diff --git a/entrypoint.sh b/entrypoint.sh
index 841b6e0..dfd41fa 100644
--- a/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/entrypoint.sh
@@ -102,4 +102,112 @@ NODE
 merge_seed_platform_links "$DATA_DIR/admin-content.json" "$SEED_DIR/admin-content.json"
 merge_seed_platform_links "$DATA_DIR/admin-content-draft.json" "$SEED_DIR/admin-content-draft.json"
 
+# Backfill missing lesson releasedAt values from seeded defaults on upgrades.
+# This keeps persistent volumes compatible with release-date access gating.
+merge_seed_study_release_dates() {
+  target_file="$1"
+  seed_file="$2"
+
+  [ -f "$target_file" ] || return 0
+  [ -f "$seed_file" ] || return 0
+
+  node - "$target_file" "$seed_file" <<'NODE'
+const fs = require('fs')
+
+const [targetFile, seedFile] = process.argv.slice(2)
+
+function readJson(file) {
+  return JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(file, 'utf8'))
+}
+
+function asArray(value) {
+  return Array.isArray(value) ? value : []
+}
+
+function mergeStudyDates(targetStudies, seedStudies) {
+  let changed = false
+  const seedBySlug = new Map()
+
+  for (const seedStudy of asArray(seedStudies)) {
+    if (!seedStudy || typeof seedStudy !== 'object') continue
+    if (typeof seedStudy.slug !== 'string' || !seedStudy.slug) continue
+    seedBySlug.set(seedStudy.slug, seedStudy)
+  }
+
+  for (const targetStudy of asArray(targetStudies)) {
+    if (!targetStudy || typeof targetStudy !== 'object') continue
+    if (typeof targetStudy.slug !== 'string' || !targetStudy.slug) continue
+
+    const seedStudy = seedBySlug.get(targetStudy.slug)
+    if (!seedStudy) continue
+
+    const seedSectionById = new Map()
+    for (const seedSection of asArray(seedStudy.sections)) {
+      if (!seedSection || typeof seedSection !== 'object') continue
+      if (typeof seedSection.id !== 'string' || !seedSection.id) continue
+      seedSectionById.set(seedSection.id, seedSection)
+    }
+
+    for (const targetSection of asArray(targetStudy.sections)) {
+      if (!targetSection || typeof targetSection !== 'object') continue
+      if (typeof targetSection.id !== 'string' || !targetSection.id) continue
+      if (typeof targetSection.releasedAt === 'string' && targetSection.releasedAt.trim()) continue
+
+      const seedSection = seedSectionById.get(targetSection.id)
+      if (!seedSection || typeof seedSection.releasedAt !== 'string' || !seedSection.releasedAt.trim()) continue
+
+      targetSection.releasedAt = seedSection.releasedAt
+      changed = true
+    }
+  }
+
+  return changed
+}
+
+function mergeLegacyColossiansDates(targetSections, seedSections) {
+  let changed = false
+  const seedById = new Map()
+
+  for (const seedSection of asArray(seedSections)) {
+    if (!seedSection || typeof seedSection !== 'object') continue
+    if (typeof seedSection.id !== 'string' || !seedSection.id) continue
+    seedById.set(seedSection.id, seedSection)
+  }
+
+  for (const targetSection of asArray(targetSections)) {
+    if (!targetSection || typeof targetSection !== 'object') continue
+    if (typeof targetSection.id !== 'string' || !targetSection.id) continue
+    if (typeof targetSection.releasedAt === 'string' && targetSection.releasedAt.trim()) continue
+
+    const seedSection = seedById.get(targetSection.id)
+    if (!seedSection || typeof seedSection.releasedAt !== 'string' || !seedSection.releasedAt.trim()) continue
+
+    targetSection.releasedAt = seedSection.releasedAt
+    changed = true
+  }
+
+  return changed
+}
+
+const target = readJson(targetFile)
+const seed = readJson(seedFile)
+
+if (!target.siteContent || !seed.siteContent) process.exit(0)
+
+const targetContent = target.siteContent
+const seedContent = seed.siteContent
+
+const changedStudies = mergeStudyDates(targetContent.studies, seedContent.studies)
+const changedLegacy = mergeLegacyColossiansDates(targetContent.colossiansStudySections, seedContent.colossiansStudySections)
+
+if (!changedStudies && !changedLegacy) process.exit(0)
+
+fs.writeFileSync(targetFile, `${JSON.stringify(target, null, 2)}\n`)
+console.log(`[siteforge] Backfilled missing releasedAt values in ${targetFile}`)
+NODE
+}
+
+merge_seed_study_release_dates "$DATA_DIR/admin-content.json" "$SEED_DIR/admin-content.json"
+merge_seed_study_release_dates "$DATA_DIR/admin-content-draft.json" "$SEED_DIR/admin-content-draft.json"
+
 exec node server.js
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index f53846b..8763847 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ function sanitizeUrl(value) {
 
 function isSectionReleased(section) {
   if (!section || typeof section !== 'object') return false
-  if (typeof section.releasedAt !== 'string' || !section.releasedAt.trim()) return true
+  if (typeof section.releasedAt !== 'string' || !section.releasedAt.trim()) return false
   const releaseTime = Date.parse(section.releasedAt)
-  if (!Number.isFinite(releaseTime)) return true
+  if (!Number.isFinite(releaseTime)) return false
   return releaseTime <= Date.now()
 }
 
diff --git a/src/colossiansStudy.tsx b/src/colossiansStudy.tsx
index 5efa383..f19399c 100644
--- a/src/colossiansStudy.tsx
+++ b/src/colossiansStudy.tsx
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ function isComingSoon(section: StudySection): boolean {
 }
 
 function isSectionReleased(section: StudySection): boolean {
-  if (!section.releasedAt) return true
+  if (!section.releasedAt) return false
   const releaseDate = new Date(section.releasedAt)
-  if (Number.isNaN(releaseDate.getTime())) return true
+  if (Number.isNaN(releaseDate.getTime())) return false
   return releaseDate <= new Date()
 }