diff --git a/backend/app/config.py b/backend/app/config.py
index fcd8d3e..df42064 100644
--- a/backend/app/config.py
+++ b/backend/app/config.py
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     model_config = SettingsConfigDict(env_file=".env", extra="ignore")
 
     app_mode: AppMode = AppMode.DEMO
+    # Optional public URL of a fixture-replay twin of this deployment; the UI
+    # offers it as an escape hatch when the live Spotify quota runs out.
+    demo_instance_url: str = ""
 
     # Spotify application and OAuth. The redirect URI must exactly match a
     # URI registered in the Spotify developer dashboard, port included.
diff --git a/backend/app/main.py b/backend/app/main.py
index 4bd51cf..82d9982 100644
--- a/backend/app/main.py
+++ b/backend/app/main.py
@@ -124,7 +124,10 @@ def create_app(
 
     @app.get("/api/health")
     def health() -> dict[str, str]:
-        return {"status": "ok", "mode": active_settings.app_mode}
+        payload = {"status": "ok", "mode": active_settings.app_mode}
+        if active_settings.demo_instance_url:
+            payload["demo_url"] = active_settings.demo_instance_url
+        return payload
 
     app.include_router(router)
     app.include_router(recommendations_router)
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue b/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue
index 786f1ff..09dfd7e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const props = defineProps<{
   auth: AuthState
   mode: AppMode | null
   healthFailed: boolean
+  demoUrl: string | null
 }>()
 const emit = defineEmits<{ logout: []; reset: []; toggleDev: [opener: HTMLElement] }>()
 
@@ -47,6 +48,9 @@ const modeLabel = computed(() => {
         <span class="mode" :class="{ failed: healthFailed }">
           {{ modeLabel }}
         </span>
+        <a v-if="demoUrl" class="demo-link" :href="demoUrl">
+          {{ messages.appHeaderDemoInstance }}
+        </a>
         <AuthStatus :auth="auth" @logout="$emit('logout')" />
         <button class="button" type="button" data-dev-panel-opener @click="openDevPanel">
           <span class="full-label">
@@ -141,6 +145,18 @@ const modeLabel = computed(() => {
   color: var(--c-error);
 }
 
+.demo-link {
+  color: var(--c-text-chip);
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--c-line-strong);
+}
+
+.demo-link:hover {
+  color: var(--c-text);
+  border-color: var(--c-accent);
+}
+
 .button {
   min-height: 31px;
   padding: 6px 11px;
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AssistantMessage.vue b/frontend/src/components/AssistantMessage.vue
index b974c8b..65004b5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AssistantMessage.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AssistantMessage.vue
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import StreamError from './StreamError.vue'
 import StreamWarning from './StreamWarning.vue'
 import ThinkingIndicator from './ThinkingIndicator.vue'
 
-const props = defineProps<{ turn: AssistantTurn; canSave: boolean }>()
+const props = defineProps<{ turn: AssistantTurn; canSave: boolean; demoUrl: string | null }>()
 defineEmits<{ save: []; retry: [query: string] }>()
 
 const thinkingLabel = computed(() => {
@@ -54,12 +54,14 @@ const isEmptyResult = computed(
         v-if="turn.error"
         :code="turn.error.code"
         :message="turn.error.message"
+        :demo-url="demoUrl"
         @retry="$emit('retry', turn.query)"
       />
       <StreamError
         v-else-if="turn.transportFailure"
         :code="turn.transportFailure.kind"
         :message="turn.transportFailure.message"
+        :demo-url="demoUrl"
         @retry="$emit('retry', turn.query)"
       />
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ChatView.vue b/frontend/src/components/ChatView.vue
index fa7a697..9889fcf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ChatView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ChatView.vue
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onShortcut))
         :auth="auth"
         :mode="mode"
         :health-failed="health.status === 'failed'"
+        :demo-url="health.demoUrl"
         @logout="logout"
         @reset="reset"
         @toggle-dev="openDevPanel"
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onShortcut))
         :turns="turns"
         :suggestions="DISCOVERY_SUGGESTIONS"
         :can-save="canSave"
+        :demo-url="health.demoUrl"
         @pick="pickSuggestion"
         @save="savePlaylist"
         @retry="retryQuery"
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/MessageList.vue b/frontend/src/components/MessageList.vue
index 50fc7e0..d9a0e12 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/MessageList.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/MessageList.vue
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ const props = defineProps<{
   turns: ChatTurn[]
   suggestions: readonly string[]
   canSave: boolean
+  demoUrl: string | null
 }>()
 defineEmits<{
   pick: [suggestion: string]
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@ watch(streaming, (value) => {
           v-else
           :turn="turn"
           :can-save="canSave"
+          :demo-url="demoUrl"
           @save="$emit('save', turn.id)"
           @retry="$emit('retry', $event)"
         />
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/StreamError.vue b/frontend/src/components/StreamError.vue
index 2a5522e..e4ad2c2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/StreamError.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/StreamError.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { messages } from '../lib/messages'
 
