+		//   1. Org root .env (shared defaults)
+		//   2. Workspace-specific .env (per-workspace overrides)
 		// Each line: KEY=VALUE → stored as encrypted workspace secret.
 		envVars := map[string]string{}
+		// 0. Persona env (lowest precedence; injects the role's Gitea identity:
+		//    GITEA_USER, GITEA_TOKEN, GITEA_TOKEN_SCOPES, GITEA_USER_EMAIL,
+		//    GITEA_SSH_KEY_PATH). Workspace and org .env can override.
+		loadPersonaEnvFile(ws.Role, envVars)
 		if orgBaseDir != "" {
 			// 1. Org root .env (shared defaults)
 			parseEnvFile(filepath.Join(orgBaseDir, ".env"), envVars)
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_persona_env_test.go b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_persona_env_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0c3bad59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/org_persona_env_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+package handlers
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_HappyPath: the standard case — a persona-shaped
+// env file exists at <root>/<role>/env and its KEY=VALUE pairs land in
+// the out map. Mirrors what the operator-host bootstrap kit ships:
+// GITEA_USER, GITEA_TOKEN, GITEA_TOKEN_SCOPES, GITEA_USER_EMAIL,
+// GITEA_SSH_KEY_PATH.
+func TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_HappyPath(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	roleDir := filepath.Join(root, "dev-lead")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(roleDir, 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	envBody := `# Persona env file — mode 600
+GITEA_USER=dev-lead
+GITEA_USER_EMAIL=dev-lead@agents.moleculesai.app
+GITEA_TOKEN=abc123
+GITEA_TOKEN_SCOPES=write:repository,write:issue,read:user
+GITEA_SSH_KEY_PATH=/etc/molecule-bootstrap/personas/dev-lead/ssh_priv
+`
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(roleDir, "env"), []byte(envBody), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv("MOLECULE_PERSONA_ROOT", root)
+
+	out := map[string]string{}
+	loadPersonaEnvFile("dev-lead", out)
+
+	want := map[string]string{
+		"GITEA_USER":           "dev-lead",
+		"GITEA_USER_EMAIL":     "dev-lead@agents.moleculesai.app",
+		"GITEA_TOKEN":          "abc123",
+		"GITEA_TOKEN_SCOPES":   "write:repository,write:issue,read:user",
+		"GITEA_SSH_KEY_PATH":   "/etc/molecule-bootstrap/personas/dev-lead/ssh_priv",
+	}
+	if len(out) != len(want) {
+		t.Fatalf("got %d keys, want %d: %#v", len(out), len(want), out)
+	}
+	for k, v := range want {
+		if out[k] != v {
+			t.Errorf("out[%q] = %q; want %q", k, out[k], v)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_MissingDir: when the persona dir doesn't exist
+// (e.g. dev-only host without the bootstrap kit, or a workspace whose
+// role isn't a known persona), it's a silent no-op — out stays empty,
+// no panic, no log noise that would break callers.
+func TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_MissingDir(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("MOLECULE_PERSONA_ROOT", t.TempDir()) // empty dir
+	out := map[string]string{}
+	loadPersonaEnvFile("nonexistent-role", out)
+	if len(out) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected empty out, got %#v", out)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_EmptyRole: empty role string is the common case
+// for non-dev workspaces (research/marketing/etc.). Skip silently.
+func TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_EmptyRole(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("MOLECULE_PERSONA_ROOT", t.TempDir())
+	out := map[string]string{}
+	loadPersonaEnvFile("", out)
+	if len(out) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("empty role should produce empty out; got %#v", out)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_RejectsTraversal: even though role names come
+// from server-side admin-only org templates, defense-in-depth — refuse
+// any role string with path separators or "..". Verifies that a maliciously
+// crafted template can't read /etc/passwd by setting role: "../../etc".
+func TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_RejectsTraversal(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	// Plant a file at /tmp/.../env so a bad traversal would reach it
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(root, "env"), []byte("STOLEN=yes\n"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv("MOLECULE_PERSONA_ROOT", filepath.Join(root, "personas"))
+
+	for _, bad := range []string{"..", "../personas", "../etc/passwd", "/abs", "with/slash", "dot.in.middle", "with space", "back\\slash", ".", ""} {
+		out := map[string]string{}
+		loadPersonaEnvFile(bad, out)
+		if len(out) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("role %q should have been rejected; got %#v", bad, out)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_DefaultRoot: when MOLECULE_PERSONA_ROOT is unset,
+// the helper falls back to /etc/molecule-bootstrap/personas. We don't
+// touch real /etc — just verify the function doesn't panic and produces
+// empty out (since the test box isn't expected to ship that path).
+func TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_DefaultRoot(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("MOLECULE_PERSONA_ROOT", "") // explicit empty
+	out := map[string]string{}
+	loadPersonaEnvFile("dev-lead", out)
+	// Don't assert content — production CI might or might not have the
+	// /etc dir mounted. Just verify the call returns cleanly.
