diff --git a/internal/server/server_live_roundtrip_test.go b/internal/server/server_live_roundtrip_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8968ae6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/server/server_live_roundtrip_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,396 @@
+package server_test
+
+// server_live_roundtrip_test.go — REAL-BACKEND integration coverage for the
+// gRPC server layer's Provision → Regrade → Deprovision lifecycle.
+//
+// Why this file exists (the truehomie-db DROP incident class, 2026-06-03):
+// every existing server_test.go / server_coverage_test.go test injects a *fake*
+// backend, so the actual DROP DATABASE / DROP USER / ALTER ROLE DDL has never
+// run through the real gRPC handler path (breaker wrapping, tier→connLimit
+// routing, mapError, response shaping, idempotent re-deprovision). High
+// statement coverage from mocks does NOT prove the destroy/regrade DDL is
+// correct end-to-end. These tests drive the genuine RPC handlers
+// (server.ProvisionResource / RegradeResource / DeprovisionResource) against a
+// real Postgres and a real Redis, and assert the backing infra is actually
+// created, regraded, and torn down — and that a second Deprovision is a clean
+// idempotent no-op (the #9 DROP IF EXISTS fix).
+//
+// Env-gated: skips cleanly when the backend URL is unset, so `go test -short`
+// in CI without a backend stays green; runs for real when the backend is
+// present (local dev Postgres at localhost:5432, Redis at localhost:6379, and
+// CI's coverage.yml docker services).
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	goredis "github.com/redis/go-redis/v9"
+
+	commonv1 "instant.dev/proto/common/v1"
+	provisionerv1 "instant.dev/proto/provisioner/v1"
+	"instant.dev/provisioner/internal/backend/postgres"
+	"instant.dev/provisioner/internal/backend/redis"
+	"instant.dev/provisioner/internal/circuit"
+	"instant.dev/provisioner/internal/config"
+	"instant.dev/provisioner/internal/server"
+)
+
+// livePostgresAdminDSN returns an admin DSN capable of CREATE/DROP DATABASE,
+// or "" when none is configured (caller MUST t.Skip). Mirrors the env-var
+// resolution used by the backend/postgres live tests so a single env wires
+// both layers.
+func livePostgresAdminDSN() string {
+	for _, k := range []string{"TEST_POSTGRES_CUSTOMERS_URL", "TEST_POSTGRES_ADMIN_DSN", "CUSTOMER_POSTGRES_DSN"} {
+		if v := os.Getenv(k); v != "" {
+			return v
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// liveRedisURL returns a redis:// URL for the provision pool, or "" when unset.
+func liveRedisURL() string {
+	for _, k := range []string{"TEST_REDIS_URL", "CUSTOMER_REDIS_URL"} {
+		if v := os.Getenv(k); v != "" {
+			return v
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// liveServerWithRealPostgres builds a Server wired to a REAL LocalBackend
+// Postgres (shared-cluster admin DSN) and fresh per-test breakers. No pool, no
+// dedicated backend, so every RPC takes the live shared-cluster path.
+func liveServerWithRealPostgres(adminDSN string) *server.Server {
+	return server.NewWithBackends(
+		&config.Config{},
+		postgres.NewBackend("", adminDSN, "", "", ""), // "" → LocalBackend(adminDSN)
+		nil, nil, nil, nil, // redis/mongo/queue/storage unused on this path
+		nil, nil, nil, nil, // no dedicated backends
+		nil, // no pool → live provision path
+	).SetBreakers(circuit.NewBreakers())
+}
+
+// liveServerWithRealRedis builds a Server wired to a REAL Redis LocalBackend.
+func liveServerWithRealRedis(redisAddr string) *server.Server {
+	return server.NewWithBackends(
+		&config.Config{},
+		nil,
+		redis.NewBackend("", redisAddr), // "" → LocalBackend(redisAddr)
+		nil, nil, nil,
+		nil, nil, nil, nil,
+		nil,
+	).SetBreakers(circuit.NewBreakers())
+}
+
+// liveToken returns a short, unique, test-scoped token safe as a Postgres
+// db_/usr_ identifier and a Redis key prefix.
+func liveToken(t *testing.T) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	clean := strings.NewReplacer("/", "_", " ", "_").Replace(t.Name())
+	if len(clean) > 24 {
+		clean = clean[:24]
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("tok%d%s", time.Now().UnixNano(), clean)
+}
+
+// pgConnLimit queries the actual rolconnlimit for usr_<token> on the live
+// cluster, or returns (0, err) if the role does not exist.
