diff --git a/nix/modules/secrets.nix b/nix/modules/secrets.nix
index 4b934c1..4fe46b7 100644
--- a/nix/modules/secrets.nix
+++ b/nix/modules/secrets.nix
@@ -37,17 +37,10 @@
       bridge_drone_token = { };
       bridge_gitea_token = { };
 
-      # Phase-1c C2: the wildcard TLS cert+key are now sops secrets (in cc-ci-secrets), decrypted at
-      # activation to /var/lib/ci-certs/live/{fullchain.pem,privkey.pem} — the exact path the traefik
-      # reconcile (modules/proxy.nix) already reads. Replaces the prior operator-drops-a-cert-file step.
-      wildcard_cert = {
-        path = "/var/lib/ci-certs/live/fullchain.pem";
-        mode = "0444"; # leaf+intermediate chain — not secret
-      };
-      wildcard_key = {
-        path = "/var/lib/ci-certs/live/privkey.pem";
-        mode = "0400"; # private key — root only
-      };
+      # The wildcard certificate and private key are issued and renewed locally
+      # by security.acme. Do not restore the retired SOPS pair here: activation
+      # would overwrite a freshly renewed ACME certificate before Traefik can
+      # consume it.
 
       # Phase-2 rate-limit fix (Class A1 registry creds, operator-2026-05-28). Authenticated Docker
       # Hub pulls (200/6h per-account) replace the exhausted 100/6h shared-IP anonymous limit that