diff --git a/btcdata-deploy.md b/btcdata-deploy.md
index 508da8b..66bd968 100644
--- a/btcdata-deploy.md
+++ b/btcdata-deploy.md
@@ -1,5 +1,36 @@
 # btcdata Kubernetes deployment plan
 
+## 2026-10-07 incident: orphaned writer session
+
+The `sejs/btcdata` pod on citadel entered CrashLoopBackOff with
+`Another btcdata writer holds the database lock`. The prior pod on srv1893094
+had been removed after readiness/network failures, but its PostgreSQL backend
+(PID 3531439, client 100.75.252.111) still held advisory lock 728194106. No old
+btcdata Java process or database TCP connection remained on that node.
+
+Recovery terminated only that verified orphaned backend. Kubernetes restarted
+btcdata successfully; btcdata and both btcprice pods became Ready. Do not bypass
+the advisory lock or terminate its owner without first verifying the old writer
+is stopped.
+
+Production database `btcprod` now has connection defaults:
+`tcp_keepalives_idle=60`, `tcp_keepalives_interval=10`,
+`tcp_keepalives_count=3`, and `tcp_user_timeout=90000` (milliseconds).
+These apply to **new connections**, not the already-running recovered session.
+Server-side dead-peer detection prevents a disappeared node from retaining the
+lock for the default multi-hour TCP timeout; it does not evict a live competing
+writer. The application now also sets these values on its lock-owning session
+before acquiring the fence (source change; not yet built/deployed).
+
+Validation: 20 unit tests / 58 assertions passed; disposable PostgreSQL integration
+tests were not run because the local Docker daemon was unavailable. New
+production connection settings were verified with `SHOW`.
+
+Rollback database defaults, if necessary, with `ALTER DATABASE btcprod RESET
+<setting>` for each of the four settings above; new connections inherit the
+server defaults again. Reverting the application change requires a normal image
+build and Flux rollout. The orphan-session termination is not reversible.
+
 ## 2026-09-19 status and proposed recovery
 
 Kubernetes deployment already exists: one `Recreate` replica on citadel, eligible
diff --git a/src/clj/pmagnus/btcdata/writer.clj b/src/clj/pmagnus/btcdata/writer.clj
index a2777b9..14fd3b3 100644
--- a/src/clj/pmagnus/btcdata/writer.clj
+++ b/src/clj/pmagnus/btcdata/writer.clj
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@
 
 (def lock-id 728194106)
 
+(defn configure-session! [connection]
+  ;; Client-side network timeouts cannot reap a server session left behind by a
+  ;; dead node. Server TCP keepalives release its fence after ~90s of silence.
+  (doseq [sql ["SET tcp_keepalives_idle = 60"
+               "SET tcp_keepalives_interval = 10"
+               "SET tcp_keepalives_count = 3"
+               "SET tcp_user_timeout = 90000"]]
+    (jdbc/execute-one! connection [sql])))
+
 (defn guarded-query [connection query-fn]
   (fn [query params]
     (locking connection
@@ -20,6 +29,7 @@
       (.setNetworkTimeout connection
         (reify java.util.concurrent.Executor (execute [_ task] (.run ^Runnable task)))
         10000)
+      (configure-session! connection)
       (when-not (:locked (jdbc/execute-one! connection
                            ["select pg_try_advisory_lock(?) as locked" lock-id]))
         (throw (ex-info "Another btcdata writer holds the database lock" {})))
diff --git a/test/clj/pmagnus/btcdata/writer_test.clj b/test/clj/pmagnus/btcdata/writer_test.clj
index a6a1124..4353604 100644
--- a/test/clj/pmagnus/btcdata/writer_test.clj
+++ b/test/clj/pmagnus/btcdata/writer_test.clj
@@ -13,6 +13,18 @@
     (is (= :result (query :insert-price {:price 1})))
     (is (= [connection :insert-price {:price 1}] @seen))))
 
+(deftest server-session-has-bounded-dead-peer-detection
+  (let [connection (Object.)
+        calls (atom [])]
+    (with-redefs [jdbc/execute-one! (fn [conn sql] (swap! calls conj [conn sql]))]
+      (writer/configure-session! connection))
+    (is (= (mapv #(vector connection [%])
+                 ["SET tcp_keepalives_idle = 60"
+                  "SET tcp_keepalives_interval = 10"
+                  "SET tcp_keepalives_count = 3"
+                  "SET tcp_user_timeout = 90000"])
+           @calls))))
+
 (deftest postgres-session-fencing
   ;; Optional disposable PostgreSQL integration test; never use production here.
   (if-let [url (System/getenv "BTCDATA_TEST_JDBC_URL")]
@@ -22,6 +34,13 @@
           first-writer (ig/init-key :writer/query-fn opts)]
       (try
         (is (= 1 (:healthy (first-writer :check {}))))
+        (let [connection (:connection (meta first-writer))]
+          (doseq [[setting expected] [["tcp_keepalives_idle" "60"]
+                                     ["tcp_keepalives_interval" "10"]
+                                     ["tcp_keepalives_count" "3"]
+                                     ["tcp_user_timeout" "90000"]]]
+            (is (= expected (:value (jdbc/execute-one! connection
+                                     ["select current_setting(?) as value" setting]))))))
         (is (thrown-with-msg? clojure.lang.ExceptionInfo #"Another btcdata writer"
               (ig/init-key :writer/query-fn opts)))
         ;; Closing the owning session cannot transparently reconnect for writes.