diff --git a/configs/hecate.tethys.yaml b/configs/hecate.tethys.yaml
index a24b0a1..03b100b 100644
--- a/configs/hecate.tethys.yaml
+++ b/configs/hecate.tethys.yaml
@@ -62,7 +62,26 @@ control_planes:
   - titan-0a
   - titan-0b
   - titan-0c
-workers: []
+workers:
+  - titan-04
+  - titan-05
+  - titan-06
+  - titan-07
+  - titan-08
+  - titan-09
+  - titan-10
+  - titan-11
+  - titan-12
+  - titan-13
+  - titan-14
+  - titan-15
+  - titan-17
+  - titan-18
+  - titan-19
+  - titan-20
+  - titan-21
+  - titan-22
+  - titan-24
 local_bootstrap_paths:
   - infrastructure/core
   - clusters/atlas/flux-system
diff --git a/configs/hecate.titan-db.yaml b/configs/hecate.titan-db.yaml
index 2e8bd68..82bb826 100644
--- a/configs/hecate.titan-db.yaml
+++ b/configs/hecate.titan-db.yaml
@@ -62,7 +62,26 @@ control_planes:
   - titan-0a
   - titan-0b
   - titan-0c
-workers: []
+workers:
+  - titan-04
+  - titan-05
+  - titan-06
+  - titan-07
+  - titan-08
+  - titan-09
+  - titan-10
+  - titan-11
+  - titan-12
+  - titan-13
+  - titan-14
+  - titan-15
+  - titan-17
+  - titan-18
+  - titan-19
+  - titan-20
+  - titan-21
+  - titan-22
+  - titan-24
 local_bootstrap_paths:
   - infrastructure/core
   - clusters/atlas/flux-system
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
index b148d99..bfb30a0 100755
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -208,6 +208,27 @@ migrate_hecate_config() {
   role="$(read_hecate_role)"
   local inventory_block
   local managed_block
+  local workers_block
+  workers_block='workers:
+  - titan-04
+  - titan-05
+  - titan-06
+  - titan-07
+  - titan-08
+  - titan-09
+  - titan-10
+  - titan-11
+  - titan-12
+  - titan-13
+  - titan-14
+  - titan-15
+  - titan-17
+  - titan-18
+  - titan-19
+  - titan-20
+  - titan-21
+  - titan-22
+  - titan-24'
   if [[ "${role}" == "coordinator" ]]; then
     inventory_block='ssh_node_hosts:
   titan-db: 192.168.22.10
@@ -315,6 +336,11 @@ migrate_hecate_config() {
       changed=1
     fi
   fi
+  if grep -Eq '^workers:[[:space:]]*\[\][[:space:]]*$' "${CONF_DIR}/hecate.yaml"; then
+    perl -0pi -e 's#workers:\s*\[\]\n#'"${workers_block}"'\n#s' "${CONF_DIR}/hecate.yaml"
+    echo "[install] hydrated workers inventory for startup/shutdown orchestration"
+    changed=1
+  fi
 
   if [[ -n "${managed_block}" ]]; then
     if grep -Eq '^ssh_managed_nodes:[[:space:]]*\[\][[:space:]]*$' "${CONF_DIR}/hecate.yaml"; then