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 14b89ca9..e7065ef5 100644
--- a/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/Drivers/DriverHostActor.cs
+++ b/src/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime/Drivers/DriverHostActor.cs
@@ -595,6 +595,14 @@ public sealed class DriverHostActor : ReceiveActor, IWithTimers
 
     private void Bootstrap()
     {
+        // Per-cluster mesh Phase 3: a FetchAndCache node NEVER reads central SQL for config, at boot
+        // or otherwise. It restores its served state from the LocalDb pointer instead.
+        if (_fetchAndCacheMode)
+        {
+            BootstrapFromCache();
+            return;
+        }
+
         // Read the most-recent NodeDeploymentState for this node; if it's Applied, jump
         // to Steady with that revision. If Applying (orphan from a crash), discard and replay.
         // If the DB is unreachable, fall back to Stale and start the reconnect loop.
@@ -659,6 +667,60 @@ public sealed class DriverHostActor : ReceiveActor, IWithTimers
         }
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Per-cluster mesh Phase 3 boot for <c>FetchAndCache</c> mode. Restores served state from the
+    ///     LocalDb pointer without any central-SQL read.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    ///     <para>
+    ///         Distinct from <see cref="TryBootFromCache"/> (the Direct-mode SQL-unreachable fallback):
+    ///         reading from the cache is <b>normal</b> operation here, not a degraded state, so
+    ///         <see cref="_isRunningFromCache"/> stays <see langword="false"/> — the node can still
+    ///         fetch new deployments. An empty or unreadable cache lands Steady-with-no-revision (the
+    ///         first dispatch fetches), never <c>Stale</c>: Stale means "central SQL is down, retry it",
+    ///         and FetchAndCache has no config SQL read to recover.
+    ///     </para>
+    /// </remarks>
+    private void BootstrapFromCache()
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            var cached = _deploymentArtifactCache?.GetCurrentUnkeyedAsync().GetAwaiter().GetResult();
+            if (cached is null)
+            {
+                _log.Info(
+                    "DriverHost {Node}: FetchAndCache boot — the LocalDb cache is empty; entering Steady " +
+                    "(no revision). The first dispatch will fetch this node's configuration from central.",
+                    _localNode);
+                Become(Steady);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            var deploymentId = DeploymentId.Parse(cached.DeploymentId);
+            var revision = RevisionHash.Parse(cached.RevisionHash);
+
+            _currentRevision = revision;
+            Become(Steady);
+            // Restore drivers + address space + subscriptions from the cached bytes — no SQL read, no
+            // re-ack (the deployment is already Applied). Same in-hand-bytes apply as the Direct-mode
+            // cache boot, but this is the steady-state config source, not an outage fallback.
+            ApplyCachedArtifact(deploymentId, cached.Artifact);
+
+            _log.Info(
+                "DriverHost {Node}: FetchAndCache boot — restored served state for deployment {Id} " +
+                "(rev {Rev}) from the LocalDb pointer.",
+                _localNode, deploymentId, revision);
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            _log.Warning(ex,
+                "DriverHost {Node}: FetchAndCache boot — failed to read the LocalDb pointer; entering " +
+                "Steady (no revision). The next dispatch will fetch.",
+                _localNode);
+            Become(Steady);
+        }
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     ///     Last-resort boot path: apply the artifact cached by a previous successful deploy (or
     ///     replicated from this node's pair peer) when central SQL cannot be reached.
@@ -2511,6 +2573,16 @@ public sealed class DriverHostActor : ReceiveActor, IWithTimers
 
     private void TryRecoverFromStale()
     {
+        // Defensive: FetchAndCache never enters Stale (BootstrapFromCache always Becomes Steady, so
+        // the retry-db timer that drives this is never started), and its recovery must NOT read
+        // central SQL. If we somehow land here, leave Steady rather than re-reading Deployments.