+func pgConnLimit(t *testing.T, adminDSN, username string) (int, bool) {
+	t.Helper()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	conn, err := pgx.Connect(ctx, adminDSN)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pgConnLimit connect: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer conn.Close(ctx) //nolint:errcheck
+	var lim int
+	err = conn.QueryRow(ctx, "SELECT rolconnlimit FROM pg_roles WHERE rolname=$1", username).Scan(&lim)
+	if err == pgx.ErrNoRows {
+		return 0, false
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pgConnLimit query: %v", err)
+	}
+	return lim, true
+}
+
+// pgDatabaseExists reports whether db_<token> exists on the live cluster.
+func pgDatabaseExists(t *testing.T, adminDSN, dbName string) bool {
+	t.Helper()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	conn, err := pgx.Connect(ctx, adminDSN)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pgDatabaseExists connect: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer conn.Close(ctx) //nolint:errcheck
+	var n int
+	if err := conn.QueryRow(ctx, "SELECT count(*) FROM pg_database WHERE datname=$1", dbName).Scan(&n); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pgDatabaseExists query: %v", err)
+	}
+	return n > 0
+}
+
+// cleanupPG drops db_<token>/usr_<token> best-effort so repeated runs and
+// failed assertions never leak objects on the shared cluster.
+func cleanupPG(t *testing.T, adminDSN, dbName, username string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 15*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	conn, err := pgx.Connect(ctx, adminDSN)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Logf("cleanupPG connect: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	defer conn.Close(ctx) //nolint:errcheck
+	_, _ = conn.Exec(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS %q WITH (FORCE)", dbName))
+	_, _ = conn.Exec(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("DROP USER IF EXISTS %q", username))
+}
+
+// TestServer_Postgres_Provision_Regrade_Deprovision_LiveRoundTrip is the
+// truehomie-DROP-class integration test for the gRPC server layer: it drives
+// the real RPC handlers against a real Postgres and asserts the backing
+// db_/usr_ are CREATED by ProvisionResource, the role CONNECTION LIMIT is
+// adjusted by RegradeResource, the db_/usr_ are DROPped by DeprovisionResource,
+// and a second DeprovisionResource is a clean idempotent no-op (DROP IF EXISTS).
+func TestServer_Postgres_Provision_Regrade_Deprovision_LiveRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+	adminDSN := livePostgresAdminDSN()
+	if adminDSN == "" {
+		t.Skip("TEST_POSTGRES_CUSTOMERS_URL/TEST_POSTGRES_ADMIN_DSN unset — skipping live-Postgres gRPC round-trip")
+	}
+	srv := liveServerWithRealPostgres(adminDSN)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 90*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	token := liveToken(t)
+	dbName := "db_" + token
+	username := "usr_" + token
+	t.Cleanup(func() { cleanupPG(t, adminDSN, dbName, username) })
+
+	// --- Provision (hobby tier → a positive CONNECTION LIMIT) ---
+	provResp, err := srv.ProvisionResource(ctx, &provisionerv1.ProvisionRequest{
+		Token:        token,
+		ResourceType: commonv1.ResourceType_RESOURCE_TYPE_POSTGRES,
+		Tier:         "hobby",
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ProvisionResource(postgres, hobby): %v", err)
+	}
+	if provResp.DatabaseName != dbName || provResp.Username != username {
+		t.Fatalf("ProvisionResource returned db=%q user=%q; want db=%q user=%q",
+			provResp.DatabaseName, provResp.Username, dbName, username)
+	}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(provResp.ConnectionUrl, "postgres://") {
+		t.Errorf("ConnectionUrl = %q; want postgres:// prefix", provResp.ConnectionUrl)
+	}
+	if !pgDatabaseExists(t, adminDSN, dbName) {
+		t.Fatalf("after ProvisionResource, %q does not exist on the live cluster", dbName)
+	}
+	hobbyLimit, ok := pgConnLimit(t, adminDSN, username)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("after ProvisionResource, role %q does not exist", username)
+	}
+	if hobbyLimit <= 0 {
+		t.Errorf("hobby role connection limit = %d; want a positive cap applied at CREATE USER", hobbyLimit)
+	}
+
