diff --git a/host-stacks/vds-kzntsv/sched-custom/custom-entry.mjs b/host-stacks/vds-kzntsv/sched-custom/custom-entry.mjs
index 130be4d..9ae253e 100644
--- a/host-stacks/vds-kzntsv/sched-custom/custom-entry.mjs
+++ b/host-stacks/vds-kzntsv/sched-custom/custom-entry.mjs
@@ -32,9 +32,25 @@ const storage = await createMysqlStorage(pool);      // self-migrates on open
 const dbName = dbNameFromUrl(MYSQL_URL);
 
 // --- daemon: engine only (we own the http server) ---
+// Programmatic alerts (from env), NOT the tasks.json block: the published @schedjs/daemon 0.12.1
+// does not wire onRunFinal from the file alerts block reliably (books-vds uses a books-built
+// daemon where it does). Passing `alerts` explicitly guarantees the onRunFinal hook is set.
+const ALERT_WEBHOOK = process.env.SCHED_ALERTS_WEBHOOK_URL;
+const ALERT_BASIC = process.env.SCHED_ALERTS_BASIC_AUTH;   // base64 `user:pass`, optional
 const daemon = createDaemon({
   storage,
   tasksPath: TASKS,
+  ...(ALERT_WEBHOOK
+    ? { alerts: {
+        on: ['failed'],
+        onMissed: true,
+        onSyncFailed: true,
+        webhook: {
+          url: ALERT_WEBHOOK,
+          ...(ALERT_BASIC ? { headers: { Authorization: `Basic ${ALERT_BASIC}` } } : {}),
+        },
+      } }
+    : {}),
   // no `admin` here — createDaemon would bind its own /api-only server; we route ourselves
 });
 await daemon.start();
diff --git a/host-stacks/vds-kzntsv/sched.compose.yml b/host-stacks/vds-kzntsv/sched.compose.yml
index c35de45..046fb6e 100644
--- a/host-stacks/vds-kzntsv/sched.compose.yml
+++ b/host-stacks/vds-kzntsv/sched.compose.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ services:
       SCHED_TASKS: /app/config/tasks.json
       MYSQL_URL: mysql://sched:${SCHED_DB_PASS}@mariadb:3306/sched?ssl={"rejectUnauthorized":false}
       SCHED_ADMIN_KEY: ${SCHED_ADMIN_KEY}
+      SCHED_ALERTS_WEBHOOK_URL: ${SCHED_ALERTS_WEBHOOK_URL}
+      SCHED_ALERTS_BASIC_AUTH: ${SCHED_ALERTS_BASIC_AUTH}
     volumes:
       - /opt/stacks/sched/tasks.json:/app/config/tasks.json:ro
     healthcheck: