diff --git a/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/Drivers/DriverHostActor.cs b/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/Drivers/DriverHostActor.cs
index be81c509..4d8954f7 100644
--- a/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/Drivers/DriverHostActor.cs
+++ b/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/Drivers/DriverHostActor.cs
@@ -524,6 +524,11 @@ public sealed class DriverHostActor : ReceiveActor, IWithTimers
         // VirtualTagActor per plan and streams their evaluated values back onto the just-rebuilt
         // address space. Runs on BOTH the fresh-apply path (ApplyAndAck) and the bootstrap-restore
         // path (RestoreApplied) because both call this method, so one send covers both.
+        // NOTE: the Stale-recovery path (TryRecoverFromStale) does NOT call PushDesiredSubscriptions,
+        // so — like drivers — VirtualTags remain empty after a Stale recovery until the next
+        // deployment dispatch. This is intentional and consistent with driver recovery: the Stale
+        // path only restores the revision marker + NodeDeploymentState; a subsequent dispatch
+        // (or a redeploy from AdminUI) triggers the full apply + subscribe pass.
         _virtualTagHost?.Tell(new VirtualTagHostActor.ApplyVirtualTags(composition.EquipmentVirtualTags));
         if (composition.EquipmentVirtualTags.Count > 0)
         {
diff --git a/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/ServiceCollectionExtensions.cs b/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/ServiceCollectionExtensions.cs
index f1ec86f6..d17adae3 100644
--- a/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/ServiceCollectionExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/ServiceCollectionExtensions.cs
@@ -93,7 +93,13 @@ public static class ServiceCollectionExtensions
             // Production evaluator is the Host's RoslynVirtualTagEvaluator (registered as
             // IVirtualTagEvaluator); fall back to the null evaluator for test harnesses that don't
             // register one (VirtualTagActor children then evaluate to nothing).
-            var virtualTagEvaluator = resolver.GetService<IVirtualTagEvaluator>() ?? NullVirtualTagEvaluator.Instance;
+            var virtualTagEvaluator = resolver.GetService<IVirtualTagEvaluator>();
+            if (virtualTagEvaluator is null)
+            {
+                loggerFactory.CreateLogger("ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.ServiceCollectionExtensions")
+                    .LogWarning("IVirtualTagEvaluator not registered; Equipment VirtualTags will evaluate to NoChange (no live values). Expected only in test harnesses — driver-role nodes should register RoslynVirtualTagEvaluator.");
+                virtualTagEvaluator = NullVirtualTagEvaluator.Instance;
+            }
 
             var dbHealth = system.ActorOf(
                 DbHealthProbeActor.Props(dbFactory),