diff --git a/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs b/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs
index 1d6b110de..03c2828a6 100644
--- a/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs
+++ b/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs
@@ -8562,6 +8562,14 @@ static void RequireUnityViewportAndMapReadsUseManagedAccessors(string root)
             "AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource still routes render-splats viewports through raw/session wrapper state instead of a managed viewport document.");
     }
 
+    if (renderSplatViewportSource.Contains("_fallbackRenderSplatsViewport", StringComparison.Ordinal) ||
+        renderSplatViewportSource.Contains("EmptyRenderSplatsViewport", StringComparison.Ordinal) ||
+        renderSplatViewportSource.Contains("new AetheriaRuntimeRenderSplatsViewportDocument", StringComparison.Ordinal))
+    {
+        throw new InvalidOperationException(
+            "AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource must not fabricate renderer-local render splat documents; daemon/CultMesh viewport documents own render fields.");
+    }
+
     var zoneRenderer = File.ReadAllText(Path.Combine(
         root,
         "Assets",
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource.cs
index f23b035ac..606f8c360 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource.cs
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ public sealed class AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource : MonoBehaviour
 
     private float _nextRefreshTime;
     private AetheriaUnityGameViewportDocuments _viewportDocuments;
-    private AetheriaRuntimeRenderSplatsViewportDocument _fallbackRenderSplatsViewport;
     private string _lastWarningMessage = "";
 
     public RenderTexture TargetTexture
@@ -42,7 +41,7 @@ public sealed class AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource : MonoBehaviour
     }
 
     public AetheriaRuntimeRenderSplatsViewportDocument CurrentDocument =>
-        _viewportDocuments?.CurrentRenderSplatsViewport ?? _fallbackRenderSplatsViewport;
+        _viewportDocuments?.CurrentRenderSplatsViewport;
 
     public bool RenderInLateUpdate
     {
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ public sealed class AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource : MonoBehaviour
             return false;
 
         RefreshDocument(false);
-        var document = _viewportDocuments?.CurrentRenderSplatsViewport ?? _fallbackRenderSplatsViewport;
+        var document = _viewportDocuments?.CurrentRenderSplatsViewport;
         if (document == null)
             return false;
 
@@ -129,14 +128,12 @@ public sealed class AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource : MonoBehaviour
                 .RenderSplatViewportDocuments(viewport, "unity-render-splat-viewport");
             ClearViewportDocument();
             _viewportDocuments = nextDocuments;
-            _fallbackRenderSplatsViewport = null;
             _lastWarningMessage = "";
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
             ClearViewportDocument();
-            _fallbackRenderSplatsViewport = EmptyRenderSplatsViewport(viewport);
-            WarnOnce($"Failed to read Aetheria render splats from local Verse state: {ex.Message}");
+            WarnOnce($"Failed to read daemon render splats from Verse state: {ex.Message}");
         }
     }
 
@@ -149,16 +146,6 @@ public sealed class AetheriaUnityRenderSplatViewportSource : MonoBehaviour
         Debug.LogWarning(message);
     }
 
-    private static AetheriaRuntimeRenderSplatsViewportDocument EmptyRenderSplatsViewport(
-        AetheriaRuntimeViewportBounds viewport)
-    {
-        return new AetheriaRuntimeRenderSplatsViewportDocument
-        {
-            PublishedAtUtc = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.ToString("O"),
-            Viewport = viewport ?? new AetheriaRuntimeViewportBounds()
-        };
-    }
-
     private AetheriaRuntimeViewportBounds ResolveViewportBounds()
     {
         var halfSize = size * 0.5f;