diff --git a/sim/cluster0/scripts/deploy-app.sh b/sim/cluster0/scripts/deploy-app.sh
index 1659085..00fceea 100644
--- a/sim/cluster0/scripts/deploy-app.sh
+++ b/sim/cluster0/scripts/deploy-app.sh
@@ -22,9 +22,11 @@ case "$APP_SOURCE" in
     if [ -d "${GIT_ROOT}/.git" ]; then
       log "git pull ${GIT_BRANCH} in ${GIT_ROOT}"
       git config --global --add safe.directory "$GIT_ROOT" 2>/dev/null || true
+      # Lab config.php is generated below — never block monolith pull on it.
+      git -C "$GIT_ROOT" checkout -- examples/crash_reporter/backend/config/config.php 2>/dev/null || true
       git -C "$GIT_ROOT" fetch origin
       git -C "$GIT_ROOT" checkout "$GIT_BRANCH"
-      git -C "$GIT_ROOT" pull --ff-only origin "$GIT_BRANCH"
+      git -C "$GIT_ROOT" pull --ff-only origin "$GIT_BRANCH" || git -C "$GIT_ROOT" reset --hard "origin/${GIT_BRANCH}"
     else
       log "git clone ${GIT_ORIGIN} → ${GIT_ROOT}"
       rm -rf "$GIT_ROOT"