diff --git a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/Development/DevelopmentSeedOptions.cs b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/Development/DevelopmentSeedOptions.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index 98da4e89..00000000
--- a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/Development/DevelopmentSeedOptions.cs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-namespace Socialize.Api.Infrastructure.Development;
-
-public record DevelopmentSeedOptions
-{
-    public const string SectionName = "DevelopmentSeed";
-
-    public bool Enabled { get; init; } = true;
-}
diff --git a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/Development/DevelopmentSeedExtensions.cs b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/TestData/TestDataSeedExtensions.cs
similarity index 96%
rename from backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/Development/DevelopmentSeedExtensions.cs
rename to backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/TestData/TestDataSeedExtensions.cs
index 044fa14a..4e9d10d0 100644
--- a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/Development/DevelopmentSeedExtensions.cs
+++ b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/TestData/TestDataSeedExtensions.cs
@@ -16,11 +16,10 @@ using Socialize.Api.Modules.Organizations.Data;
 using Socialize.Api.Modules.Organizations.Services;
 using Socialize.Api.Modules.Workspaces.Data;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity;
-using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
 
-namespace Socialize.Api.Infrastructure.Development;
+namespace Socialize.Api.Infrastructure.TestData;
 
-public static class DevelopmentSeedExtensions
+public static class TestDataSeedExtensions
 {
     private static readonly Guid OrganizationId = Guid.Parse("99999999-9999-9999-9999-999999999999");
     private static readonly Guid WorkspaceId = Guid.Parse("11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111");
@@ -39,23 +38,11 @@ public static class DevelopmentSeedExtensions
     private static readonly Guid ClientCommentId = Guid.Parse("77777777-7777-7777-7777-777777777777");
     private static readonly Guid NotificationId = Guid.Parse("88888888-8888-8888-8888-888888888888");
 
-    public static async Task<IApplicationBuilder> UseDevelopmentSeedAsync(
-        this IApplicationBuilder app,
+    public static async Task<IServiceProvider> SeedTestDataAsync(
+        this IServiceProvider services,
         CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
     {
-        IHostEnvironment environment = app.ApplicationServices.GetRequiredService<IHostEnvironment>();
-        if (!environment.IsDevelopment())
-        {
-            return app;
-        }
-
-        using IServiceScope scope = app.ApplicationServices.CreateScope();
-        IOptions<DevelopmentSeedOptions> options = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<IOptions<DevelopmentSeedOptions>>();
-        if (!options.Value.Enabled)
-        {
-            return app;
-        }
-
+        using IServiceScope scope = services.CreateScope();
         UserManager userManager = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<UserManager>();
         AppDbContext dbContext = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<AppDbContext>();
 
@@ -64,7 +51,7 @@ public static class DevelopmentSeedExtensions
             id: Guid.Parse("aaaaaaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa"),
             username: "manager",
             email: "manager@socialize.local",
-            password: "manager",
+            password: "Manager1!",
             alias: "Northstar Manager",
             firstname: "Morgan",
             lastname: "Reid",
@@ -80,7 +67,7 @@ public static class DevelopmentSeedExtensions
             id: Guid.Parse("bbbbbbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb"),
             username: "client",
             email: "client@socialize.local",
-            password: "client",
+            password: "Client1!",
             alias: "Sofia Martin",
             firstname: "Sofia",
             lastname: "Martin",
@@ -97,7 +84,7 @@ public static class DevelopmentSeedExtensions
             id: Guid.Parse("cccccccc-cccc-cccc-cccc-cccccccccccc"),
             username: "provider",
             email: "provider@socialize.local",
-            password: "provider",
+            password: "Provider1!",
             alias: "Alex Studio",
             firstname: "Alex",
             lastname: "Studio",
@@ -115,7 +102,7 @@ public static class DevelopmentSeedExtensions
             id: Guid.Parse("dddddddd-dddd-dddd-dddd-dddddddddddd"),
             username: "dev",
             email: "dev@socialize.local",
-            password: "dev",
+            password: "Developer1!",
             alias: "Socialize Dev",
             firstname: "Jo",
             lastname: "Bumble",
@@ -138,7 +125,7 @@ public static class DevelopmentSeedExtensions
             dbContext,
             cancellationToken);
 
-        return app;
+        return services;
     }
 
     private static async Task<User> EnsureUserAsync(
@@ -175,7 +162,7 @@ public static class DevelopmentSeedExtensions
             if (!createResult.Succeeded)
             {
                 throw new InvalidOperationException(
-                    $"Failed to seed development user '{username}': {string.Join(", ", createResult.Errors.Select(error => error.Description))}");
+                    $"Failed to seed test user '{username}': {string.Join(", ", createResult.Errors.Select(error => error.Description))}");
             }
         }
 
@@ -195,7 +182,7 @@ public static class DevelopmentSeedExtensions
             if (!passwordResetResult.Succeeded)
             {
                 throw new InvalidOperationException(
-                    $"Failed to set development password for '{username}': {string.Join(", ", passwordResetResult.Errors.Select(error => error.Description))}");
+                    $"Failed to set test password for '{username}': {string.Join(", ", passwordResetResult.Errors.Select(error => error.Description))}");
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Modules/Workspaces/DependencyInjection.cs b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Modules/Workspaces/DependencyInjection.cs
index f74ea823..a2b0f64d 100644
--- a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Modules/Workspaces/DependencyInjection.cs
+++ b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Modules/Workspaces/DependencyInjection.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 using Socialize.Api.Modules.Workspaces.Data;
-using Socialize.Api.Infrastructure.Development;
 
 namespace Socialize.Api.Modules.Workspaces;
 