+	// --- Regrade (pro tier → a different positive cap; assert the real ALTER ROLE took) ---
+	regResp, err := srv.RegradeResource(ctx, &provisionerv1.RegradeRequest{
+		Token:        token,
+		ResourceType: commonv1.ResourceType_RESOURCE_TYPE_POSTGRES,
+		Tier:         "pro",
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RegradeResource(postgres, pro): %v", err)
+	}
+	if !regResp.Applied {
+		t.Errorf("RegradeResource(pro).Applied = false; want true")
+	}
+	proLimit, ok := pgConnLimit(t, adminDSN, username)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("role %q vanished after Regrade", username)
+	}
+	if int(regResp.AppliedConnLimit) != proLimit {
+		t.Errorf("pg_roles.rolconnlimit = %d but RegradeResponse.AppliedConnLimit = %d; the ALTER ROLE did not match the reported cap",
+			proLimit, regResp.AppliedConnLimit)
+	}
+	if proLimit == hobbyLimit {
+		t.Errorf("pro connection limit (%d) equals hobby (%d); the Regrade did not change the live cap", proLimit, hobbyLimit)
+	}
+
+	// --- Deprovision (the DROP DATABASE / DROP USER path — truehomie class) ---
+	depResp, err := srv.DeprovisionResource(ctx, &provisionerv1.DeprovisionRequest{
+		Token:        token,
+		ResourceType: commonv1.ResourceType_RESOURCE_TYPE_POSTGRES,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("DeprovisionResource(postgres): %v", err)
+	}
+	if !depResp.Deprovisioned {
+		t.Errorf("DeprovisionResource.Deprovisioned = false; want true")
+	}
+	if pgDatabaseExists(t, adminDSN, dbName) {
+		t.Errorf("after DeprovisionResource, %q still exists — DROP DATABASE did not run", dbName)
+	}
+	if _, ok := pgConnLimit(t, adminDSN, username); ok {
+		t.Errorf("after DeprovisionResource, role %q still exists — DROP USER did not run", username)
+	}
+
+	// --- Idempotency: a second Deprovision must be a clean no-op (DROP IF EXISTS, #9) ---
+	depResp2, err := srv.DeprovisionResource(ctx, &provisionerv1.DeprovisionRequest{
+		Token:        token,
+		ResourceType: commonv1.ResourceType_RESOURCE_TYPE_POSTGRES,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("second DeprovisionResource (idempotent) returned %v; want nil — DROP IF EXISTS must no-op cleanly", err)
+	}
+	if depResp2 != nil && !depResp2.Deprovisioned {
+		t.Errorf("second DeprovisionResource.Deprovisioned = false; want true (idempotent success)")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestServer_Postgres_Reprovision_AfterDeprovision_LiveRoundTrip asserts the
+// (re)Provision leg of the round-trip: after a full teardown the SAME token can
+// be provisioned again with no "already exists" collision — i.e. Deprovision
+// truly removed every object Provision created. This is the regression guard
+// for a partial-DROP leak that would block re-provisioning.
+func TestServer_Postgres_Reprovision_AfterDeprovision_LiveRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+	adminDSN := livePostgresAdminDSN()
+	if adminDSN == "" {
+		t.Skip("postgres admin DSN unset — skipping reprovision round-trip")
+	}
+	srv := liveServerWithRealPostgres(adminDSN)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 90*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	token := liveToken(t)
+	dbName := "db_" + token
+	username := "usr_" + token
+	t.Cleanup(func() { cleanupPG(t, adminDSN, dbName, username) })
+
+	req := &provisionerv1.ProvisionRequest{
+		Token:        token,
+		ResourceType: commonv1.ResourceType_RESOURCE_TYPE_POSTGRES,
+		Tier:         "hobby",
+	}
+	depReq := &provisionerv1.DeprovisionRequest{
+		Token:        token,
+		ResourceType: commonv1.ResourceType_RESOURCE_TYPE_POSTGRES,
+	}
+
+	if _, err := srv.ProvisionResource(ctx, req); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("first ProvisionResource: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := srv.DeprovisionResource(ctx, depReq); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("DeprovisionResource: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Re-provision the same token: must succeed (no orphaned db_/usr_ blocking it).
+	if _, err := srv.ProvisionResource(ctx, req); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("re-ProvisionResource after Deprovision: %v — teardown leaked an object that blocks reuse", err)
+	}
+	if !pgDatabaseExists(t, adminDSN, dbName) {
+		t.Errorf("re-provisioned %q missing", dbName)
+	}
+	// Final teardown.
