diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 36d07835..ee2c22d9 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     "dev:app:inner": "dotenv -e .env.local -- concurrently -k -n TYPE,APP -c red,blue \"tsc --noEmit --watch\" \"tsup --watch --onSuccess='node dist/index.js'\"",
     "dev:worker:feeds:inner": "dotenv -e .env.local -- concurrently -k -n WORKER -c green \"tsup --watch --onSuccess='node dist/workers/feed-worker.js'\"",
     "dev:worker:search:inner": "dotenv -e .env.local -- concurrently -k -n WORKER -c yellow \"tsup --watch --onSuccess='node dist/workers/search-worker.js'\"",
-    "dev:mock": "USE_PERSISTENCE=false USE_FAKE_PUBLISHERS=true USE_MOCK_AUTH=true npm run dev:app:inner",
+    "dev:mock": "USE_MOCK_PERSISTENCE=true USE_FAKE_PUBLISHERS=true USE_MOCK_AUTH=true npm run dev:app:inner",
     "dev:mock:pub:auth": "USE_FAKE_PUBLISHERS=true USE_MOCK_AUTH=true npm run dev",
     "dev": "bash ./scripts/dev-combined.sh",
     "migrate": "node dist/scripts/migrate.js",
diff --git a/src/shared/infrastructure/config/EnvironmentConfigService.ts b/src/shared/infrastructure/config/EnvironmentConfigService.ts
index 3b96957a..beea43ec 100644
--- a/src/shared/infrastructure/config/EnvironmentConfigService.ts
+++ b/src/shared/infrastructure/config/EnvironmentConfigService.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export enum Environment {
 export interface EnvironmentConfig {
   environment: Environment;
   runtime: {
-    usePersistence: boolean;
+    useMockPersistence: boolean;
     useMockAuth: boolean;
     useFakePublishers: boolean;
     useMockVectorDb: boolean;
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export class EnvironmentConfigService {
     this.config = {
       environment,
       runtime: {
-        usePersistence: this.determinePersistenceFlag(),
+        useMockPersistence: this.determineMockPersistenceFlag(),
         useMockAuth: process.env.USE_MOCK_AUTH === 'true',
         useFakePublishers: process.env.USE_FAKE_PUBLISHERS === 'true',
         useMockVectorDb: process.env.USE_MOCK_VECTOR_DB === 'true',
@@ -198,16 +198,16 @@ export class EnvironmentConfigService {
     return this.config.runtime;
   }
 
-  public shouldUsePersistence(): boolean {
-    return this.config.runtime.usePersistence;
+  public shouldUseMockPersistence(): boolean {
+    return this.config.runtime.useMockPersistence;
   }
 
   public shouldUseMockRepos(): boolean {
-    return !this.config.runtime.usePersistence;
+    return this.config.runtime.useMockPersistence;
   }
 
   public shouldUseInMemoryEvents(): boolean {
-    return !this.config.runtime.usePersistence;
+    return this.config.runtime.useMockPersistence;
   }
 
   public shouldUseMockAuth(): boolean {
@@ -225,17 +225,17 @@ export class EnvironmentConfigService {
   // Convenience methods for common combinations
   public isFullyMocked(): boolean {
     const r = this.config.runtime;
-    return !r.usePersistence && r.useMockAuth && r.useFakePublishers;
+    return r.useMockPersistence && r.useMockAuth && r.useFakePublishers;
   }
 
-  public isPersistenceEnabled(): boolean {
-    return this.config.runtime.usePersistence;
+  public isMockPersistenceEnabled(): boolean {
+    return this.config.runtime.useMockPersistence;
   }
 
-  private determinePersistenceFlag(): boolean {
+  private determineMockPersistenceFlag(): boolean {
     // New unified flag takes precedence
-    if (process.env.USE_PERSISTENCE !== undefined) {
-      return process.env.USE_PERSISTENCE === 'true';
+    if (process.env.USE_MOCK_PERSISTENCE !== undefined) {
+      return process.env.USE_MOCK_PERSISTENCE === 'true';
     }
 