@@ -8,9 +7,6 @@ public static class DependencyInjection
     public static WebApplicationBuilder AddWorkspaceModule(
         this WebApplicationBuilder builder)
     {
-        builder.Services.Configure<DevelopmentSeedOptions>(
-            builder.Configuration.GetSection(DevelopmentSeedOptions.SectionName));
-
         return builder;
     }
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Program.cs b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Program.cs
index 93188384..988c5115 100644
--- a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Program.cs
+++ b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/Program.cs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ using Socialize;
 using Socialize.Api.Infrastructure.BlobStorage.Configuration;
 using Socialize.Api.Infrastructure.BlobStorage.Services;
 using Socialize.Api.Infrastructure;
-using Socialize.Api.Infrastructure.Development;
+using Socialize.Api.Infrastructure.TestData;
 using Socialize.Api.Modules.Approvals;
 using Socialize.Api.Modules.Assets;
 using Socialize.Api.Modules.Channels;
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ using Socialize.Api.Modules.Workspaces;
 
 
 var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
+bool seedTestData = args.Any(arg => string.Equals(arg, "seed-testdata", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
 
 string? vaultUri = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("VaultUri");
 if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(vaultUri))
@@ -78,6 +79,25 @@ builder.AddCalendarIntegrationsModule();
 
 var app = builder.Build();
 
+if (seedTestData)
+{
+    if (app.Environment.IsProduction()
+        && !string.Equals(
+            Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("CONFIRM_PRODUCTION_SEED"),
+            "true",
+            StringComparison.Ordinal))
+    {
+        throw new InvalidOperationException(
+            "Refusing to seed test data in Production without CONFIRM_PRODUCTION_SEED=true.");
+    }
+
+    await app.UseAppDataAsync();
+    await app.UseIdentityModuleAsync();
+    await app.Services.SeedTestDataAsync();
+    Console.WriteLine("Seeded test data.");
+    return;
+}
+
 app.UseForwardedHeaders(
     new ForwardedHeadersOptions { ForwardedHeaders = ForwardedHeaders.XForwardedProto }
 );
@@ -90,7 +110,6 @@ app.UseAuthorization();
 // Initialize and seed the db.
 await app.UseAppDataAsync();
 await app.UseIdentityModuleAsync();
-await app.UseDevelopmentSeedAsync();
 
 // Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
 if (!app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
diff --git a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Development.json b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Development.json
index 9af68feb..69c5b475 100644
--- a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Development.json
+++ b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Development.json
@@ -22,8 +22,5 @@
       "Lifetime": "00:05:00",
       "RefreshTokenLifetime": "0.00:30:00"
     }
-  },
-  "DevelopmentSeed": {
-    "Enabled": true
   }
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Production.json b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Production.json
index bd08cee1..5e842962 100644
--- a/backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Production.json
+++ b/backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Production.json
@@ -5,8 +5,5 @@
   "LocalBlobStorage": {
     "RootPath": "App_Data/blob-storage",
     "RequestPath": "/api/storage"
-  },
-  "DevelopmentSeed": {
-    "Enabled": false
   }
 }
diff --git a/docs/TASKS/content/003-real-workspace-channels.md b/docs/TASKS/content/003-real-workspace-channels.md
index b2d33d46..11ba4894 100644
--- a/docs/TASKS/content/003-real-workspace-channels.md
+++ b/docs/TASKS/content/003-real-workspace-channels.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Replace frontend-derived fake channels with real workspace-owned channel records
 
 - Add a backend `Channels` module with a `Channel` table.
 - Add list and create endpoints for workspace channels.
-- Seed development channels and align seeded content publication targets to those configured channel names.
+- Seed test channels and align seeded content publication targets to those configured channel names.
 - Update the frontend channels store to load and create channels through the API.
 - Keep the Channels page UI shape intact.
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Replace frontend-derived fake channels with real workspace-owned channel records
 
 - `backend/src/Socialize.Api/Data/AppDbContext.cs`
 - `backend/src/Socialize.Api/Modules/Channels/`
-- `backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/Development/DevelopmentSeedExtensions.cs`
+- `backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/TestData/TestDataSeedExtensions.cs`
 - `frontend/src/features/channels/stores/channelsStore.js`
 - `docs/FEATURES/channels.md`
 
diff --git a/docs/TASKS/development/001-script-testdata-seed.md b/docs/TASKS/development/001-script-testdata-seed.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7c2ce992
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/TASKS/development/001-script-testdata-seed.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Task: Add explicit test data seed script
+
+## Goal
+
+Move demo/test data seeding out of API startup and into an explicit script command that can be run intentionally against any configured environment.
+
+## Relevant Files
+
+- `backend/src/Socialize.Api/Program.cs`
+- `backend/src/Socialize.Api/Infrastructure/TestData/TestDataSeedExtensions.cs`
+- `backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Development.json`
+- `backend/src/Socialize.Api/appsettings.Production.json`
+- `scripts/seed-testdata.sh`
+
+## Validation
+
+```bash
+dotnet build backend/Socialize.slnx
+./scripts/seed-testdata.sh
+```
diff --git a/scripts/seed-testdata.sh b/scripts/seed-testdata.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..453e442b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/seed-testdata.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+REPO_ROOT="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && pwd)"
+
+cd "$REPO_ROOT"
+
+export ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT="${ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT:-Development}"
+
+if [[ "$ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT" == "Production" && "${CONFIRM_PRODUCTION_SEED:-}" != "true" ]]; then
+  echo "Refusing to seed test data in Production without CONFIRM_PRODUCTION_SEED=true." >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+dotnet run \
+  --no-launch-profile \
+  --project backend/src/Socialize.Api/Socialize.Api.csproj \
+  -- seed-testdata "$@"