diff --git a/docs/evidence/2026-10-28-nk54-bind-split-rehearsal/synthetic-startup.json b/docs/evidence/2026-10-28-nk54-bind-split-rehearsal/synthetic-startup.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..18345d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/evidence/2026-10-28-nk54-bind-split-rehearsal/synthetic-startup.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "data": "synthetic",
+  "findings": {
+    "admin_still_signs_in": true,
+    "mismatched_configured_password_ignored": true,
+    "missing_configured_admin_created": false
+  },
+  "image": "docker.io/lldap/lldap@sha256:9e605a66c02514bfcffd1b67cafb1e98d50992216bb2871d7ae44622047dd09d",
+  "observed_at": "2026-10-29T21:10:51.513396+00:00",
+  "production_contacted": false,
+  "schema": "netkingdom.lldap-bind-split-rehearsal.v1",
+  "stage": "startup",
+  "task": "NK-WP-0054-T05",
+  "values_recorded": false
+}
diff --git a/sso-mfa/k8s/lldap/bind-split-rehearsal.py b/sso-mfa/k8s/lldap/bind-split-rehearsal.py
index df27ef6..ef3453c 100644
--- a/sso-mfa/k8s/lldap/bind-split-rehearsal.py
+++ b/sso-mfa/k8s/lldap/bind-split-rehearsal.py
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ It answers the questions the live migration depends on and writes a value-free J
 - does a `lldap_strict_readonly` bind read users and groups but fail to write;
 - what is the narrowest group with which the provisioner can create users and set membership;
 - can a `svc-*` account sign in interactively to LLDAP (SI-3);
+- `--stage startup`: once `lldap_admin` has a member, does LLDAP ignore the configured admin password
+  and refuse to create a missing configured admin (so a backup from any point of the switch restores);
 - `--stage authelia`: does the repository's Authelia configuration, bound as `svc-authelia`, admit a
   human and refuse `svc-*` and `ld-admin` (and would the previous filter have admitted them).
 """
@@ -377,6 +379,31 @@ def rehearse(tag):
     return result
 
 
+def rehearse_startup(tag):
+    admin, ld_admin = secrets.token_hex(16), secrets.token_hex(16)
+    directory = Directory(tag)
+    result = {}
+    try:
+        directory.start("admin", admin)
+        directory.stop()
+        directory.start("ld-admin", secrets.token_hex(16))
+        result["missing_configured_admin_created"] = (
+            directory.login("ld-admin", ld_admin) is not None
+        )
+        result["admin_still_signs_in"] = directory.login("admin", admin) is not None
+        token = directory.login("admin", admin)
+        directory.create_user(token, "ld-admin", ["lldap_admin"])
+        directory.set_password(token, "ld-admin", ld_admin)
+        directory.stop()
+        directory.start("ld-admin", secrets.token_hex(16))
+        result["mismatched_configured_password_ignored"] = (
+            directory.login("ld-admin", ld_admin) is not None
+        )
+    finally:
+        directory.remove()
+    return result
+
+
 def authelia_config(users_filter, password):
     config = yaml.safe_load(
         yaml.safe_load(CONFIGMAP.read_text())["data"]["configuration.yml"]
@@ -509,7 +536,7 @@ def main(argv=None):
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__.splitlines()[0])
     parser.add_argument("--receipt", type=Path, required=True)
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--stage", choices=["directory", "authelia"], default="directory"
+        "--stage", choices=["directory", "startup", "authelia"], default="directory"
     )
     args = parser.parse_args(argv)
     if args.receipt.exists():
@@ -521,6 +548,8 @@ def main(argv=None):
 
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="nk54-authelia-") as workdir:
             findings = rehearse_authelia(tag, Path(workdir))
+    elif args.stage == "startup":
+        findings = rehearse_startup(tag)
     else:
         findings = rehearse(tag)
     receipt = {
diff --git a/tests/test_isolated_lldap_recovery.py b/tests/test_isolated_lldap_recovery.py
index bde7962..c59afdf 100644
--- a/tests/test_isolated_lldap_recovery.py
+++ b/tests/test_isolated_lldap_recovery.py
@@ -56,6 +56,26 @@ def test_configuration_preserves_original_seed_and_disables_reset_sending(tmp_pa
     assert PASSWORD.encode() not in value and jwt not in value
 
 
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('configured', [None, 'ld-admin'])
+def test_configured_admin_follows_the_archived_deployment(tmp_path, configured):
+    # NK-WP-0054-T05: before and after the bind split the restore takes the configured
+    # super-admin from the archived deployment, never a hard-coded name.
+    resources(tmp_path)
+    if configured:
+        path = tmp_path / 'resources/sso/deployment/lldap.json'
+        deployment = json.loads(path.read_text())
+        deployment['spec']['template']['spec']['containers'][0]['env'].append(
+            {'name': 'LLDAP_LDAP_USER_DN', 'value': configured})
+        path.write_text(json.dumps(deployment))
+    data = tmp_path / 'data/lldap'
+    data.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (data / 'lldap_config.toml').write_text('key_seed = "synthetic-original-seed"\n')
+    import tomllib
+    value, _, password, _ = m.configuration(tmp_path)
+    assert tomllib.loads(value.decode())['ldap_user_dn'] == (configured or 'admin')
+    assert password == PASSWORD.encode()
+
 def test_tar_transport_refuses_path_escape():
     with pytest.raises(m.bundle.Refused):
         m.archive_files({'../escape': b'synthetic'})
diff --git a/workplans/NK-WP-0054-service-identity-policy.md b/workplans/NK-WP-0054-service-identity-policy.md
index c751ba6..bc1a16a 100644
--- a/workplans/NK-WP-0054-service-identity-policy.md
+++ b/workplans/NK-WP-0054-service-identity-policy.md
@@ -326,6 +326,22 @@ rotations `lldap LLDAP_LDAP_USER_PASS` and `authelia LLDAP_SVC_AUTHELIA_PASS ->
 existing Secrets are switched only by explicit, conditional rotation (97 tests). Left: 3b (backup
 profile and the three restore launchers), then phase 4.
 
+**2026-10-29 phase 3b (restore path):** no launcher change is needed, which corrects this task's
+earlier assumption. `isolated-lldap.py` takes the configured super-admin name from the archived
+deployment's `LLDAP_LDAP_USER_DN` and its password from the archived `lldap-secrets`, and prompts for
+the password of the user under test; `isolated-authelia.py` binds with the archived configmap user and
+`authelia-secrets`; `isolated-privacyidea-mfa.py` rewrites only the resolver `LDAPURI` and keeps the
+archived bind DN and password. After the split all three therefore follow `ld-admin`, `svc-authelia`
+and `svc-privacyidea` from the backup itself. Regression test: the configured admin follows the archived
+deployment (`tests/test_isolated_lldap_recovery.py`). `bind-split-rehearsal.py --stage startup`
+([receipt](../docs/evidence/2026-10-28-nk54-bind-split-rehearsal/synthetic-startup.json)) proves on
+v0.6.2 that once `lldap_admin` has a member, LLDAP ignores the configured admin password and does not
+create a missing configured admin: a backup taken at any point of the switch restores, and
+**`bind-split.py accounts` must run before the LLDAP deployment switch**. The backup profile is
+unchanged: its components carry their own Secrets with the new values, and identity-provisioner is not
+an identity-restore component (its password is re-derivable from custody). Phase 3 is complete;
+phase 4 (runbook, founder rehearsal on a restored backup, live run) remains.
+
 ## Disposition of per-service admin accounts
 
 ```task