diff --git a/apps/account-directory/wrangler.jsonc b/apps/account-directory/wrangler.jsonc
index 2d9318f30..cbf20a9e6 100644
--- a/apps/account-directory/wrangler.jsonc
+++ b/apps/account-directory/wrangler.jsonc
@@ -45,12 +45,26 @@
   // is NOT created by deploying — run `wrangler r2 bucket create` first (see
   // README, "Diagnostic report uploads"). Missing binding is handled: the route
   // answers 503 and the in-app button reports that sending is unavailable.
-  "r2_buckets": [
-    {
-      "binding": "DIAGNOSTICS",
-      "bucket_name": "ade-diagnostics"
-    }
-  ],
+  //
+  // TEMPORARILY UNBOUND (v1.2.61 release). R2 is not enabled on this Cloudflare
+  // account: bucket creation fails with "Please enable R2 through the Cloudflare
+  // Dashboard [code: 10042]", and a Worker bound to a bucket that cannot exist
+  // fails to start — which would take down machine registration and pairing for
+  // every user, not just diagnostics. Leaving DIAGNOSTICS unbound is the
+  // designed degradation: `DiagnosticsEnv` types it `DIAGNOSTICS?: R2Bucket`,
+  // the upload route answers 503, and the in-app "Send to ADE" button reports
+  // that sending is unavailable. Every other route is unaffected.
+  //
+  // TO RE-ENABLE, once the R2 subscription is added to the account:
+  //   1. revert this commit (restores both `r2_buckets` blocks verbatim)
+  //   2. npx wrangler r2 bucket create ade-diagnostics
+  //      npx wrangler r2 bucket create ade-diagnostics-production
+  //   3. add the 90-day expiry lifecycle rule to BOTH buckets — nothing in the
+  //      Worker ever deletes a report (see README, step 4)
+  //   4. npm run deploy:production
+  //   5. verify the fail-closed probes: garbage Bearer -> 401, >512 KiB -> 413
+  //
+  // "r2_buckets": [{ "binding": "DIAGNOSTICS", "bucket_name": "ade-diagnostics" }],
   "env": {
     "production": {
       "name": "ade-account-directory-production",
@@ -68,13 +82,12 @@
           "database_id": "38ebe0bb-ac4d-4b39-b73e-bab2f0092971",
           "migrations_dir": "migrations"
         }
-      ],
-      "r2_buckets": [
-        {
-          "binding": "DIAGNOSTICS",
-          "bucket_name": "ade-diagnostics-production"
-        }
       ]
+      // DIAGNOSTICS is unbound here for the same reason as the top-level
+      // environment — see the note above `env` for why, and for the exact
+      // re-enable steps. The production bucket was `ade-diagnostics-production`.
+      //
+      // "r2_buckets": [{ "binding": "DIAGNOSTICS", "bucket_name": "ade-diagnostics-production" }]
     }
   }
 }