diff --git a/controller/internal/backup/backup.go b/controller/internal/backup/backup.go
index 59e107e..4f89312 100644
--- a/controller/internal/backup/backup.go
+++ b/controller/internal/backup/backup.go
@@ -388,11 +388,15 @@ func (m *Manager) releaseRunning() {
 }
 
 // SetStackProvider sets the stack data provider for app data discovery.
-// Write is protected by mutex since stackProvider is read by concurrent goroutines.
+//
+// M2: this MUST be called exactly once during single-threaded startup (main.go),
+// before the scheduler / HTTP server / any backup goroutine starts. That write
+// then happens-before all the (unlocked) reads of m.stackProvider, so no data
+// race exists. The earlier mutex on this write was misleading — it implied
+// runtime concurrency the reads don't honour; removed to make the init-only
+// contract explicit. Do NOT call this after startup.
 func (m *Manager) SetStackProvider(provider StackDataProvider) {
-	m.mu.Lock()
 	m.stackProvider = provider
-	m.mu.Unlock()
 }
 
 // GetStackHDDMounts returns HDD mount paths for the named stack via the stack provider.