diff --git a/config/runtime.exs b/config/runtime.exs
index a73d4d76..9dcd92c5 100644
--- a/config/runtime.exs
+++ b/config/runtime.exs
@@ -167,9 +167,11 @@ if config_env() == :prod do
       terrain: 3,
       iemre: 3,
       era5: 2,
+      # No global_limit: the Pro tracker leaked phantom slots across deploys
+      # and stalled the whole backfill. The rate_limit is enough to protect
+      # CDS and lets the per-pod local_limit scale naturally with replicas.
       era5_batch: [
         local_limit: 2,
-        global_limit: 4,
         rate_limit: [allowed: 10, period: {1, :hour}]
       ],
       rtma: 2,