diff --git a/server/src/agents/lifecycle.rs b/server/src/agents/lifecycle.rs
index 6fd7acc4..c6f75149 100644
--- a/server/src/agents/lifecycle.rs
+++ b/server/src/agents/lifecycle.rs
@@ -65,9 +65,8 @@ fn move_item<'a>(
         }
     }
 
-    // Write the new stage through CRDT ops (also does legacy shadow write).
-    // Fire-and-forget; a missing database (e.g. in tests) is silently ignored.
-    crate::db::crdt::crdt_write(story_id, target_dir, &target_path);
+    // TODO(491): Wire up CRDT state transitions once the watcher story lands.
+    // crate::db::crdt::crdt_write(story_id, target_dir, &target_path);
 
     slog!("[lifecycle] Moved '{story_id}' from work/{src_dir}/ to work/{target_dir}/");
     Ok(Some(src_dir))
diff --git a/server/src/db/mod.rs b/server/src/db/mod.rs
index 0ed11628..607be1dc 100644
--- a/server/src/db/mod.rs
+++ b/server/src/db/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-#[allow(unexpected_cfgs)]
-pub mod crdt;
-
 /// SQLite shadow-write layer for pipeline state.
 ///
 /// All filesystem pipeline operations (move_story_to_X etc.) remain authoritative.
diff --git a/server/src/http/workflow/mod.rs b/server/src/http/workflow/mod.rs
index ba079bc1..7cf1058c 100644
--- a/server/src/http/workflow/mod.rs
+++ b/server/src/http/workflow/mod.rs
@@ -215,41 +215,14 @@ fn load_stage_items(
 ) -> Result<Vec<UpcomingStory>, String> {
     let root = ctx.state.get_project_root()?;
 
-    // Collect items already known from the CRDT layer so we can merge.
-    let crdt_items: HashMap<String, crate::db::crdt::PipelineItemState> =
-        if let Some(layer) = crate::db::crdt::get() {
-            layer
-                .items_for_stage(stage_dir)
-                .into_iter()
-                .collect()
-        } else {
-            HashMap::new()
-        };
+    // TODO(491): Merge CRDT layer items once the watcher story lands.
 
-    // Always scan the filesystem to pick up items not yet in the CRDT
-    // (e.g. items created by other tools or manual file edits).
+    // Scan the filesystem for pipeline items.
     let dir = root.join(".huskies").join("work").join(stage_dir);
-    let mut seen = std::collections::HashSet::new();
+    let mut seen: std::collections::HashSet<String> = std::collections::HashSet::new();
     let mut stories = Vec::new();
 
-    // First, add items from CRDT.
-    for (story_id, item) in &crdt_items {
-        seen.insert(story_id.clone());
-        let depends_on = item.depends_on.as_ref().and_then(|d| serde_json::from_str::<Vec<u32>>(d).ok());
-        let agent = agent_map.get(story_id).cloned();
-        stories.push(UpcomingStory {
-            story_id: story_id.clone(),
-            name: item.name.clone(),
-            error: None,
-            merge_failure: item.merge_failure.clone(),
-            agent,
-            review_hold: item.review_hold,
-            qa: item.qa.clone(),
-            retry_count: item.retry_count.map(|r| r as u32),
-            blocked: item.blocked,
-            depends_on,
-        });
-    }
+    // TODO(491): Add CRDT items once the watcher story lands.
 
     // Then, add filesystem items not in the CRDT (backwards compat).
     if dir.exists() {
diff --git a/server/src/main.rs b/server/src/main.rs
index d17cfff8..f798162a 100644
--- a/server/src/main.rs
+++ b/server/src/main.rs
@@ -311,11 +311,12 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
         .unwrap()
         .as_ref()
         .map(|root| root.join(".huskies").join("pipeline.db"));
-    if let Some(db_path) = crdt_db_path
-        && let Err(e) = db::crdt::init(&db_path).await
-    {
-        slog!("[crdt] Failed to initialise CRDT state layer: {e}");
-    }
+    // TODO(491): Initialise CRDT state layer once the watcher story lands.
+    // if let Some(db_path) = crdt_db_path
+    //     && let Err(e) = db::crdt::init(&db_path).await
+    // {
+    //     slog!("[crdt] Failed to initialise CRDT state layer: {e}");
+    // }
 
     let workflow = Arc::new(std::sync::Mutex::new(WorkflowState::default()));