+	if _, err := srv.DeprovisionResource(ctx, depReq); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("final DeprovisionResource: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestServer_Redis_Provision_Deprovision_LiveRoundTrip drives the real Redis
+// LocalBackend through the gRPC handlers: ProvisionResource creates an ACL
+// user, DeprovisionResource removes the ACL user and namespace keys, and a
+// second Deprovision is a clean idempotent no-op. (Redis LocalBackend has no
+// Regrade — only the k8s backend implements redis.Regrader.)
+func TestServer_Redis_Provision_Deprovision_LiveRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
+	redisURL := liveRedisURL()
+	if redisURL == "" {
+		t.Skip("TEST_REDIS_URL/CUSTOMER_REDIS_URL unset — skipping live-Redis gRPC round-trip")
+	}
+	opt, err := goredis.ParseURL(redisURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Skipf("redis URL %q does not parse: %v", redisURL, err)
+	}
+	// Probe so we skip (not fail) when nothing is listening.
+	probe := goredis.NewClient(opt)
+	pctx, pcancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+	defer pcancel()
+	if perr := probe.Ping(pctx).Err(); perr != nil {
+		_ = probe.Close()
+		t.Skipf("redis not reachable at %s: %v", opt.Addr, perr)
+	}
+
+	srv := liveServerWithRealRedis(opt.Addr)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 60*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	token := liveToken(t)
+	username := "usr_" + token
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		// Best-effort: drop the ACL user and any namespace keys directly.
+		_ = probe.Do(context.Background(), "ACL", "DELUSER", username).Err()
+		if keys, _, kerr := probe.Scan(context.Background(), 0, token+":*", 100).Result(); kerr == nil && len(keys) > 0 {
+			_ = probe.Del(context.Background(), keys...).Err()
+		}
+		_ = probe.Close()
+	})
+
+	// --- Provision: the gRPC handler must create the ACL user on the live pod ---
+	provResp, err := srv.ProvisionResource(ctx, &provisionerv1.ProvisionRequest{
+		Token:        token,
+		ResourceType: commonv1.ResourceType_RESOURCE_TYPE_REDIS,
+		Tier:         "hobby",
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ProvisionResource(redis, hobby): %v", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(provResp.ConnectionUrl, "redis://") {
+		t.Errorf("ConnectionUrl = %q; want redis:// prefix", provResp.ConnectionUrl)
+	}
+	if provResp.KeyPrefix != token+":" {
+		t.Errorf("KeyPrefix = %q; want %q", provResp.KeyPrefix, token+":")
+	}
+	// Assert the ACL user actually exists on the live Redis.
+	if gerr := probe.Do(ctx, "ACL", "GETUSER", username).Err(); gerr != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ACL user %q not created on live Redis after ProvisionResource: %v", username, gerr)
+	}
+	// Write a namespace key so Deprovision has keys to reap.
+	if serr := probe.Set(ctx, token+":k1", "v1", 0).Err(); serr != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed key: %v", serr)
+	}
+
+	// --- Deprovision: removes the ACL user and the namespace keys ---
+	depResp, err := srv.DeprovisionResource(ctx, &provisionerv1.DeprovisionRequest{
+		Token:        token,
+		ResourceType: commonv1.ResourceType_RESOURCE_TYPE_REDIS,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("DeprovisionResource(redis): %v", err)
+	}
+	if !depResp.Deprovisioned {
+		t.Errorf("DeprovisionResource.Deprovisioned = false; want true")
+	}
+	if gerr := probe.Do(ctx, "ACL", "GETUSER", username).Err(); gerr == nil {
+		t.Errorf("ACL user %q still exists after DeprovisionResource — DELUSER did not run", username)
+	}
+	if n, eerr := probe.Exists(ctx, token+":k1").Result(); eerr != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("EXISTS after deprovision: %v", eerr)
+	} else if n != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("namespace key survived DeprovisionResource — SCAN+DEL did not reap it")
+	}
+
+	// --- Idempotency: a second Deprovision is a clean no-op ---
+	if _, err := srv.DeprovisionResource(ctx, &provisionerv1.DeprovisionRequest{
+		Token:        token,
+		ResourceType: commonv1.ResourceType_RESOURCE_TYPE_REDIS,
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("second DeprovisionResource (idempotent) returned %v; want nil", err)
+	}
+}