diff --git a/apps/edr-payment-api/src/config/app.config.ts b/apps/edr-payment-api/src/config/app.config.ts
index c1128a872..041c47ac6 100644
--- a/apps/edr-payment-api/src/config/app.config.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-payment-api/src/config/app.config.ts
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ export default registerAs("app", () => ({
   serviceAuthToken: process.env.SERVICE_AUTH_TOKEN ?? "",
   reconciliation: {
     /** How often the stale-intent sweep runs. */
-    sweepIntervalMs: parseInt(
-      process.env.RECONCILE_SWEEP_INTERVAL_MS ?? "60000",
-      10,
-    ),
+    // TODO(demo): revert to the env-driven line below after the demo. Temporarily FORCED to 30s
+    // here so the .env (RECONCILE_SWEEP_INTERVAL_MS) cannot override it.
+    // sweepIntervalMs: parseInt(process.env.RECONCILE_SWEEP_INTERVAL_MS ?? "60000", 10),
+    sweepIntervalMs: 30_000,
     /** An intent is "stale" when non-terminal and untouched for this long. */
     staleAfterMs: parseInt(process.env.RECONCILE_STALE_AFTER_MS ?? "60000", 10),
     batchSize: parseInt(process.env.RECONCILE_BATCH_SIZE ?? "20", 10),
diff --git a/apps/edr-payment-api/src/config/waafi.config.ts b/apps/edr-payment-api/src/config/waafi.config.ts
index 05624922f..cfe2102f7 100644
--- a/apps/edr-payment-api/src/config/waafi.config.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-payment-api/src/config/waafi.config.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ export default registerAs("waafi", () => ({
   // Wallet payment method (EVC/ZAAD/Sahal) — MWALLET_ACCOUNT requires the payer phone up front.
   paymentMethod: process.env.WAAFI_PAYMENT_METHOD ?? "MWALLET_ACCOUNT",
   // Waafi has no ETB; when set this overrides the asserted currency (USD/DJF/SLSH).
-  currency: process.env.WAAFI_CURRENCY ?? "DJF",
+  // TODO(demo): revert to the env-driven line below after the demo. Temporarily FORCED to USD
+  // here so the .env (WAAFI_CURRENCY) cannot override it.
+  // currency: process.env.WAAFI_CURRENCY ?? "DJF",
+  currency: "USD",
   // Browser redirect targets after the hosted page completes/fails (UX only; webhook is source of truth).
   successUrl: process.env.WAAFI_HPP_SUCCESS_URL ?? "",
   failureUrl: process.env.WAAFI_HPP_FAILURE_URL ?? "",
diff --git a/apps/edr-payment-api/src/modules/reconciliation/reconciliation.service.ts b/apps/edr-payment-api/src/modules/reconciliation/reconciliation.service.ts
index 5216798f2..4c1dd9435 100644
--- a/apps/edr-payment-api/src/modules/reconciliation/reconciliation.service.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-payment-api/src/modules/reconciliation/reconciliation.service.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export class ReconciliationService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
     private readonly providers: PaymentProviderMap,
   ) {
     this.intervalMs =
-      config.get<number>("app.reconciliation.sweepIntervalMs") ?? 60_000;
+      config.get<number>("app.reconciliation.sweepIntervalMs") ?? 30_000;
     this.staleAfterMs =
       config.get<number>("app.reconciliation.staleAfterMs") ?? 60_000;
     this.batchSize = config.get<number>("app.reconciliation.batchSize") ?? 20;