diff --git a/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/helm-release.yaml b/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/helm-release.yaml
index faac08c1b..5f1b6c473 100644
--- a/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/helm-release.yaml
+++ b/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/helm-release.yaml
@@ -88,22 +88,6 @@ spec:
                   periodSeconds: 5
                   timeoutSeconds: 3
                   failureThreshold: 12  # 60s grace beyond initial delay
-          - target:
-              kind: Deployment
-              name: headlamp
-            patch: |
-              apiVersion: apps/v1
-              kind: Deployment
-              metadata:
-                name: headlamp
-              spec:
-                template:
-                  spec:
-                    volumes:
-                      - name: plugins-dir
-                        emptyDir: null
-                        persistentVolumeClaim:
-                          claimName: headlamp
   # https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/headlamp/blob/main/charts/headlamp/values.yaml
   values:
     replicaCount: ${headlamp_replicas:=1}
diff --git a/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/kustomization.yaml b/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/kustomization.yaml
index fc117284f..a91de0427 100644
--- a/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/kustomization.yaml
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ kind: Kustomization
 resources:
   - namespace.yaml
   - external-secret.yaml
-  - persistent-volume-claim.yaml
   - helm-release.yaml
   - helm-repository.yaml
   - cluster-role-binding.yaml
diff --git a/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/persistent-volume-claim.yaml b/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/persistent-volume-claim.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index b3e286bc2..000000000
--- a/k8s/bases/apps/headlamp/persistent-volume-claim.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: v1
-kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
-metadata:
-  name: headlamp
-  namespace: headlamp
-spec:
-  accessModes:
-    - ReadWriteOnce
-  resources:
-    requests:
-      storage: 256Mi
diff --git a/scripts/validate-eks-ci-role-policy/main.go b/scripts/validate-eks-ci-role-policy/main.go
index 5e9a16bae..25e153cb1 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-eks-ci-role-policy/main.go
+++ b/scripts/validate-eks-ci-role-policy/main.go
@@ -506,7 +506,29 @@ const (
 // groups prevents an OIDC cluster-reader from recovering those credentials;
 // no identity, binding, resource, or verb is added. A parsed-RBAC regression
 // independently rejects any future read grant to either secret-bearing group.
-const expectedRenderedSurfaceSHA = "03da7c1b972490eb9a4a4eecdffcd02e1b31c8ebb3dde3f4790f35f499837552"
+//
+// Re-measured for #2739 after merging exact main aa7836ad, which already carries
+// #2714's reduction above. Neither side of the merge conflict described the
+// merged tree: this branch's earlier value (9b086829) was measured before #2714
+// landed, and #2714's own value (03da7c1b) was measured without #2739. Carrying
+// either across would have re-approved a surface nobody rendered, so main's was
+// taken as the baseline and the merged result measured on its own.
+//
+// #2739 moves Headlamp's plugin directory off a PersistentVolumeClaim back to
+// the chart's default emptyDir: it deletes the PVC, its kustomization entry, and
+// the post-render patch that repointed the `plugins-dir` volume. No identity,
+// binding, policy document, ServiceAccount or verb is touched. The aggregate
+// still moves because the Headlamp HelmRelease itself participates in the
+// selected surface, so editing its post-renderers moves its per-resource
+// fingerprint — the over-breadth #2768 tracks, not an authorization change.
+//
+// The local toolchain cannot produce this value: a local run leaves Flux
+// substitutions unresolved and is refused as an unapproved renderer. It was read
+// from the required job's own output on the approved renderer — run 31929231585,
+// job 95121502004, at merge head 0348055f, reporting `unapproved rendered
+// authorization surface fingerprint: 992f7b9e…`. That run reported NO
+// per-resource mismatch; only the aggregate moved.
+const expectedRenderedSurfaceSHA = "992f7b9ec7880894f296a6c1ff2fda4100fb0a85f27bc6d064525d179a2a19dc"
 
 // authorizationOverlayPaths lists every independently reconciled production
 // layer where an object can grant privileges to the aws/aws service account.