diff --git a/docker-compose.portainer.staging.yml b/docker-compose.portainer.staging.yml
index d0cff2d..3bbad6b 100644
--- a/docker-compose.portainer.staging.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.portainer.staging.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 #   ADMIN_API_KEY          — Backend admin API key
 #   TYPESENSE_API_KEY      — Typesense admin API key
 #   TYPESENSE_SEARCH_KEY   — Typesense search-only key (exposed to frontend)
+#   UNLEASH_URL            — http://<unleash-ip>:4242/api (empty = all flags off)
+#   UNLEASH_API_TOKEN      — Unleash *client* token, environment: development
 #   AIRFLOW_ADMIN_USER     — Airflow admin username (password auto-generated, see api-server logs)
 #   STAGING_DB_IP          — macvlan IP for staging Postgres (default 10.0.1.190)
 #   STAGING_FRONTEND_IP    — macvlan IP for staging frontend (default 10.0.1.151)
@@ -55,6 +57,12 @@ services:
       ADMIN_API_KEY: ${ADMIN_API_KEY:-changeme}
       TYPESENSE_URL: http://typesense:8108
       TYPESENSE_API_KEY: ${TYPESENSE_API_KEY:-changeme}
+      # Unset means every feature flag is False — the correct dark state for an
+      # environment with no Unleash, not a failure.
+      UNLEASH_URL: ${UNLEASH_URL:-}
+      UNLEASH_API_TOKEN: ${UNLEASH_API_TOKEN:-}
+    volumes:
+      - unleash_cache:/app/.unleash
     depends_on:
       sc_database:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -212,3 +220,4 @@ volumes:
   postgres_data:
   typesense_data:
   airflow_logs:
+  unleash_cache:
diff --git a/docker-compose.portainer.yml b/docker-compose.portainer.yml
index a593d80..e44a9b6 100644
--- a/docker-compose.portainer.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.portainer.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 #   ADMIN_API_KEY          — Backend admin API key
 #   TYPESENSE_API_KEY      — Typesense admin API key
 #   TYPESENSE_SEARCH_KEY   — Typesense search-only key (exposed to frontend)
+#   UNLEASH_URL            — http://<unleash-ip>:4242/api (empty = all flags off)
+#   UNLEASH_API_TOKEN      — Unleash *client* token, environment: production
 #   AIRFLOW_ADMIN_USER     — Airflow admin username (password auto-generated, see api-server logs)
 
 services:
@@ -44,6 +46,12 @@ services:
       ADMIN_API_KEY: ${ADMIN_API_KEY:-changeme}
       TYPESENSE_URL: http://typesense:8108
       TYPESENSE_API_KEY: ${TYPESENSE_API_KEY:-changeme}
+      # Unset means every feature flag is False — the correct dark state for an
+      # environment with no Unleash, not a failure.
+      UNLEASH_URL: ${UNLEASH_URL:-}
+      UNLEASH_API_TOKEN: ${UNLEASH_API_TOKEN:-}
+    volumes:
+      - unleash_cache:/app/.unleash
     depends_on:
       sc_database:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -201,3 +209,4 @@ volumes:
   postgres_data:
   typesense_data:
   airflow_logs:
+  unleash_cache:
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index f72bb7a..b3fdd41 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ services:
       ADMIN_API_KEY: ${ADMIN_API_KEY:-changeme}
       TYPESENSE_URL: http://typesense:8108
       TYPESENSE_API_KEY: ${TYPESENSE_API_KEY:-changeme}
+      # Unset means every feature flag is False — the correct dark state for an
+      # environment with no Unleash, not a failure.
+      UNLEASH_URL: ${UNLEASH_URL:-}
+      UNLEASH_API_TOKEN: ${UNLEASH_API_TOKEN:-}
     volumes:
       - ./data:/app/data:ro
     depends_on: