diff --git a/kubernetes/seed/authentik/cluster.yaml b/kubernetes/seed/authentik/cluster.yaml
index d957a840..a8c58a97 100644
--- a/kubernetes/seed/authentik/cluster.yaml
+++ b/kubernetes/seed/authentik/cluster.yaml
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@ spec:
     parameters:
       shared_buffers: "256MB"
       max_connections: "400"
+    # Async replication makes CNPG switchover slow because the standby has
+    # to chase missing WAL via barman-cloud and replay queued records
+    # before it can promote. With one synchronous standby, the standby is
+    # always at the same LSN as the primary at commit time, so promote is
+    # near-instant. `dataDurability: preferred` falls back to async if the
+    # standby is down so writes don't block on standby unavailability.
+    synchronous:
+      method: any
+      number: 1
+      dataDurability: preferred
   resources:
     requests:
       cpu: 200m
diff --git a/kubernetes/seed/paperless/cluster.yaml b/kubernetes/seed/paperless/cluster.yaml
index 0248f2ed..cb253ed5 100644
--- a/kubernetes/seed/paperless/cluster.yaml
+++ b/kubernetes/seed/paperless/cluster.yaml
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ spec:
     parameters:
       shared_buffers: "256MB"
       max_connections: "200"
+    # See ak-pg cluster.yaml for the rationale on synchronous replication.
+    synchronous:
+      method: any
+      number: 1
+      dataDurability: preferred
   resources:
     requests:
       cpu: 200m