-defineProps<{ code: string; message: string }>()
+defineProps<{ code: string; message: string; demoUrl?: string | null }>()
 defineEmits<{ retry: [] }>()
 </script>
 
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ defineEmits<{ retry: [] }>()
   <div class="error" role="alert" :data-error-code="code">
     <p>{{ message }}</p>
     <button type="button" @click="$emit('retry')">{{ messages.streamErrorRetry }}</button>
+    <a v-if="demoUrl" class="demo-link" :href="demoUrl">
+      {{ messages.streamErrorDemoInstance }}
+    </a>
   </div>
 </template>
 
@@ -36,4 +39,16 @@ defineEmits<{ retry: [] }>()
   border-radius: var(--r-md);
   cursor: pointer;
 }
+
+.demo-link {
+  display: inline-block;
+  margin-top: var(--s-3);
+  margin-left: var(--s-3);
+  padding: 8px var(--s-4);
+  color: var(--c-text);
+  font-family: var(--f-mono);
+  font-size: var(--t-micro);
+  border: 1px solid var(--c-line-strong);
+  border-radius: var(--r-md);
+}
 </style>
diff --git a/frontend/src/composables/useApi.ts b/frontend/src/composables/useApi.ts
index e4d1133..578b1b5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/composables/useApi.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/composables/useApi.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,12 @@ function loginFailed(): boolean {
 /** Manage authentication, service mode, and playlist API operations. */
 export function useApi() {
   const auth = ref<AuthState>({ status: 'checking', user: null, message: null })
-  const health = ref<HealthState>({ status: 'checking', mode: null, message: null })
+  const health = ref<HealthState>({
+    status: 'checking',
+    mode: null,
+    message: null,
+    demoUrl: null,
+  })
 
   async function loadAuth(hadLoginError: boolean): Promise<void> {
     try {
@@ -81,12 +86,17 @@ export function useApi() {
       ) {
         throw new Error(messages.useApiInvalidHealth)
       }
-      health.value = { status: 'ready', mode: body.mode, message: null }
+      const demoUrl =
+        typeof body.demo_url === 'string' && body.demo_url.startsWith('https://')
+          ? body.demo_url
+          : null
+      health.value = { status: 'ready', mode: body.mode, message: null, demoUrl }
     } catch {
       health.value = {
         status: 'failed',
         mode: null,
         message: messages.useApiModeUnavailable,
+        demoUrl: null,
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/messages.ts b/frontend/src/lib/messages.ts
index 4add1fe..c34e523 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/messages.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/messages.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 export const messages = {
   appHeaderBrandPrefix: 'discovery',
   appHeaderBrandResetLabel: 'discovery-by-llm: start a new chat',
+  appHeaderDemoInstance: 'demo',
   appHeaderBrandAccent: '-by-',
   appHeaderBrandSuffix: 'llm',
   appHeaderKicker: 'proof of concept',
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ export const messages = {
   resultSetRecommendedTrackLabel: '{count} recommended track',
   resultSetRecommendedTracksLabel: '{count} recommended tracks',
 
+  streamErrorDemoInstance: 'Open the demo instance',
   streamErrorRetry: 'Edit and retry',
 
   suggestionChipsRegionLabel: 'Listening suggestions',
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/models.ts b/frontend/src/lib/models.ts
index b839da4..97e38c7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/models.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/models.ts
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ export type AuthState =
   | { status: 'failed'; user: null; message: string }
 
 export type HealthState =
-  | { status: 'checking'; mode: null; message: null }
-  | { status: 'ready'; mode: AppMode; message: null }
-  | { status: 'failed'; mode: null; message: string }
+  | { status: 'checking'; mode: null; message: null; demoUrl: null }
+  | { status: 'ready'; mode: AppMode; message: null; demoUrl: string | null }
+  | { status: 'failed'; mode: null; message: string; demoUrl: null }
 
 export interface EventLogEntry {
   timestamp: string