+        if (_fetchAndCacheMode)
+        {
+            Timers.Cancel("retry-db");
+            Become(Steady);
+            return;
+        }
+
         try
         {
             using var db = _dbFactory.CreateDbContext();
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.Tests/Drivers/DriverHostActorFetchAndCacheBootstrapTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.Tests/Drivers/DriverHostActorFetchAndCacheBootstrapTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f6d8487d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.Tests/Drivers/DriverHostActorFetchAndCacheBootstrapTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+using System.Text.Json;
+using Akka.Actor;
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
+using Shouldly;
+using Xunit;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Commons.Interfaces;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Commons.Messages.Deploy;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Commons.Messages.Fleet;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Commons.Types;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.DeploymentCache;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.Drivers;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.OpcUa;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.Tests.Harness;
+
+namespace ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.Tests.Drivers;
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Per-cluster mesh Phase 3 (Task 6) — <c>FetchAndCache</c> bootstrap. A driver node in this mode
+///     boots its served state from the LocalDb pointer, reading NO config from central SQL; an empty
+///     or unreadable cache lands Steady-with-no-revision (the first dispatch fetches), NOT Stale.
+/// </summary>
+/// <remarks>
+///     Every test injects a <see cref="ThrowingDbFactory"/> for central SQL — reaching Steady (and, in
+///     two of them, applying a dispatch) proves the boot never touched it. This is the FetchAndCache
+///     counterpart to <see cref="DriverHostActorBootFromCacheTests"/> (which covers the Direct-mode
+///     SQL-unreachable fallback, where <c>RunningFromCache</c> is TRUE — here it is normal operation,
+///     so it stays FALSE).
+/// </remarks>
+public sealed class DriverHostActorFetchAndCacheBootstrapTests : RuntimeActorTestBase
+{
+    private static readonly NodeId TestNode = NodeId.Parse("driver-test");
+    private static readonly RevisionHash CachedRev = RevisionHash.Parse(new string('c', 64));
+
+    private static byte[] Artifact() =>
+        JsonSerializer.SerializeToUtf8Bytes(new { DriverInstances = Array.Empty<object>() });
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void WithCachedArtifact_RestoresServedState_WithoutReadingCentralSql()
+    {
+        var blob = Artifact();
+        var cached = new CachedDeploymentArtifact(
+            DeploymentId.NewId().ToString(), CachedRev.Value, blob, DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.AddHours(-1));
+        var cache = new StubArtifactCache(cached);
+        var publishProbe = CreateTestProbe();
+
+        var actor = Sys.ActorOf(DriverHostActor.Props(
+            new ThrowingDbFactory(), TestNode, ackRouter: null,
+            localRoles: new HashSet<string> { "driver" },
+            opcUaPublishActor: publishProbe.Ref,
+            deploymentArtifactCache: cache,
+            fetchAndCacheMode: true,
+            artifactFetcher: new RecordingFetcher(Artifact())));
+
+        // Served state rebuilt from the CACHED bytes (no ConfigDb read — the factory throws).
+        var rebuild = publishProbe.ExpectMsg<OpcUaPublishActor.RebuildAddressSpace>(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+        rebuild.Artifact.ShouldBe(blob);
+
+        var snapshot = AskDiagnostics(actor);
+        snapshot.CurrentRevision.ShouldBe(CachedRev);
+        // NORMAL operation, not the degraded Direct-mode fallback — a FetchAndCache node can still fetch.
+        snapshot.RunningFromCache.ShouldBeFalse();
+        cache.UnkeyedReads.ShouldBe(1);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void WithEmptyCache_EntersSteadyNoRevision_AndTheNextDispatchFetches()
+    {
+        var cache = new StubArtifactCache(current: null);
+        var fetcher = new RecordingFetcher(Artifact());
+        var coordinator = CreateTestProbe();
+
+        var actor = Sys.ActorOf(DriverHostActor.Props(
+            new ThrowingDbFactory(), TestNode, coordinator.Ref,
+            localRoles: new HashSet<string> { "driver" },
+            deploymentArtifactCache: cache,
+            fetchAndCacheMode: true,
+            artifactFetcher: fetcher));
+
+        var snapshot = AskDiagnostics(actor);
+        snapshot.CurrentRevision.ShouldBeNull();
+        snapshot.RunningFromCache.ShouldBeFalse();
+
+        // Steady, not Stale: a dispatch is serviced (Stale would ignore it, never acking) and fetches.
