diff --git a/scripts/seed-energy-disruptions.mjs b/scripts/seed-energy-disruptions.mjs
index daf7157b1..322c9f740 100644
--- a/scripts/seed-energy-disruptions.mjs
+++ b/scripts/seed-energy-disruptions.mjs
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ if (isMain) {
     declareRecords,
     schemaVersion: 1,
     maxStaleMin: MAX_STALE_MIN,
+    // See seed-pipelines-gas.mjs for rationale — strict validation failure
+    // must leave seed-meta stale so the bundle retries every tick.
+    emptyDataIsFailure: true,
   }).catch((err) => {
     const cause = err.cause ? ` (cause: ${err.cause.message || err.cause.code || err.cause})` : '';
     console.error('FATAL:', (err.message || err) + cause);
diff --git a/scripts/seed-fuel-shortages.mjs b/scripts/seed-fuel-shortages.mjs
index 421733768..d0d0760c8 100644
--- a/scripts/seed-fuel-shortages.mjs
+++ b/scripts/seed-fuel-shortages.mjs
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ if (isMain) {
     declareRecords,
     schemaVersion: 1,
     maxStaleMin: MAX_STALE_MIN,
+    // See seed-pipelines-gas.mjs for rationale — strict validation failure
+    // must leave seed-meta stale so the bundle retries every tick.
+    emptyDataIsFailure: true,
   }).catch((err) => {
     const cause = err.cause ? ` (cause: ${err.cause.message || err.cause.code || err.cause})` : '';
     console.error('FATAL:', (err.message || err) + cause);
diff --git a/scripts/seed-pipelines-gas.mjs b/scripts/seed-pipelines-gas.mjs
index f2fb0d2bb..04f0867e9 100644
--- a/scripts/seed-pipelines-gas.mjs
+++ b/scripts/seed-pipelines-gas.mjs
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ if (isMain) {
     declareRecords,
     schemaVersion: 1,
     maxStaleMin: MAX_STALE_MIN,
+    // File-read-and-validate seeder: if the container can't load/validate the
+    // registry (stale image, missing data file, shape regression), fail LOUDLY
+    // rather than refreshing seed-meta with recordCount=0. Without this, the
+    // bundle's interval gate silently locks the seeder out for ~7 days after
+    // a single transient validation failure.
+    emptyDataIsFailure: true,
   }).catch((err) => {
     const cause = err.cause ? ` (cause: ${err.cause.message || err.cause.code || err.cause})` : '';
     console.error('FATAL:', (err.message || err) + cause);
diff --git a/scripts/seed-pipelines-oil.mjs b/scripts/seed-pipelines-oil.mjs
index 2fd5bfbfd..176245b65 100644
--- a/scripts/seed-pipelines-oil.mjs
+++ b/scripts/seed-pipelines-oil.mjs
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ if (isMain) {
     declareRecords,
     schemaVersion: 1,
     maxStaleMin: MAX_STALE_MIN,
+    // See seed-pipelines-gas.mjs for rationale — strict validation failure
+    // must leave seed-meta stale so the bundle retries every tick.
+    emptyDataIsFailure: true,
   }).catch((err) => {
     const cause = err.cause ? ` (cause: ${err.cause.message || err.cause.code || err.cause})` : '';
     console.error('FATAL:', (err.message || err) + cause);
diff --git a/scripts/seed-storage-facilities.mjs b/scripts/seed-storage-facilities.mjs
index 0d7679035..f7e671e23 100644
--- a/scripts/seed-storage-facilities.mjs
+++ b/scripts/seed-storage-facilities.mjs
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ if (isMain) {
     declareRecords,
     schemaVersion: 1,
     maxStaleMin: MAX_STALE_MIN,
+    // File-read-and-validate seeder: if the container can't load/validate the
+    // registry (stale image, missing data file, shape regression), fail LOUDLY
+    // rather than refreshing seed-meta with recordCount=0. Without this, the
+    // bundle gate silently locks the seeder out for ~5.5 days after a single
+    // validation hiccup. See seed-pipelines-gas.mjs for the canonical incident.
+    emptyDataIsFailure: true,
   }).catch((err) => {
     const cause = err.cause ? ` (cause: ${err.cause.message || err.cause.code || err.cause})` : '';
     console.error('FATAL:', (err.message || err) + cause);