diff --git a/cmd/ob/doctor.go b/cmd/ob/doctor.go
index 12d910c..e9da706 100644
--- a/cmd/ob/doctor.go
+++ b/cmd/ob/doctor.go
@@ -529,6 +529,13 @@ func inspectDoctorBackups(cfg *app.Spec, configPath string, deps doctorDependenc
 	// command that reads the repository itself.
 	for _, name := range cfg.ServiceNames() {
 		service := cfg.Services[name]
+		if service.Persistence != nil && service.Persistence.Mode == "ephemeral" {
+			report.Checks = append(report.Checks, doctorBackupCheck{
+				Status: doctorPass, Workload: name, Mechanism: "backup", Available: false,
+				Message: "declared ephemeral; Onebox renders no durable volume and no backup is required",
+			})
+			continue
+		}
 		if service.Backup == nil {
 			report.Checks = append(report.Checks, doctorBackupCheck{
 				Status: doctorWarning, Workload: name, Mechanism: "backup", Available: false,
@@ -590,7 +597,7 @@ func inspectDoctorBackups(cfg *app.Spec, configPath string, deps doctorDependenc
 	} else if report.Status == doctorWarning {
 		report.Message = "durable data is present and Onebox does not back it up"
 	} else {
-		report.Message = "declared local backup mechanisms are available"
+		report.Message = "local backup and persistence checks pass"
 	}
 	return report
 }
diff --git a/cmd/ob/doctor_persistence_test.go b/cmd/ob/doctor_persistence_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..64eb9f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/ob/doctor_persistence_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/labstack/onebox/internal/app"
+	"github.com/labstack/onebox/internal/buildinfo"
+)
+
+func doctorPersistenceProject(t *testing.T, services string) (string, *app.Spec) {
+	t.Helper()
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "onebox.yml")
+	manifest := `apiVersion: onebox.run/v1alpha2
+kind: Application
+metadata: {name: shop}
+spec:
+  environments: {production: {server: deploy@example.com}}
+  workloads: {web: {image: 'nginx:1.27', strategy: Recreate}}
+  services:
+` + services
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(manifest), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	cfg, err := app.Load(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return path, cfg
+}
+
+func TestDoctorServiceBackupsRespectAuthoredPersistence(t *testing.T) {
+	for name, tc := range map[string]struct {
+		services string
+		status   doctorStatus
+		checks   int
+	}{
+		"ephemeral": {"    cache: {driver: redis, version: '8', persistence: {mode: Ephemeral}}\n", doctorPass, 1},
+		"durable":   {"    cache: {driver: redis, version: '8', persistence: {mode: Durable}}\n", doctorWarning, 1},
+		"default":   {"    cache: {driver: redis, version: '8'}\n", doctorWarning, 1},
+		"mixed":     {"    cache: {driver: redis, version: '8', persistence: {mode: Ephemeral}}\n    durable: {driver: valkey, version: '8'}\n", doctorWarning, 2},
+	} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			path, cfg := doctorPersistenceProject(t, tc.services)
+			report := inspectDoctorBackups(cfg, path, doctorTestDependencies(t))
+			if report.Status != tc.status || len(report.Checks) != tc.checks {
+				t.Fatalf("backups = %+v", report)
+			}
+			for _, check := range report.Checks {
+				ephemeral := name == "ephemeral" || name == "mixed" && check.Workload == "cache"
+				want := doctorWarning
+				if ephemeral {
+					want = doctorPass
+					if !strings.Contains(check.Message, "declared ephemeral") || strings.Contains(check.Message, ".backup") {
+						t.Fatalf("ephemeral service got misleading advice: %+v", check)
+					}
+				}
+				if check.Status != want || check.Available || check.Mechanism != "backup" {
+					t.Fatalf("service check = %+v, want %s without a backup", check, want)
+				}
+			}
+			if name == "ephemeral" && strings.Contains(report.Message, "mechanisms are available") {
+				t.Fatalf("summary claims an available backup: %s", report.Message)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDoctorStillReportsDeclaredServiceBackup(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := &app.Spec{Services: map[string]app.Service{
+		"database": {Backup: &app.BackupPolicy{RecoveryKind: "pitr", Target: "offsite"}},
+	}}
+	report := inspectDoctorBackups(cfg, "onebox.yml", doctorTestDependencies(t))
+	if report.Status != doctorPass || len(report.Checks) != 1 || !report.Checks[0].Available ||
+		!strings.Contains(report.Checks[0].Message, "declares pitr backup to target offsite") ||
+		!strings.Contains(report.Checks[0].Message, "ob backup status database") {
+		t.Fatalf("declared backup = %+v", report)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDoctorEphemeralServicePassesHumanAndJSONReports(t *testing.T) {
+	path, _ := doctorPersistenceProject(t, "    cache: {driver: redis, version: '8', persistence: {mode: Ephemeral}}\n")
+	deps := doctorTestDependencies(t)
+	current, err := deps.executable()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	deps.pathValue = filepath.Dir(current)
+	deps.lookPath = func(name string) (string, error) {
+		if name == "ob" {
+			return current, nil
+		}
+		return "", errors.New("not found")
+	}
+	deps.inspectBinary = func(string) (buildinfo.Info, error) { return deps.runner.Info, nil }
+	deps.loadConfig = app.Load
+	previous := newDoctorDependencies
+	newDoctorDependencies = func() doctorDependencies { return deps }
+	t.Cleanup(func() { newDoctorDependencies = previous })
+	for _, format := range []string{"human", "json"} {
+		t.Run(format, func(t *testing.T) {
+			cmd := newRootCmd()
+			var out, stderr bytes.Buffer
+			cmd.SetOut(&out)
+			cmd.SetErr(&stderr)
+			args := []string{"doctor", "-c", path}
+			if format == "json" {
+				args = append(args, "--output", "json")
+			}
+			cmd.SetArgs(args)
+			if err := cmd.Execute(); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("doctor: %v: %s", err, out.String())
+			}
+			if format == "human" {
+				if !strings.Contains(out.String(), "Onebox doctor: PASS") || !strings.Contains(out.String(), "cache/backup") || !strings.Contains(out.String(), "declared ephemeral") {
+					t.Fatalf("human doctor = %s", out.String())
+				}
+				return
+			}
+			var envelope struct {
+				Data doctorReport `json:"data"`
+			}
+			if err := json.Unmarshal(out.Bytes(), &envelope); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("decode doctor: %v: %s", err, out.String())
+			}
+			if envelope.Data.Status != doctorPass || envelope.Data.Backups.Status != doctorPass || stderr.Len() != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("JSON doctor = %+v, stderr = %s", envelope.Data, stderr.String())
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/site/src/content/docs/guides/back-up-a-database.mdx b/site/src/content/docs/guides/back-up-a-database.mdx
index 82ededb..6b313c4 100644
--- a/site/src/content/docs/guides/back-up-a-database.mdx
+++ b/site/src/content/docs/guides/back-up-a-database.mdx
@@ -275,7 +275,10 @@ first if what you want is the old history.
 Only the `postgres` driver has an executable contract, on versions 17 and 18.
 Every other driver refuses a `backup` policy at validate rather than accepting
 one it cannot honour. A workload's own volume is never copied anywhere — `ob
-doctor` names every workload holding durable data.
+doctor` names every workload holding durable data. A managed service declared
+`persistence: {mode: Ephemeral}` is listed as a pass because its data is
+disposable; doctor does not suggest adding a backup. Services with durable or
+default persistence still warn when no backup is declared.
 
 Full field list: [`services`](/reference/fields/services) and
 [`backupTargets`](/reference/fields/backup-targets).