diff --git a/server/src/app-config/README.md b/server/src/app-config/README.md
index c7e71ca4d..c24684035 100644
--- a/server/src/app-config/README.md
+++ b/server/src/app-config/README.md
@@ -78,13 +78,6 @@ is a *different* read of the same variable: `deriveSecurity()` reads it live
 via `readEnv()`/`RuntimeEnvService`, so a value set after boot is observed on
 the next call — it does not retroactively unlock the frozen cipher.)
 
-**Tombstoned** (boot-aborting since the admin-config slice — configure storage
-in the admin UI / `data/storage-config.json` instead): `TREK_S3_ENDPOINT`,
-`TREK_S3_BUCKET`, `TREK_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID`, `TREK_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY`,
-`TREK_S3_REGION`, `TREK_S3_KEY_PREFIX`, `TREK_S3_RETRIES`, `TREK_S3_TIMEOUT_MS`,
-`TREK_UPLOADS_DIR` (see `storageTombstonePreconditions` in `env.ts`).
-`TREK_PLACE_PHOTO_DIR` intentionally survives (documented, prod-supported) — do not tombstone it by association.
-
 **Runtime-toggled** (read live on every access via `readEnv()` /
 `RuntimeEnvService`; tests mutate these mid-lifetime):
 TREK_MANAGED, PLACES_API_BASE, PLACES_API_KEY, MAPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN, DEMO_MODE, NODE_ENV, APP_VERSION, APP_URL, TREK_API_DOCS_ENABLED,
diff --git a/server/src/app-config/env.ts b/server/src/app-config/env.ts
index 0b0179c3b..8e3d0f415 100644
--- a/server/src/app-config/env.ts
+++ b/server/src/app-config/env.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export function validateEnvAtBoot(raw: RawEnv = process.env as RawEnv): void {
         const key = String(issue.path[0]);
         return `  - ${key}=${JSON.stringify(raw[key])}: ${issue.message}`;
       });
-  lines.push(...managedPreconditions(raw), ...storageTombstonePreconditions(raw));
+  lines.push(...managedPreconditions(raw));
   if (lines.length === 0) return;
   console.error(`Invalid environment configuration:\n${lines.join('\n')}`);
   throw new Error(
@@ -68,29 +68,3 @@ function managedPreconditions(raw: RawEnv): string[] {
 
   return problems;
 }
-
-/**
- * Storage configuration moved wholesale to the admin UI / data/storage-config.json
- * (spec: docs/superpowers/specs/2026-08-19-storage-admin-config-design.md).
- * These variables are tombstoned rather than ignored: an upgrading operator
- * with them set would otherwise silently run local-only — the exact
- * half-configured trap the old all-or-nothing rule existed to prevent.
- * TREK_PLACE_PHOTO_DIR intentionally survives (documented, prod-supported).
- */
-const REMOVED_STORAGE_VARS = [
-  'TREK_S3_ENDPOINT',
-  'TREK_S3_BUCKET',
-  'TREK_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID',
-  'TREK_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY',
-  'TREK_S3_REGION',
-  'TREK_S3_KEY_PREFIX',
-  'TREK_S3_RETRIES',
-  'TREK_S3_TIMEOUT_MS',
-  'TREK_UPLOADS_DIR',
-] as const;
-
-function storageTombstonePreconditions(raw: RawEnv): string[] {
-  return REMOVED_STORAGE_VARS.filter((key) => Boolean(raw[key]?.trim())).map(
-    (key) => `  - ${key} was removed — configure storage in the admin UI or data/storage-config.json.`,
-  );
-}
diff --git a/server/src/nest/storage/storage-registry.service.ts b/server/src/nest/storage/storage-registry.service.ts
index c86ea57ee..d810b27ab 100644
--- a/server/src/nest/storage/storage-registry.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/nest/storage/storage-registry.service.ts
@@ -273,8 +273,8 @@ export class StorageRegistryService implements OnModuleInit {
     const placePhotoDir = this.env.env().paths.placePhotoDir;
 
