diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host/DatabaseOptions.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host/DatabaseOptions.cs
index acf11b1f..5fdefc37 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host/DatabaseOptions.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host/DatabaseOptions.cs
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ public class DatabaseOptions
 {
     /// <summary>Connection string for the central configuration SQL Server database.</summary>
     public string? ConfigurationDb { get; set; }
+    /// <summary>Connection string for the central machine-data SQL Server database.</summary>
+    public string? MachineDataDb { get; set; }
     /// <summary>File system path to the site-local SQLite database directory.</summary>
     public string? SiteDbPath { get; set; }
 }
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host/StartupValidator.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host/StartupValidator.cs
index 00f0e8fb..8c14eb47 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host/StartupValidator.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host/StartupValidator.cs
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ public static class StartupValidator
                 .Require("ScadaBridge:Database:ConfigurationDb",
                     _ => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(configuration.GetSection("ScadaBridge:Database")["ConfigurationDb"]),
                     "connection string required for Central")
+                .Require("ScadaBridge:Database:MachineDataDb",
+                    _ => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(configuration.GetSection("ScadaBridge:Database")["MachineDataDb"]),
+                    "connection string required for Central")
                 // Task 1.4: the LDAP server key moved into the nested Security:Ldap
                 // sub-section (bound to the shared LdapOptions). Validate the nested key so
                 // the pre-host preflight still fails fast on a missing LDAP server for
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/ActorPathTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/ActorPathTests.cs
index 8d4bceb1..4bd84ab9 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/ActorPathTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/ActorPathTests.cs
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ public class CentralActorPathTests : IAsyncLifetime
         // env var is visible to StartupValidator.Validate() at Program.cs line 42.
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__InboundApi__ApiKeyPepper",
             CentralDbTestEnvironment.TestPepper);
+        // Supply MachineDataDb so the reverted Host-008 Require (REQ-HOST-3/4, M2.9 #17)
+        // passes for Central-role StartupValidator. A non-empty placeholder satisfies
+        // the preflight; the DI override below replaces the real DbContext anyway.
+        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__Database__MachineDataDb",
+            "Server=localhost;Database=MachineData;");
 
         _factory = new WebApplicationFactory<Program>()
             .WithWebHostBuilder(builder =>
@@ -94,6 +99,7 @@ public class CentralActorPathTests : IAsyncLifetime
         _factory?.Dispose();
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT", _previousEnv);
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__InboundApi__ApiKeyPepper", null);
+        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__Database__MachineDataDb", null);
         await Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/AkkaHostedServiceAuditWiringTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/AkkaHostedServiceAuditWiringTests.cs
index 7855d876..9e9cbf61 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/AkkaHostedServiceAuditWiringTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/AkkaHostedServiceAuditWiringTests.cs
@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ public class CentralAuditWiringTests : IDisposable
         // runs before WithWebHostBuilder.ConfigureAppConfiguration applies DI config.
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__InboundApi__ApiKeyPepper",
             CentralDbTestEnvironment.TestPepper);
+        // Supply MachineDataDb so the reverted Host-008 Require (REQ-HOST-3/4, M2.9 #17)
+        // passes for Central-role StartupValidator. A non-empty placeholder satisfies
+        // the preflight; the DI override below replaces the real DbContext anyway.
+        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__Database__MachineDataDb",
+            "Server=localhost;Database=MachineData;");
 
         _factory = new WebApplicationFactory<Program>()
             .WithWebHostBuilder(builder =>
@@ -156,6 +161,7 @@ public class CentralAuditWiringTests : IDisposable
         _factory.Dispose();
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT", _previousEnv);
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__InboundApi__ApiKeyPepper", null);
+        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__Database__MachineDataDb", null);
     }
 
     [Fact]
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/CentralDbTestEnvironment.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/CentralDbTestEnvironment.cs
index bc107767..7f3b0171 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/CentralDbTestEnvironment.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/CentralDbTestEnvironment.cs
@@ -10,8 +10,12 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests;
 ///
 /// Also supplies <c>ScadaBridge__InboundApi__ApiKeyPepper</c> so the Central-role
 /// StartupValidator preflight (added in 1fcc4f5) does not fail for tests that set
-/// <c>DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT=Central</c> without an explicit pepper env var. Both vars
-/// are restored on Dispose so tests stay isolated.
+/// <c>DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT=Central</c> without an explicit pepper env var.
+///
+/// Also supplies <c>ScadaBridge__Database__MachineDataDb</c> so the Central-role
+/// StartupValidator preflight (reverts Host-008, REQ-HOST-3/4, M2.9 #17) does not
+/// fail for tests that set <c>DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT=Central</c> without an explicit
+/// MachineDataDb env var. All vars are restored on Dispose so tests stay isolated.
 /// </summary>
 internal sealed class CentralDbTestEnvironment : IDisposable
 {
@@ -22,6 +26,11 @@ internal sealed class CentralDbTestEnvironment : IDisposable
 
     private const string ConfigKey = "ScadaBridge__Database__ConfigurationDb";
 
