diff --git a/docs/release/postgres-restore-readiness-2026-10-31.json b/docs/release/postgres-restore-readiness-2026-10-31.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d0311d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/release/postgres-restore-readiness-2026-10-31.json
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+{
+  "schema": "coulomb.postgres-startup-readiness-observation.v1",
+  "image": "sha256:ff23cdce56cac62ada6f66013e1a50864c0abbe79d132d40b6e05bd80f378a70",
+  "observations": [
+    {
+      "unix_socket_ready": false,
+      "target_database_tcp_ready": false
+    },
+    {
+      "unix_socket_ready": false,
+      "target_database_tcp_ready": false
+    },
+    {
+      "unix_socket_ready": false,
+      "target_database_tcp_ready": false
+    },
+    {
+      "unix_socket_ready": false,
+      "target_database_tcp_ready": false
+    },
+    {
+      "unix_socket_ready": false,
+      "target_database_tcp_ready": false
+    },
+    {
+      "unix_socket_ready": true,
+      "target_database_tcp_ready": false
+    },
+    {
+      "unix_socket_ready": false,
+      "target_database_tcp_ready": true
+    }
+  ],
+  "early_unix_ready_observed": true,
+  "final_target_database_tcp_ready": true,
+  "network": "none",
+  "published_ports": 0,
+  "production_data_used": false
+}
diff --git a/scripts/restore-paired-snapshot.py b/scripts/restore-paired-snapshot.py
index 699aedb..98b6a77 100644
--- a/scripts/restore-paired-snapshot.py
+++ b/scripts/restore-paired-snapshot.py
@@ -116,7 +116,12 @@ def main() -> int:
              '-e', 'POSTGRES_DB=coulomb_social_restore', image])
         created = True
         for _ in range(45):
-            p = subprocess.run(['docker', 'exec', name, 'pg_isready', '-U', 'postgres'],
+            # The image's temporary initialization server accepts Unix-socket
+            # connections before creating the target DB and restarting. Require
+            # a query against the final TCP server before starting pg_restore.
+            p = subprocess.run(['docker', 'exec', name, 'psql', '-h', '127.0.0.1',
+                                '-U', 'postgres', '-d', 'coulomb_social_restore',
+                                '-tAc', 'SELECT 1'],
                                capture_output=True)
             if p.returncode == 0:
                 break