+        actor.Tell(new DispatchDeployment(DeploymentId.NewId(), CachedRev, CorrelationId.NewId()));
+        coordinator.ExpectMsg<ApplyAck>(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5)).Outcome.ShouldBe(ApplyAckOutcome.Applied);
+        fetcher.Calls.ShouldBe(1);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void WithAnUnreadableCache_EntersSteadyNoRevision_NotStale()
+    {
+        var fetcher = new RecordingFetcher(Artifact());
+        var coordinator = CreateTestProbe();
+
+        var actor = Sys.ActorOf(DriverHostActor.Props(
+            new ThrowingDbFactory(), TestNode, coordinator.Ref,
+            localRoles: new HashSet<string> { "driver" },
+            deploymentArtifactCache: new ThrowingReadCache(),
+            fetchAndCacheMode: true,
+            artifactFetcher: fetcher));
+
+        var snapshot = AskDiagnostics(actor);
+        snapshot.CurrentRevision.ShouldBeNull();
+        snapshot.RunningFromCache.ShouldBeFalse();
+
+        // A cache-read fault is NOT Stale (Stale means "central SQL down, retry it" — there is no
+        // config SQL read to recover here). The node is Steady and the next dispatch fetches.
+        actor.Tell(new DispatchDeployment(DeploymentId.NewId(), CachedRev, CorrelationId.NewId()));
+        coordinator.ExpectMsg<ApplyAck>(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5)).Outcome.ShouldBe(ApplyAckOutcome.Applied);
+        fetcher.Calls.ShouldBe(1);
+    }
+
+    private NodeDiagnosticsSnapshot AskDiagnostics(IActorRef actor)
+    {
+        var probe = CreateTestProbe();
+        AwaitAssert(
+            () =>
+            {
+                actor.Tell(new GetDiagnostics(CorrelationId.NewId()), probe.Ref);
+                probe.ExpectMsg<NodeDiagnosticsSnapshot>(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2));
+            },
+            duration: TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+
+        actor.Tell(new GetDiagnostics(CorrelationId.NewId()), probe.Ref);
+        return probe.ExpectMsg<NodeDiagnosticsSnapshot>(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+    }
+
+    private sealed class RecordingFetcher(byte[]? bytes) : IDeploymentArtifactFetcher
+    {
+        private int _calls;
+        public int Calls => Volatile.Read(ref _calls);
+
+        public Task<byte[]?> FetchAsync(string deploymentId, string expectedRevisionHash, CancellationToken ct)
+        {
+            Interlocked.Increment(ref _calls);
+            return Task.FromResult(bytes);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Stands in for an unreachable central SQL Server.</summary>
+    private sealed class ThrowingDbFactory : IDbContextFactory<OtOpcUaConfigDbContext>
+    {
+        public OtOpcUaConfigDbContext CreateDbContext()
+            => throw new InvalidOperationException("ConfigDb unreachable");
+    }
+
+    private sealed class StubArtifactCache(CachedDeploymentArtifact? current) : IDeploymentArtifactCache
+    {
+        private int _unkeyedReads;
+        public int UnkeyedReads => Volatile.Read(ref _unkeyedReads);
+
+        public Task StoreAsync(string clusterId, string deploymentId, string revisionHash,
+                               byte[] artifact, CancellationToken ct = default)
+            => Task.CompletedTask;
+
+        public Task<CachedDeploymentArtifact?> GetCurrentAsync(string clusterId, CancellationToken ct = default)
+            => Task.FromResult(current);
+
+        public Task<CachedDeploymentArtifact?> GetCurrentUnkeyedAsync(CancellationToken ct = default)
+        {
+            Interlocked.Increment(ref _unkeyedReads);
+            return Task.FromResult(current);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private sealed class ThrowingReadCache : IDeploymentArtifactCache
+    {
+        public Task StoreAsync(string clusterId, string deploymentId, string revisionHash,
+                               byte[] artifact, CancellationToken ct = default)
+            => Task.CompletedTask;
+
+        public Task<CachedDeploymentArtifact?> GetCurrentAsync(string clusterId, CancellationToken ct = default)
+            => throw new InvalidOperationException("cache unreadable");
+
+        public Task<CachedDeploymentArtifact?> GetCurrentUnkeyedAsync(CancellationToken ct = default)
+            => throw new InvalidOperationException("cache unreadable");
+    }
+}