     // 2. Built-in defaults; settings entries with the same name/category override.
-    //    uploads-local's root is the computed default since TREK_UPLOADS_DIR was
-    //    removed — relocation is a settings override row with the built-in's name.
+    //    uploads-local's root is the computed default; relocation is a settings
+    //    override row bearing the built-in's name.
     const backends = new Map<string, BackendConfig>();
     backends.set('uploads-local', { name: 'uploads-local', type: 'local', options: { root: DEFAULT_UPLOADS_ROOT } });
     backends.set('backups-local', { name: 'backups-local', type: 'local', options: { root: DEFAULT_BACKUPS_ROOT } });
diff --git a/server/tests/unit/app-config/validate.test.ts b/server/tests/unit/app-config/validate.test.ts
index 372ed2439..d009f268a 100644
--- a/server/tests/unit/app-config/validate.test.ts
+++ b/server/tests/unit/app-config/validate.test.ts
@@ -156,38 +156,6 @@ describe('validateEnvAtBoot — centrally administered preconditions', () => {
   });
 });
 
-describe('validateEnvAtBoot — removed storage variables (tombstones)', () => {
-  const removed = [
-    'TREK_S3_ENDPOINT',
-    'TREK_S3_BUCKET',
-    'TREK_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID',
-    'TREK_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY',
-    'TREK_S3_REGION',
-    'TREK_S3_KEY_PREFIX',
-    'TREK_S3_RETRIES',
-    'TREK_S3_TIMEOUT_MS',
-    'TREK_UPLOADS_DIR',
-  ] as const;
-
-  it.each(removed)('TOMB-001 %s present at boot aborts, naming the replacement', (key) => {
-    const error = vi.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation(() => {});
-    expect(() => validateEnvAtBoot({ [key]: 'anything' })).toThrow(
-      /Invalid environment configuration \(1 problem\)/,
-    );
-    const report = error.mock.calls.map((c) => c.join(' ')).join('\n');
-    expect(report).toContain(`${key} was removed`);
-    expect(report).toContain('admin UI or data/storage-config.json');
-  });
-
-  it('TOMB-002 TREK_PLACE_PHOTO_DIR survives (documented, prod-supported)', () => {
-    expect(() => validateEnvAtBoot({ TREK_PLACE_PHOTO_DIR: '/photos' })).not.toThrow();
-  });
-
-  it('TOMB-003 blank values are unset-equivalent and do not trip the tombstone', () => {
-    expect(() => validateEnvAtBoot({ TREK_UPLOADS_DIR: '   ', TREK_S3_BUCKET: '' })).not.toThrow();
-  });
-});
-
 describe('readEnv', () => {
   it('reads process.env live — a runtime mutation is visible on the next call', () => {
     const before = process.env.DEMO_MODE;
diff --git a/server/tests/unit/nest/storage/storage-registry.service.test.ts b/server/tests/unit/nest/storage/storage-registry.service.test.ts
index ab226c796..010a3803d 100644
--- a/server/tests/unit/nest/storage/storage-registry.service.test.ts
+++ b/server/tests/unit/nest/storage/storage-registry.service.test.ts
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ interface RegistryOpts {
 }
 
 /**
- * TREK_UPLOADS_DIR is removed: the uploads-local root is the computed default,
- * relocatable only via a settings override row bearing the built-in's name
- * (first-class merge-by-name). The helper seeds that override so unit runs
- * never write into the real server/uploads.
+ * The uploads-local root is the computed default, relocatable only via a
+ * settings override row bearing the built-in's name (first-class
+ * merge-by-name). The helper seeds that override so unit runs never write
+ * into the real server/uploads.
  */
 function makeRegistry(opts: RegistryOpts = {}) {
   const uploadsRoot = opts.uploadsRoot ?? makeTmpDir();