+    private const string MachineDataDb =
+        "Server=localhost,1433;Database=ScadaBridgeMachineData;User Id=scadabridge_app;Password=ScadaBridge_Dev1#;TrustServerCertificate=true";
+
+    private const string MachineDataKey = "ScadaBridge__Database__MachineDataDb";
+
     // Test-only pepper — satisfies the ≥16-char StartupValidator requirement without
     // committing a real secret. The env-var name uses the double-underscore delimiter
     // so AddEnvironmentVariables() maps it to ScadaBridge:InboundApi:ApiKeyPepper.
@@ -29,6 +38,7 @@ internal sealed class CentralDbTestEnvironment : IDisposable
     private const string PepperKey = "ScadaBridge__InboundApi__ApiKeyPepper";
 
     private readonly string? _previousConfig;
+    private readonly string? _previousMachineData;
     private readonly string? _previousPepper;
 
     public CentralDbTestEnvironment()
@@ -36,6 +46,9 @@ internal sealed class CentralDbTestEnvironment : IDisposable
         _previousConfig = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(ConfigKey);
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(ConfigKey, ConfigurationDb);
 
+        _previousMachineData = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(MachineDataKey);
+        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(MachineDataKey, MachineDataDb);
+
         _previousPepper = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(PepperKey);
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(PepperKey, TestPepper);
     }
@@ -43,6 +56,7 @@ internal sealed class CentralDbTestEnvironment : IDisposable
     public void Dispose()
     {
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(ConfigKey, _previousConfig);
+        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(MachineDataKey, _previousMachineData);
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(PepperKey, _previousPepper);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/CompositionRootTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/CompositionRootTests.cs
index 96a9f21c..15750328 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/CompositionRootTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/CompositionRootTests.cs
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ public class CentralCompositionRootTests : IDisposable
         // runs before WithWebHostBuilder.ConfigureAppConfiguration applies DI config.
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__InboundApi__ApiKeyPepper",
             CentralDbTestEnvironment.TestPepper);
+        // Supply MachineDataDb so the reverted Host-008 Require (REQ-HOST-3/4, M2.9 #17)
+        // passes for Central-role StartupValidator. A non-empty placeholder satisfies
+        // the preflight; the DI override below replaces the real DbContext anyway.
+        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__Database__MachineDataDb",
+            "Server=localhost;Database=MachineData;");
 
         _factory = new WebApplicationFactory<Program>()
             .WithWebHostBuilder(builder =>
@@ -159,6 +164,7 @@ public class CentralCompositionRootTests : IDisposable
         _factory.Dispose();
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT", _previousEnv);
         Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__InboundApi__ApiKeyPepper", null);
+        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("ScadaBridge__Database__MachineDataDb", null);
     }
 
     // --- Singletons ---
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/StartupValidatorTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/StartupValidatorTests.cs
index 16518d0a..109d9db7 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/StartupValidatorTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Host.Tests/StartupValidatorTests.cs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ public class StartupValidatorTests
         ["ScadaBridge:Node:NodeHostname"] = "central-node1",
         ["ScadaBridge:Node:RemotingPort"] = "8081",
         ["ScadaBridge:Database:ConfigurationDb"] = "Server=localhost;Database=Config;",
+        ["ScadaBridge:Database:MachineDataDb"] = "Server=localhost;Database=MachineData;",
         ["ScadaBridge:Security:Ldap:Server"] = "ldap.example.com",
         ["ScadaBridge:Security:JwtSigningKey"] = "test-signing-key-at-least-32-chars-long",
         ["ScadaBridge:Cluster:SeedNodes:0"] = "akka.tcp://scadabridge@central-node1:8081",
@@ -152,17 +153,19 @@ public class StartupValidatorTests
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void Central_MissingMachineDataDb_PassesValidation()
+    public void Central_MissingMachineDataDb_FailsValidation()
     {
-        // Host-008 regression: MachineDataDb is never consumed anywhere in the
-        // system (only ConfigurationDb is wired into AddConfigurationDatabase).
-        // It is no longer a required key, so its absence must not fail startup.
+        // Reverts Host-008. REQ-HOST-3/REQ-HOST-4 require MachineDataDb to be
+        // validated at startup for Central nodes, and the shipped docker appsettings
+        // (docker/central-node-a/appsettings.Central.json and central-node-b) carry
+        // the key. The prior Host-008 decision (which removed the Require) is reversed
+        // here (#17, M2.9): a missing MachineDataDb must fail fast with a clear error.
         var values = ValidCentralConfig();
         values.Remove("ScadaBridge:Database:MachineDataDb");
         var config = BuildConfig(values);
 
-        var ex = Record.Exception(() => StartupValidator.Validate(config));
-        Assert.Null(ex);
+        var ex = Assert.Throws<InvalidOperationException>(() => StartupValidator.Validate(config));
+        Assert.Contains("MachineDataDb connection string required for Central", ex.Message);
     }
 
     [Fact]