diff --git a/src/hooks.server.ts b/src/hooks.server.ts
index 623b6a8..118b26b 100644
--- a/src/hooks.server.ts
+++ b/src/hooks.server.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { dev } from '$app/environment';
 import { json, type Handle, type HandleServerError } from '@sveltejs/kit';
 import { stringify } from 'devalue';
 import { randomUUID } from 'node:crypto';
@@ -15,6 +16,15 @@ import {
 } from '$lib/server/data-moderation';
 
 export const handle: Handle = async ({ event, resolve }) => {
+  // THROWAWAY PROTOTYPE: fixture-only review must not open the shared database.
+  if (
+    dev &&
+    event.url.pathname === '/database' &&
+    event.url.searchParams.get('prototype') === 'model-status'
+  ) {
+    return resolve(event);
+  }
+
   if (
     event.url.pathname === '/admin' ||
     event.url.pathname.startsWith('/admin/')
diff --git a/src/routes/+layout.server.ts b/src/routes/+layout.server.ts
index d6e7686..a0251b2 100644
--- a/src/routes/+layout.server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/+layout.server.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,26 @@
+import { dev } from '$app/environment';
 import { getSessionUser } from '$lib/server/auth/session';
 import { hasPermission } from '$lib/server/auth/authorization';
 import type { LayoutServerLoad } from './$types';
 import { notificationSummary } from '$lib/server/notifications';
 import { getSiteAccessSettings } from '$lib/server/site-access';
 
-export const load: LayoutServerLoad = async ({ cookies }) => {
+export const load: LayoutServerLoad = async ({ cookies, url }) => {
+  // THROWAWAY PROTOTYPE: fixture-only review must not open the shared database.
+  if (dev && url.pathname === '/database' && url.searchParams.get('prototype') === 'model-status') {
+    return {
+      user: null,
+      isacAccess: false,
+      notifications: { unread: 0 },
+      siteAccess: {
+        comingSoonEnabled: false,
+        accountCreationEnabled: true,
+        sections: { news: true, database: true, builds: true, guides: true, builder: true },
+        updatedAt: 'prototype'
+      }
+    };
+  }
+
   const user = await getSessionUser(cookies);
   return {
     user,
diff --git a/src/routes/database/+page.server.ts b/src/routes/database/+page.server.ts
index 1f8384a..6dd2af6 100644
--- a/src/routes/database/+page.server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/database/+page.server.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { dev } from '$app/environment';
 import { getDatabase } from '$lib/server/database';
 import { getRegistrySearch } from '$lib/server/pagination';
 import { databaseCategories } from '$lib/database/categories';
@@ -16,6 +17,11 @@ const tables = {
 } as const;
 
 export const load: PageServerLoad = async ({ url }) => {
+  // THROWAWAY PROTOTYPE: avoid opening the shared database for fixture-only review.
+  if (dev && url.searchParams.get('prototype') === 'model-status') {
+    return { registries: [], total: 0, search: '', searchResults: [] };
+  }
+
   const database = await getDatabase();
   const { search, pattern } = getRegistrySearch(url);
   const counts = await Promise.all(