diff --git a/backend-nest/src/modules/analytics/analytics.service.ts b/backend-nest/src/modules/analytics/analytics.service.ts
index c98c19c..ad611c0 100644
--- a/backend-nest/src/modules/analytics/analytics.service.ts
+++ b/backend-nest/src/modules/analytics/analytics.service.ts
@@ -111,13 +111,13 @@ export class AnalyticsService {
       .createQueryBuilder('wipe')
       .leftJoinAndSelect('wipe.map', 'map')
       .select('map.id', 'map_id')
-      .addSelect('map.name', 'map_name')
+      .addSelect('map.display_name', 'map_name')
       .addSelect('COUNT(wipe.id)', 'usage_count')
       .where('wipe.license_id = :licenseId', { licenseId })
       .andWhere('wipe.started_at >= :cutoff', { cutoff })
       .andWhere('wipe.map_id IS NOT NULL')
       .groupBy('map.id')
-      .addGroupBy('map.name')
+      .addGroupBy('map.display_name')
       .getRawMany();
 
     return {
diff --git a/backend-nest/src/modules/setup/setup.service.ts b/backend-nest/src/modules/setup/setup.service.ts
index 3c0ab37..2b65677 100644
--- a/backend-nest/src/modules/setup/setup.service.ts
+++ b/backend-nest/src/modules/setup/setup.service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { Injectable, ServiceUnavailableException } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { ConfigService } from '@nestjs/config';
 import { InjectRepository } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
 import { Repository } from 'typeorm';
@@ -55,6 +55,13 @@ export class SetupService {
     if (dto.panel_api_key) {
       const encryptionKey = this.configService.get<string>('encryption.key', '');
       const keyBuffer = Buffer.from(encryptionKey, 'hex');
+      // AES-256-GCM needs a 32-byte key. An unset/short ENCRYPTION_KEY would
+      // otherwise crash createCipheriv with an opaque "Invalid key length" 500.
+      if (keyBuffer.length !== 32) {
+        throw new ServiceUnavailableException(
+          'Server encryption is not configured (ENCRYPTION_KEY must be 32 bytes / 64 hex chars). Contact the platform operator.',
+        );
+      }
       const iv = crypto.randomBytes(16);
       const cipher = crypto.createCipheriv('aes-256-gcm', keyBuffer, iv);
       const encrypted = Buffer.concat([
@@ -82,9 +89,12 @@ export class SetupService {
     });
 
     if (connection) {
-      // For bare metal, mark as connected immediately (waiting for agent)
-      if (connection.connection_type === 'bare_metal') {
-        connection.connection_status = 'connected';
+      // Bare-metal stays 'offline' until the agent's first heartbeat flips it
+      // 'connected' (HostAgentConsumerService). Marking it connected here was a
+      // false positive — the dashboard showed a live server before any agent
+      // had checked in.
+      if (connection.connection_type === 'bare_metal' && connection.connection_status !== 'connected') {
+        connection.connection_status = 'offline';
         connection.updated_at = new Date();
         await this.connectionRepo.save(connection);
       }
diff --git a/backend-nest/src/modules/store/store.service.ts b/backend-nest/src/modules/store/store.service.ts
index 088bb1d..24e5c13 100644
--- a/backend-nest/src/modules/store/store.service.ts
+++ b/backend-nest/src/modules/store/store.service.ts
@@ -57,11 +57,17 @@ export class StoreService {
       throw new NotFoundException('Module not found');
     }
 
+    // Beta: modules are granted free (no payment processing wired yet). Record
+    // it honestly as a beta grant at $0 rather than a fake `txn_*` id that
+    // implies a real charge occurred.
+    this.logger.log(
+      `Granting module ${moduleId} to license ${licenseId} free (Beta — no payment processing)`,
+    );
     const purchase = this.purchaseRepo.create({
       license_id: licenseId,
       module_id: moduleId,
-      transaction_id: `txn_${Date.now()}`,
-      amount_paid: parseFloat(module.price_usd.toString()),
+      transaction_id: 'beta-free-grant',
+      amount_paid: 0,
     });
 
     return this.purchaseRepo.save(purchase);
diff --git a/backend-nest/src/modules/webstore/webstore.service.ts b/backend-nest/src/modules/webstore/webstore.service.ts
index a701b16..6f0543d 100644
--- a/backend-nest/src/modules/webstore/webstore.service.ts
+++ b/backend-nest/src/modules/webstore/webstore.service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Injectable, NotFoundException } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { Injectable, NotFoundException, ServiceUnavailableException } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { InjectRepository } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
 import { Repository } from 'typeorm';
 import { StoreConfig } from '../../entities/store-config.entity';
@@ -224,23 +224,13 @@ export class WebstoreService {
       throw new NotFoundException('Item not found');
     }
 
-    const transaction = this.transactionRepo.create({
-      license_id: license.id,
-      item_id: item.id,
-      steam_id: dto.steam_id,
-      player_name: dto.player_name,
-      paypal_order_id: `order_${Date.now()}_${Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 9)}`,
-      amount: parseFloat(item.price.toString()),
-      currency: 'USD', // Would get from config
-      status: 'pending',
-    });
-
-    await this.transactionRepo.save(transaction);
-
-    // Return mock PayPal approval URL
-    return {
-      order_id: transaction.paypal_order_id,
-      approval_url: `https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/checkoutnow?token=${transaction.paypal_order_id}`,
-    };
+    // Beta: real PayPal/Stripe processing is not wired yet. Refuse honestly
+    // instead of writing a pending transaction and handing the player a fake
+    // order token that resolves to nowhere. (item lookup above still validates
+    // the request so the storefront UI can show the catalogue.)
+    void item;
+    throw new ServiceUnavailableException(
+      'Storefront checkout is not available yet — payment processing is coming soon.',
+    );
   }
 }