diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 61d46bd..dda1817 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Rehearse MongoDB backup and restore scripts
         run: scripts/test-mongo-backup-restore.sh
 
+      - name: Rehearse a live MongoDB backup and restore
+        run: scripts/test-mongo-backup-restore-live.sh
+
   server:
     name: Server lint and unit tests
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/docs/operations.md b/docs/operations.md
index 1551e2f..5f1ba52 100644
--- a/docs/operations.md
+++ b/docs/operations.md
@@ -132,9 +132,15 @@ The deploy script can be tested without production access:
 scripts/test-deploy-classifier.sh
 scripts/test-deploy.sh
 scripts/test-mongo-backup-restore.sh
+scripts/test-mongo-backup-restore-live.sh
 scripts/classify-deploy-target.sh client/src/components/App.jsx
 ```
 
+The live MongoDB rehearsal starts two disposable `mongo:7` containers on an
+isolated Docker network, writes only a synthetic attempt, restores it with
+`--drop`, verifies it, and removes the containers and network on exit. It never
+connects to the configured production or development database.
+
 ## Verification And Monitoring
 
 After deployment, verify:
diff --git a/scripts/test-mongo-backup-restore-live.sh b/scripts/test-mongo-backup-restore-live.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c33385e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test-mongo-backup-restore-live.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+TEST_ROOT="$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/letscube-mongo-live-rehearsal.XXXXXX")"
+NETWORK="letscube-mongo-rehearsal-$RANDOM-$$"
+SOURCE="${NETWORK}-source"
+TARGET="${NETWORK}-target"
+ARCHIVE="$TEST_ROOT/backup.archive.gz"
+
+cleanup() {
+  docker rm -f "$SOURCE" "$TARGET" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  docker network rm "$NETWORK" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  rm -rf -- "$TEST_ROOT"
+}
+
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+wait_for_mongo() {
+  local container="$1"
+  local attempt
+
+  for attempt in {1..30}; do
+    if docker exec "$container" mongosh --quiet --eval 'db.runCommand({ ping: 1 }).ok' \
+      | grep -qx '1'; then
+      return
+    fi
+
+    sleep 1
+  done
+
+  echo "MongoDB did not become ready: $container" >&2
+  docker logs "$container" >&2 || true
+  exit 1
+}
+
+docker network create "$NETWORK" >/dev/null
+docker run -d --rm --name "$SOURCE" --network "$NETWORK" mongo:7.0 >/dev/null
+docker run -d --rm --name "$TARGET" --network "$NETWORK" mongo:7.0 >/dev/null
+
+wait_for_mongo "$SOURCE"
+wait_for_mongo "$TARGET"
+
+docker exec "$SOURCE" mongosh rehearsal --quiet --eval \
+  'db.attempts.insertOne({ ordinal: 1, scramble: "synthetic", solveMs: 12345 })' >/dev/null
+docker exec "$TARGET" mongosh rehearsal --quiet --eval \
+  'db.attempts.insertOne({ stale: true })' >/dev/null
+
+docker exec "$SOURCE" mongodump \
+  --uri 'mongodb://localhost:27017/rehearsal' \
+  --archive --gzip > "$ARCHIVE"
+docker exec -i "$TARGET" mongorestore \
+  --uri 'mongodb://localhost:27017/rehearsal' \
+  --drop --archive --gzip < "$ARCHIVE"
+
+record_count="$(docker exec "$TARGET" mongosh rehearsal --quiet --eval 'db.attempts.countDocuments({})')"
+scramble="$(docker exec "$TARGET" mongosh rehearsal --quiet --eval 'db.attempts.findOne().scramble')"
+
+if [ "$record_count" != '1' ] || [ "$scramble" != 'synthetic' ]; then
+  echo 'MongoDB backup/restore rehearsal did not preserve the synthetic attempt.' >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo 'Live MongoDB backup and restore rehearsal passed.'