     // Legacy support - if either old flag is false, persistence is disabled
@@ -243,10 +243,10 @@ export class EnvironmentConfigService {
       process.env.USE_MOCK_REPOS === 'true' ||
       process.env.USE_IN_MEMORY_EVENTS === 'true'
     ) {
-      return false;
+      return true;
     }
 
-    // Default to true (use persistence) unless explicitly disabled
-    return true;
+    // Default to false (use mock persistence) unless explicitly enabled
+    return false;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/shared/infrastructure/http/factories/ServiceFactory.ts b/src/shared/infrastructure/http/factories/ServiceFactory.ts
index f08f3c80..11a3cce8 100644
--- a/src/shared/infrastructure/http/factories/ServiceFactory.ts
+++ b/src/shared/infrastructure/http/factories/ServiceFactory.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ import { QueueName } from '../../events/QueueConfig';
 import { RedisFactory } from '../../redis/RedisFactory';
 import { IEventSubscriber } from 'src/shared/application/events/IEventSubscriber';
 import { FeedService } from '../../../../modules/feeds/domain/services/FeedService';
-import { CardCollectionSaga } from '../../../../modules/feeds/application/sagas/CardCollectionSaga';
 import { ATProtoIdentityResolutionService } from '../../../../modules/atproto/infrastructure/services/ATProtoIdentityResolutionService';
 import { IIdentityResolutionService } from '../../../../modules/atproto/domain/services/IIdentityResolutionService';
 import { CookieService } from '../services/CookieService';
@@ -293,10 +292,10 @@ export class ServiceFactory {
     const baseProfileService = new BlueskyProfileService(atProtoAgentService);
 
     let profileService: IProfileService;
-    const usePersistence = configService.shouldUsePersistence();
+    const useMockPersistence = configService.shouldUseMockPersistence();
 
     // caching requires persistence
-    if (!usePersistence) {
+    if (useMockPersistence) {
       profileService = baseProfileService;
     } else {
       // Create Redis connection for caching
diff --git a/src/shared/infrastructure/locking/LockServiceFactory.ts b/src/shared/infrastructure/locking/LockServiceFactory.ts
index 69154bc3..549c9dab 100644
--- a/src/shared/infrastructure/locking/LockServiceFactory.ts
+++ b/src/shared/infrastructure/locking/LockServiceFactory.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ import { ILockService } from './ILockService';
 import { RedisLockService } from './RedisLockService';
 import { InMemoryLockService } from './InMemoryLockService';
 import { RedisFactory } from '../redis/RedisFactory';
+import { configService } from '../config';
 
 export class LockServiceFactory {
   static create(): ILockService {
-    const useMockRepos = process.env.USE_MOCK_REPOS === 'true';
-    if (!useMockRepos) {
+    const useMockPersistence = configService.shouldUseMockPersistence();
+    if (!useMockPersistence) {
       try {
         const redis = RedisFactory.createConnection({
           host: process.env.REDIS_HOST || 'localhost',
diff --git a/src/shared/infrastructure/processes/AppProcess.ts b/src/shared/infrastructure/processes/AppProcess.ts
index 152ea1d3..565cef39 100644
--- a/src/shared/infrastructure/processes/AppProcess.ts
+++ b/src/shared/infrastructure/processes/AppProcess.ts
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ export class AppProcess implements IProcess {
     // Get configuration
     const config = this.configService.get();
 
-    const useMockRepos = process.env.USE_MOCK_REPOS === 'true';
-    if (!useMockRepos) {
+    const useMockPersistence = this.configService.shouldUseMockPersistence();
+    if (!useMockPersistence) {
       // Create database connection with config
       const db = DatabaseFactory.createConnection(
         this.configService.getDatabaseConfig(),