+	_ = out
+}
+
+// TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_PrecedenceCallerOverrides: the contract is "lower
+// precedence than later .env files." The helper writes into out without
+// removing existing keys, so a caller pre-populating out simulates a
+// later layer overriding persona defaults. We verify the helper does NOT
+// clobber pre-existing entries… actually, parseEnvFile DOES overwrite,
+// so the caller-side ordering (persona → org → workspace) is what enforces
+// precedence. This test pins that contract: persona is loaded into a
+// fresh map, then later layers can override.
+func TestLoadPersonaEnvFile_OverwritesEmptyMap(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	roleDir := filepath.Join(root, "core-be")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(roleDir, 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(roleDir, "env"),
+		[]byte("GITEA_TOKEN=persona-value\n"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv("MOLECULE_PERSONA_ROOT", root)
+
+	out := map[string]string{"GITEA_TOKEN": "preset"}
+	loadPersonaEnvFile("core-be", out)
+
+	// Persona helper is meant to populate a FRESH map first in the
+	// caller's flow; calling it on a pre-populated map and seeing the
+	// value get overwritten is consistent with parseEnvFile semantics.
+	if out["GITEA_TOKEN"] != "persona-value" {
+		t.Errorf("loadPersonaEnvFile did not write into existing map; got %q", out["GITEA_TOKEN"])
+	}
+}
+
+// TestIsSafeRoleName_Acceptance: positive + negative cases for the
+// validator. Pinned because every dev-tree role name must pass.
+func TestIsSafeRoleName_Acceptance(t *testing.T) {
+	good := []string{
+		"dev-lead", "core-be", "cp-security", "infra-runtime-be",
+		"sdk-dev", "plugin-dev", "documentation-specialist",
+		"triage-operator", "fullstack-engineer", "release-manager",
+		"core_underscore_ok", "X", "a1", "Z9-0",
+	}
+	for _, s := range good {
+		if !isSafeRoleName(s) {
+			t.Errorf("isSafeRoleName(%q) = false; want true", s)
+		}
+	}
+	bad := []string{
+		"", ".", "..", "with/slash", "/abs", "dot.in.middle",
+		"with space", "back\\slash", "trailing-", // trailing-hyphen is fine actually
+		"with$dollar", "with?question", "newline\nsplit",
+	}
+	// trailing-hyphen IS allowed; remove from "bad" list:
+	bad = []string{
+		"", ".", "..", "with/slash", "/abs", "dot.in.middle",
+		"with space", "back\\slash", "with$dollar", "with?question",
+		"newline\nsplit",
+	}
+	for _, s := range bad {
+		if isSafeRoleName(s) {
+			t.Errorf("isSafeRoleName(%q) = true; want false", s)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/pendinguploads/sweeper_test.go b/workspace-server/internal/pendinguploads/sweeper_test.go
index 4133125d..8095e83d 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/pendinguploads/sweeper_test.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/pendinguploads/sweeper_test.go
@@ -207,20 +207,25 @@ func TestStartSweeper_TransientErrorDoesNotCrashLoop(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	defer cancel()
 
-	// 50ms ticker so the second cycle fires quickly enough for the test.
-	// We re-export SweepInterval as a const, but tests use the public
-	// StartSweeper that takes its own interval — wait, the public
-	// StartSweeper signature uses the package-level SweepInterval. Hmm,
-	// this means the test takes ~5 minutes. Let me reconsider.
-	//
-	// (We patch the test below to just look at the immediate-sweep call
-	// + an error path, since the immediate call is enough to prove the
-	// "error doesn't crash" contract — the loop continues afterward
-	// regardless of timing.)
+	// Capture metric baseline so we can wait for the error counter to
+	// settle before returning — otherwise this test's leaked metric
+	// write races with the next test's metricDelta() baseline read and
+	// causes a non-deterministic +1 leak (manifests as
+	// TestStartSweeper_RecordsMetricsOnSuccess: "error counter delta=1,
+	// want 0"). cycleDone fires inside the fake's Sweep defer, BEFORE
+	// sweepOnce records the error metric — so cancel() right after
+	// waitForCycle is too early.
+	_, _, deltaError := metricDelta(t)
+
 	go pendinguploads.StartSweeper(ctx, store, time.Hour)
 
 	// Wait for the first (errored) cycle.
 	store.waitForCycle(t, 1, 2*time.Second)
+	// Wait for the goroutine to record the error metric. After this
+	// returns, sweepOnce has fully completed and a subsequent cancel()
+	// stops the loop on the next select pass with no in-flight metric
+	// writes outstanding.
+	waitForMetricDelta(t, deltaError, 1, 2*time.Second)
 	// Cancel — the goroutine returns cleanly, proving the error path
 	// didn't crash the loop. Without this fix the goroutine would have
 	// either panicked (process abort visible at exit) or stuck (this