diff --git a/deploy/DEPLOY.md b/deploy/DEPLOY.md
index d3f28a7..aa27dd8 100644
--- a/deploy/DEPLOY.md
+++ b/deploy/DEPLOY.md
@@ -159,8 +159,9 @@ repair script re-applies grants. `REPLICA_DSNS` must connect as a role that can
 `deploy/replicas.env` exists on that host.
 
 Keep migrations schema-only. After each migrate, subscribers get
-`ALTER SUBSCRIPTION … REFRESH PUBLICATION WITH (copy_data = true)` so **new
-tables** join replication (Postgres does not add them by itself).
+`ALTER SUBSCRIPTION … REFRESH PUBLICATION WITH (copy_data = false)` so **new
+tables** join the subscription without a second full copy (repair already
+copied rows; a second copy unique-conflicts and stalls live UPDATEs).
 
 ## 9) Data changes **without** deploy (import settings, edit tenant, …)
 
diff --git a/deploy/sync-replica-data.sh b/deploy/sync-replica-data.sh
index 6c49be9..cff14b7 100644
--- a/deploy/sync-replica-data.sh
+++ b/deploy/sync-replica-data.sh
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ repair_replica() {
     run_psql "$(libpq_dsn "$replica_dsn")" -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -q \
       -c "ALTER SUBSCRIPTION \"${sub}\" ENABLE"
     run_psql "$(libpq_dsn "$replica_dsn")" -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -q \
-      -c "ALTER SUBSCRIPTION \"${sub}\" REFRESH PUBLICATION" || true
+      -c "ALTER SUBSCRIPTION \"${sub}\" REFRESH PUBLICATION WITH (copy_data = false)" || true
   done
 
   echo "  repair done"
diff --git a/deploy/sync-replica-schema.sh b/deploy/sync-replica-schema.sh
index 73b6558..b3506b4 100644
--- a/deploy/sync-replica-schema.sh
+++ b/deploy/sync-replica-schema.sh
@@ -192,10 +192,11 @@ refresh_subscriptions() {
     return 0
   fi
   for sub in "${subs[@]}"; do
-    echo "  ALTER SUBSCRIPTION $sub REFRESH PUBLICATION (copy_data)"
-    # New tables added to FOR ALL TABLES are NOT replicated until this runs.
+    echo "  ALTER SUBSCRIPTION $sub REFRESH PUBLICATION (copy_data=false)"
+    # Do not recopy existing tables — that starts tablesync workers which
+    # unique-conflict with data already on the replica and block live UPDATEs.
     run_psql "$(libpq_dsn "$dsn")" -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -q \
-      -c "ALTER SUBSCRIPTION \"${sub}\" REFRESH PUBLICATION WITH (copy_data = true)"
+      -c "ALTER SUBSCRIPTION \"${sub}\" REFRESH PUBLICATION WITH (copy_data = false)"
   done
 }