diff --git a/src/lib/containers/start.go b/src/lib/containers/start.go
index ff050a4..28cc8bb 100644
--- a/src/lib/containers/start.go
+++ b/src/lib/containers/start.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package containers
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -69,6 +70,15 @@ func StartContainer(ctx context.Context, item types.RegistryContainer) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// Dev escape hatch (M2 §2): when Maestro itself runs with
+	// INSECURE_INTERNAL=1, start services the dev way too — propagate the flag
+	// into the compose services so infra auto-started by Maestro (e.g. a
+	// resurrected dcntrlized-auth, see infra.go) keeps a plaintext listener
+	// instead of coming up as mTLS against the plaintext dev fleet.
+	if os.Getenv("INSECURE_INTERNAL") == "1" {
+		propagateInsecureInternal(project)
+	}
+
 	// The compose file may reference the image by a short name (e.g.
 	// "testservice") while install pulled it under its full registry reference.
 	// Make sure those short names exist so Up() can find them.
@@ -161,6 +171,23 @@ func injectServiceIdentity(ctx context.Context, project *composetypes.Project, s
 	return nil
 }
 
+// propagateInsecureInternal injects INSECURE_INTERNAL=1 into every non-oneoff
+// compose service when Maestro itself runs in dev mode (the same flag the dev
+// debug composes set). Mirroring those composes keeps peer edges plaintext, so
+// a service auto-installed and started by Maestro (e.g. a resurrected
+// dcntrlized-auth) matches the compose-managed plaintext dev fleet instead of
+// binding an mTLS listener the satellites cannot reach.
+func propagateInsecureInternal(project *composetypes.Project) {
+	for name, s := range project.Services {
+		if isOneoff(s) {
+			continue
+		}
+		s.Environment = mergeEnv(s.Environment, map[string]string{"INSECURE_INTERNAL": "1"})
+		project.Services[name] = s
+	}
+	logger.Info("Dev mode (INSECURE_INTERNAL=1): propagated plaintext escape hatch to %d service(s)", len(project.Services))
+}
+
 // pinAuthFingerprint returns the service's pinned auth fingerprint, fetching
 // and persisting it when the install record does not have one yet (M2 §5).
 // Best-effort: when the auth service is unreachable, it returns "" and the
diff --git a/src/lib/containers/start_test.go b/src/lib/containers/start_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f51314
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/containers/start_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2026 Dcntrlized
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package containers
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	composetypes "github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/v2/types"
+)
+
+// TestPropagateInsecureInternal verifies the dev escape hatch is propagated to
+// every non-oneoff compose service (and only those), mirroring what the dev
+// debug composes set so Maestro-started services keep plaintext peer edges.
+func TestPropagateInsecureInternal(t *testing.T) {
+	project := &composetypes.Project{
+		Services: composetypes.Services{
+			"app": {
+				Environment: map[string]*string{"PORT": strptr("8080")},
+			},
+			"worker": {
+				Environment: nil,
+			},
+			"migrate": {
+				CustomLabels: map[string]string{"org.dcntrlized.oneoff": "true"},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	propagateInsecureInternal(project)
+
+	for _, name := range []string{"app", "worker"} {
+		s := project.Services[name]
+		v, ok := s.Environment["INSECURE_INTERNAL"]
+		if !ok || v == nil || *v != "1" {
+			t.Errorf("service %s: expected INSECURE_INTERNAL=1, got %v", name, v)
+		}
+	}
+
+	s := project.Services["migrate"]
+	if _, ok := s.Environment["INSECURE_INTERNAL"]; ok {
+		t.Error("oneoff migrate service must not receive the plaintext escape hatch")
+	}
+}
+
+func strptr(s string) *string { return &s }