diff --git a/apps/web/litefs.yml b/apps/web/litefs.yml
index 28ade726..bb34d371 100644
--- a/apps/web/litefs.yml
+++ b/apps/web/litefs.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ data:
 lease:
   type: "static"
   advertise-url: "http://${HOSTNAME}.abaci-app-headless.abaci.svc.cluster.local:20202"
-  candidate: ${LITEFS_CANDIDATE:-false}
+  candidate: ${LITEFS_CANDIDATE}
 
 # HTTP proxy to forward writes from replicas to primary
 # LiteFS automatically forwards writes to primary via lease advertise-url
diff --git a/infra/terraform/app.tf b/infra/terraform/app.tf
index 1d122569..f869d30f 100644
--- a/infra/terraform/app.tf
+++ b/infra/terraform/app.tf
@@ -137,9 +137,11 @@ resource "kubernetes_stateful_set" "app" {
           image = var.app_image
 
           # Override to use LiteFS
+          # Export LITEFS_CANDIDATE env var and start litefs
           command = ["/bin/sh", "-c"]
           args = [<<-EOT
             export LITEFS_CANDIDATE=$(cat /config/litefs-candidate)
+            echo "Starting LiteFS with LITEFS_CANDIDATE=$LITEFS_CANDIDATE"
             exec litefs mount
           EOT
           ]