diff --git a/internal/app/app_test.go b/internal/app/app_test.go
index e3c281f6..e489e6df 100644
--- a/internal/app/app_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/app_test.go
@@ -42,3 +42,14 @@ func TestStartStopRestartIdempotent(t *testing.T) {
 	_ = rt.Stop(ctx)
 	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
 }
+
+func TestWriterLiveNilRuntime(t *testing.T) {
+	var rt *Runtime
+	if rt.WriterLive(context.Background(), "notify") {
+		t.Fatal("nil runtime must not skip hooks")
+	}
+	rt = &Runtime{}
+	if rt.WriterLive(context.Background(), "notify") {
+		t.Fatal("unwired runtime must keep hook writers")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/app/docnotify/subscriber_test.go b/internal/app/docnotify/subscriber_test.go
index 16a6440f..8b568648 100644
--- a/internal/app/docnotify/subscriber_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/docnotify/subscriber_test.go
@@ -61,6 +61,44 @@ func TestHandleCandidateReady(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestHandleSkipsWhenConsumerLive(t *testing.T) {
+	n := &stubNotify{available: true}
+	sub := &Subscriber{
+		Notify: n,
+		Docs:   stubDocs{doc: &docgov.DocumentRecord{AuthorID: 9, ProjectID: 4}},
+		SkipWrite: func(context.Context) bool {
+			return true
+		},
+	}
+	if err := sub.Handle(context.Background(), notification.EventDocAgentCandidateReady, map[string]any{
+		"doc_id": "d1", "candidate_id": int64(3),
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if n.calls != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("live consumer must skip hook write, calls=%d", n.calls)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHandleWritesWhenNotLive(t *testing.T) {
+	n := &stubNotify{available: true}
+	sub := &Subscriber{
+		Notify: n,
+		Docs:   stubDocs{doc: &docgov.DocumentRecord{AuthorID: 9, ProjectID: 4}},
+		SkipWrite: func(context.Context) bool {
+			return false
+		},
+	}
+	if err := sub.Handle(context.Background(), notification.EventDocAgentCandidateReady, map[string]any{
+		"doc_id": "d1", "candidate_id": int64(3),
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if n.calls != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("off/shadow must keep hook write, calls=%d", n.calls)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHandleSkipsUnknownAndNoRecipient(t *testing.T) {
 	n := &stubNotify{available: true}
 	sub := &Subscriber{Notify: n}
diff --git a/internal/events/dispatcher_pg_test.go b/internal/events/dispatcher_pg_test.go
index 75c923e3..4ed35cf1 100644
--- a/internal/events/dispatcher_pg_test.go
+++ b/internal/events/dispatcher_pg_test.go
@@ -295,3 +295,32 @@ func TestE0B_ShadowDoesNotAck_PG(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestE2_WriterLiveModes_PG(t *testing.T) {
+	pool, ctx := e0bPool(t)
+	env := fmt.Sprintf("e2-%d", time.Now().UnixNano())
+	if events.WriterLive(ctx, pool, env, events.ConsumerNotify) {
+		t.Fatal("missing row must not be live")
+	}
+	if err := events.SetMode(ctx, pool, env, events.ConsumerNotify, events.ModeOff); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if events.WriterLive(ctx, pool, env, events.ConsumerNotify) {
+		t.Fatal("off must keep hook writers")
+	}
+	if err := events.SetMode(ctx, pool, env, events.ConsumerNotify, events.ModeShadow); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if events.WriterLive(ctx, pool, env, events.ConsumerNotify) {
+		t.Fatal("shadow must keep hook writers")
+	}
+	if err := events.SetMode(ctx, pool, env, events.ConsumerNotify, events.ModeLive); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !events.WriterLive(ctx, pool, env, events.ConsumerNotify) {
+		t.Fatal("live must stop hook writers")
+	}
+	if err := events.SetMode(ctx, pool, env, events.ConsumerNotify, events.ModeOff); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/events/dispatcher_test.go b/internal/events/dispatcher_test.go
index 7b7a1a0e..17e9cbea 100644
--- a/internal/events/dispatcher_test.go
+++ b/internal/events/dispatcher_test.go
@@ -183,6 +183,12 @@ func TestAuthAndIntegrityGoDeadLetter(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestWriterLiveNilPool(t *testing.T) {
+	if WriterLive(context.Background(), nil, "dev", ConsumerNotify) {
+		t.Fatal("nil pool must keep in-process writers")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestReplayRequiresScope(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := AuthorizeReplay(ReplayRequest{}); err != ErrReplayScope {
 		t.Fatalf("empty: %v", err)