diff --git a/otopcua-uns-loader/otopcua_uns.py b/otopcua-uns-loader/otopcua_uns.py
index b97c5d9..567b447 100644
--- a/otopcua-uns-loader/otopcua_uns.py
+++ b/otopcua-uns-loader/otopcua_uns.py
@@ -83,12 +83,6 @@ LOAD_PLAN = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "load-plan.json")
 # overlay carries live VALUES (scope doc WS-3), not just structure.
 EQ_CLUSTER = os.environ.get("OTOPCUA_EQ_CLUSTER", "MAIN")
 EQ_NS = "nw-uns"
-# A placeholder non-Galaxy driver kept ONLY to satisfy "an Equipment namespace has a
-# driver" expectations; it streams nothing and no Tag binds to it (the company signals
-# are VirtualTags, which need no driver — they link to Equipment + a Script). Its
-# DriverType is non-GalaxyMxGateway so DraftValidator.ValidateDriverNamespaceCompatibility
-# accepts it in the Equipment-kind namespace.
-EQ_DRIVER = "nw-uns-modbus"
 EQ_ID_PREFIX = "nweq-"          # VirtualTag/Script logical-id prefix (cleanup by prefix scan)
 
 # galaxy dataTypeName / gen_uns dtype → valid OtOpcUa DriverDataType
@@ -252,30 +246,20 @@ def cmd_populate_equipment(args):
     conn, cur = connect(args.mssql)
 
     # Drop any prior overlay (child rows first), then recreate. VirtualTag/Script go
-    # before Equipment (VirtualTag.EquipmentId logical-FKs Equipment); the stub driver
-    # keeps no Tags so the Tag delete is just defensive for older overlays. Equipment is
+    # before Equipment (VirtualTag.EquipmentId logical-FKs Equipment). Equipment is
     # scoped by its overlay UnsLine ('nw-line-%') — NOT by the EquipmentId, which is now the
     # canonical 'EQ-'+uuid form (see DraftValidator) and no longer carries an 'nw-' prefix.
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.VirtualTag WHERE VirtualTagId LIKE %s", (EQ_ID_PREFIX + "%",))
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.Script WHERE ScriptId LIKE %s", (EQ_ID_PREFIX + "%",))
-    cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.Tag WHERE DriverInstanceId=%s", (EQ_DRIVER,))
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.Equipment WHERE UnsLineId LIKE 'nw-line-%'")
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.UnsLine WHERE UnsLineId LIKE 'nw-line-%'")
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.UnsArea WHERE UnsAreaId LIKE 'nw-area-%'")
-    cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.DriverInstance WHERE DriverInstanceId=%s", (EQ_DRIVER,))
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.Namespace WHERE NamespaceId=%s", (EQ_NS,))
 
     cur.execute(
         "INSERT INTO dbo.Namespace (NamespaceRowId, NamespaceId, ClusterId, Kind, NamespaceUri, Enabled) "
         "VALUES (NEWID(), %s, %s, 'Equipment', %s, 1)",
         (EQ_NS, EQ_CLUSTER, doc.get("namespace", {}).get("namespaceUri", "urn:northwind:birmingham:uns")))
-    # Placeholder driver kept only to satisfy "Equipment namespace has a driver"; NO Tag
-    # binds to it — the company signals are VirtualTags (driverless). DriverType must be
-    # non-GalaxyMxGateway for DraftValidator to accept it in an Equipment-kind namespace.
-    cur.execute(
-        "INSERT INTO dbo.DriverInstance (DriverInstanceRowId, DriverInstanceId, ClusterId, NamespaceId, "
-        "Name, DriverType, Enabled, DriverConfig) VALUES (NEWID(), %s, %s, %s, 'Northwind UNS placeholder', 'Modbus', 1, '{}')",
-        (EQ_DRIVER, EQ_CLUSTER, EQ_NS))
 
     for a in u["unsAreas"]:
         cur.execute("INSERT INTO dbo.UnsArea (UnsAreaRowId, UnsAreaId, ClusterId, Name) VALUES (NEWID(), %s, %s, %s)",
@@ -293,9 +277,9 @@ def cmd_populate_equipment(args):
         eq_id = "EQ-" + eq_uuid.hex[:12].lower()
         eq_uuid = str(eq_uuid)
         cur.execute(
-            "INSERT INTO dbo.Equipment (EquipmentRowId, EquipmentId, EquipmentUuid, DriverInstanceId, UnsLineId, "
-            "Name, MachineCode, Manufacturer, Model, Enabled) VALUES (NEWID(), %s, %s, %s, %s, %s, %s, %s, %s, 1)",
-            (eq_id, eq_uuid, EQ_DRIVER, "nw-" + e["unsLineId"], e["name"], e["machineCode"],
+            "INSERT INTO dbo.Equipment (EquipmentRowId, EquipmentId, EquipmentUuid, UnsLineId, "
+            "Name, MachineCode, Manufacturer, Model, Enabled) VALUES (NEWID(), %s, %s, %s, %s, %s, %s, %s, 1)",
+            (eq_id, eq_uuid, "nw-" + e["unsLineId"], e["name"], e["machineCode"],
              e.get("manufacturer"), e.get("model")))
         eq_n += 1
         for t in e["tags"]:
@@ -336,16 +320,14 @@ def cmd_clean(args):
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.Tag WHERE TagId LIKE %s", (ID_PREFIX + "%",))
     n = cur.rowcount
     # Also drop the company-shape Equipment overlay (child rows first): VirtualTag and
-    # Script (both nweq-*) before Equipment, then any stub-driver Tag, then the rest.
+    # Script (both nweq-*) before Equipment, then the rest.
     # Equipment is scoped by its overlay UnsLine ('nw-line-%') — NOT by the EquipmentId,
     # which is now the canonical 'EQ-'+uuid form (see DraftValidator) with no 'nw-' prefix.
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.VirtualTag WHERE VirtualTagId LIKE %s", (EQ_ID_PREFIX + "%",))
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.Script WHERE ScriptId LIKE %s", (EQ_ID_PREFIX + "%",))
-    cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.Tag WHERE DriverInstanceId=%s", (EQ_DRIVER,))
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.Equipment WHERE UnsLineId LIKE 'nw-line-%'")
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.UnsLine WHERE UnsLineId LIKE 'nw-line-%'")
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.UnsArea WHERE UnsAreaId LIKE 'nw-area-%'")
-    cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.DriverInstance WHERE DriverInstanceId=%s", (EQ_DRIVER,))
     cur.execute("DELETE FROM dbo.Namespace WHERE NamespaceId=%s", (EQ_NS,))
     conn.commit()
     conn.close()