diff --git a/exercises/07_SD_Startup_Watcher/lib/startup_sd/StartupSdManager.cpp b/exercises/07_SD_Startup_Watcher/lib/startup_sd/StartupSdManager.cpp
index 5cc77ed..a77f92e 100644
--- a/exercises/07_SD_Startup_Watcher/lib/startup_sd/StartupSdManager.cpp
+++ b/exercises/07_SD_Startup_Watcher/lib/startup_sd/StartupSdManager.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ void StartupSdManager::update() {
   bool mounted = mountPreferred(false);
   if (!mounted && (uint32_t)(now - lastFullScanMs_) >= cfg_.fullScanIntervalMs) {
     lastFullScanMs_ = now;
+    if (cfg_.recoveryRailCycleOnFullScan) {
+      logf("Watcher: recovery rail cycle before full scan");
+      cycleSdRail(cfg_.recoveryRailOffMs, cfg_.recoveryRailOnSettleMs);
+      delay(150);
+    }
     logf("Watcher: preferred probe failed, running full scan");
     mounted = mountCardFullScan();
   }
diff --git a/exercises/07_SD_Startup_Watcher/lib/startup_sd/StartupSdManager.h b/exercises/07_SD_Startup_Watcher/lib/startup_sd/StartupSdManager.h
index 095f857..be9ef27 100644
--- a/exercises/07_SD_Startup_Watcher/lib/startup_sd/StartupSdManager.h
+++ b/exercises/07_SD_Startup_Watcher/lib/startup_sd/StartupSdManager.h
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ using SdStatusCallback = void (*)(SdEvent event, const char* message);
 struct SdWatcherConfig {
   bool enableSdRailCycle = true;
   bool enablePinDumps = true;
+  bool recoveryRailCycleOnFullScan = true;
+  uint32_t recoveryRailOffMs = 250;
+  uint32_t recoveryRailOnSettleMs = 700;
   uint32_t startupWarmupMs = 1500;
   uint32_t pollIntervalAbsentMs = 1000;
   uint32_t pollIntervalMountedMs = 2000;
diff --git a/exercises/README.md b/exercises/README.md
index a6b703a..2f7f118 100644
--- a/exercises/README.md
+++ b/exercises/README.md
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ Exercise 06: RTC check (PCF8563) read/set and persistence validation
 
 Exercise 07: SD startup watcher library harness with hot-insert detection
 
+Exercise 08: SystemStartup package scaffold (shared begin/update API)
+
 Each exercise is self-contained:
 
   its own platformio.ini