diff --git a/src/api/admin.rs b/src/api/admin.rs
index a422017..81bbd0f 100644
--- a/src/api/admin.rs
+++ b/src/api/admin.rs
@@ -760,6 +760,26 @@ pub struct AdminConfigResponse {
     restart_pending: bool,
 }
 
+/// `restart_pending`: the persisted overlay, applied to the boot base, differs from
+/// the currently-RUNNING effective config in at least one field — i.e. a
+/// restart-required change was saved but has not been applied by a restart yet.
+/// Shared by GET and PUT so both report the identical signal. A persisted overlay
+/// that no longer validates is treated as not-pending (the running config is the
+/// authority; GET/PUT surface the validation error separately).
+fn overlay_restart_pending(
+    config_base: &crate::config::Config,
+    persisted: &crate::config_overlay::SettingsOverlay,
+    running: &crate::config::Config,
+) -> bool {
+    match config_base.apply_overlay(persisted) {
+        Ok(p) => {
+            serde_json::to_value(p.editable_overlay()).ok()
+                != serde_json::to_value(running.editable_overlay()).ok()
+        }
+        Err(_) => false,
+    }
+}
+
 #[instrument(skip(state, headers))]
 pub async fn admin_config_get(
     State(state): State<Arc<AppState>>,
@@ -770,17 +790,11 @@ pub async fn admin_config_get(
 
     let overlay = state.db.load_settings_overlay(&secret).await?;
     let versions = state.db.settings_versions().await?;
-    let effective = state.cfg().editable_overlay();
+    let running = state.cfg();
+    let effective = running.editable_overlay();
 
-    // restart_pending: the persisted overlay's effective view differs from the RUNNING
-    // effective view (a restart-required field was saved but not yet applied).
-    let restart_pending = match state.config_base.apply_overlay(&overlay) {
-        Ok(persisted) => {
-            serde_json::to_value(persisted.editable_overlay()).ok()
-                != serde_json::to_value(&effective).ok()
-        }
-        Err(_) => false,
-    };
+    // A restart-required field was saved but not yet applied (see the shared helper).
+    let restart_pending = overlay_restart_pending(&state.config_base, &overlay, &running);
 
     let runtime_class = crate::config_overlay::EDITABLE_FIELDS
         .iter()
@@ -841,7 +855,9 @@ pub async fn admin_config_put(
     let merged: crate::config_overlay::SettingsOverlay =
         serde_json::from_value(merged_json.clone())
             .map_err(|e| AppError::ValidationError(format!("bad settings: {e}")))?;
-    let candidate = state.config_base.apply_overlay(&merged)?; // ValidationError -> 400
+    // Validate the FULL merged overlay with the same rules boot uses; a bad edit is a
+    // 400 and nothing persists. (The hot-swap below re-validates the narrower change.)
+    state.config_base.apply_overlay(&merged)?; // ValidationError -> 400
 
     // Classify the CHANGED fields: which sections changed + does any need a restart?
     let mut any_restart = false;
@@ -921,10 +937,25 @@ pub async fn admin_config_put(
             restart_pending: true,
         }))
     } else {
-        state.config.store(std::sync::Arc::new(candidate));
+        // Hot-swap ONLY the runtime-safe patch onto the currently-RUNNING config.
+        // Rebuilding from the full persisted overlay (the old behavior) would drag a
+        // restart-required section persisted by an EARLIER PUT into the live config
+        // while the boot-built clients still run the old value — the exact desync
+        // RuntimeClass exists to prevent. Every field in this patch is runtime-safe
+        // (any_restart == false), so applying it to the running config is sound and
+        // re-validates the change.
+        let running = state.cfg();
+        let hot = running
+            .apply_overlay(&req.patch)
+            .map_err(|e| AppError::Internal(format!("hot-swap re-validate failed: {e}")))?;
+        drop(running);
+        // A restart-required change from an EARLIER PUT may still be pending; report it
+        // honestly rather than clearing the signal just because THIS edit was live.
+        let restart_pending = overlay_restart_pending(&state.config_base, &merged, &hot);
+        state.config.store(std::sync::Arc::new(hot));
         Ok(Json(PutConfigResponse {
             applied: "runtime".into(),
-            restart_pending: false,
+            restart_pending,
         }))
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index e36b485..8a729ca 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -1623,6 +1623,43 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(applied.registration.gate_mode, GateMode::Any);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn runtime_safe_put_does_not_drag_pending_restart_required_change_live() {
+        // Reproduces the hot-swap desync: an earlier PUT persists a restart-required
+        // change (chain toggle) that is NOT yet applied to the running config; a later
+        // runtime-safe PUT must hot-swap ONLY its own change onto the RUNNING config,
+        // never rebuild from the full persisted overlay (which would drag the pending
+        // restart-required change live while boot-built clients still run the old one).
+        use crate::config_overlay::SettingsOverlay;
+        let base = valid();
+        assert!(!base.features.chains.btc, "precondition: btc off at boot");
+        let running = base.clone(); // boot state; the restart-required change is NOT here
+
+        // The FIX: hot-swap applies only the runtime-safe patch to the running config.
+        let safe_patch: SettingsOverlay =
+            serde_json::from_str(r#"{"landing":{"title":"hello"}}"#).unwrap();
+        let hot = running.apply_overlay(&safe_patch).unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            !hot.features.chains.btc,
+            "restart-required chain toggle must NOT leak into the runtime-safe hot-swap"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            hot.landing.title.as_deref(),
+            Some("hello"),
+            "runtime-safe change applies"
+        );
+
+        // Regression guard: the OLD path (base + full persisted overlay) WOULD drag it.
+        let buggy_merged: SettingsOverlay =
+            serde_json::from_str(r#"{"features":{"chain_btc":true},"landing":{"title":"hello"}}"#)
+                .unwrap();
+        let buggy = base.apply_overlay(&buggy_merged).unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            buggy.features.chains.btc,
+            "sanity: the old rebuild-from-full-overlay path drags the pending change"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn overlay_enabling_pow_without_hmac_key_is_rejected() {
         // Fail-closed: turning the PoW gate on via the console with no HMAC key
diff --git a/src/config_overlay.rs b/src/config_overlay.rs
index ef05cbf..09904ea 100644
--- a/src/config_overlay.rs
+++ b/src/config_overlay.rs
@@ -73,11 +73,13 @@ pub struct ConsoleOverlay {
     pub restart_apply_mode: Option<String>,
 }
 
-/// Registration gating POLICY knobs (read per-request → runtime-safe). The
-/// processor WIRING (provider, provider_url, store_id) and the SECRET api_key stay
-/// in env by design: they pair with the secret and are set-once infra, so they are
-/// deliberately absent here. Toggling `require_payment` on with incomplete wiring
-/// is rejected by `Config::validate` at PUT time (fail-closed).
+/// Registration gating POLICY knobs. Most are read per-request → runtime-safe; the
+/// exception is `require_payment`, which gates the boot-built payment client and is
+/// therefore restart-required (see `runtime_class`). The processor WIRING (provider,
+/// provider_url, store_id) and the SECRET api_key stay in env by design: they pair
+/// with the secret and are set-once infra, so they are deliberately absent here.
+/// Toggling `require_payment` on with incomplete wiring is rejected by
+/// `Config::validate` at PUT time (fail-closed).
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(default)]
 pub struct RegistrationOverlay {
@@ -174,9 +176,14 @@ pub fn runtime_class(section: &str, field: &str) -> RuntimeClass {
         ("retention", _) => RuntimeSafe,
         ("restore", _) => RuntimeSafe,
         ("console", _) => RuntimeSafe,
-        // Registration gates + PoW are read via `state.cfg()` on the registration
-        // path (auth.rs / capabilities.rs), so an overlay change lands on the next
-        // request — hot-swappable.
+        // require_payment gates the BOOT-built payment client (main.rs: the provider is
+        // None unless require_payment || premium.enabled at boot), so hot-enabling it
+        // would 500 every registration until restart — restart-required, like premium.
+        ("registration", "require_payment") => RestartRequired,
+        // The other registration gates + PoW are read via `state.cfg()` on the
+        // registration path (auth.rs / capabilities.rs), so an overlay change lands on
+        // the next request — hot-swappable. (payment_amount/currency/etc. are read per
+        // invoice; they only matter once the boot-built client exists.)
         ("registration", _) => RuntimeSafe,
         ("pow", _) => RuntimeSafe,
         // Feature flags / chain enablement / relay / premium all gate boot-built
@@ -581,6 +588,16 @@ mod tests {
             runtime_class("console", "restart_apply_mode"),
             RuntimeClass::RuntimeSafe
         );
+        // require_payment gates the boot-built payment client -> restart-required,
+        // while its sibling registration gates hot-swap.
+        assert_eq!(
+            runtime_class("registration", "require_payment"),
+            RuntimeClass::RestartRequired
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            runtime_class("registration", "require_invite"),
+            RuntimeClass::RuntimeSafe
+        );
         assert_eq!(
             runtime_class("mystery", "field"),
             RuntimeClass::RestartRequired