# Flag default flips on missing config: first 30 minutes checklist

Source: https://releasefailures.com/incidents/flag-default-flips-on-missing-config/
Content version: 1.0.0
Verified on: 2026-10-21
Licence: CC BY 4.0

Definition: A missing or unreadable flag config falls back to the wrong default.
- [ ] FM-01 Search container startup logs for feature flag initialization errors and note which release started those containers.
- [ ] FM-02 Test connectivity from the new containers to the external flag service.
- [ ] FM-03 Compare the flag values the new containers loaded with production values, starting with flags that route internal traffic.
- [ ] FM-04 Roll back the release so containers running on default flag values stop serving traffic.
- [ ] FM-05 Confirm DNS query volume, DNS lookup latency and connection setup times return to their baselines after the rollback.
- [ ] FM-06 If one region lacks a flag, create that flag with its production value for the region instead of redeploying.
- [ ] FM-07 Pin the flags that must not change to static values until the flag service is reachable again.
- [ ] FM-08 Post a status update that names the degraded functions or gated feature, the affected region and whether customers need to replay events.