diff --git a/.changeset/validate-staging-instances.md b/.changeset/validate-staging-instances.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a845151cc84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/validate-staging-instances.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+---
+---
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-staging.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-staging.yml
index c40b5a102dc..9c1d23ece74 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-staging.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-staging.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,23 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+  validate-instances:
+    name: Validate Staging Instances
+    runs-on: 'blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2204'
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ github.event.inputs.ref || github.event.client_payload.ref || 'main' }}
+          sparse-checkout: scripts/validate-staging-instances.mjs
+          fetch-depth: 1
+
+      - name: Validate staging instance settings
+        run: node scripts/validate-staging-instances.mjs
+        env:
+          INTEGRATION_INSTANCE_KEYS: ${{ secrets.INTEGRATION_INSTANCE_KEYS }}
+          INTEGRATION_STAGING_INSTANCE_KEYS: ${{ secrets.INTEGRATION_STAGING_INSTANCE_KEYS }}
+
   integration-tests:
     name: Integration Tests (${{ matrix.test-name }}, ${{ matrix.test-project }})
     runs-on: 'blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2204'
diff --git a/scripts/validate-staging-instances.mjs b/scripts/validate-staging-instances.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a97f8f04903
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/validate-staging-instances.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,352 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+/**
+ * Validates that staging Clerk instances have the same settings as their
+ * production counterparts by comparing FAPI /v1/environment responses.
+ *
+ * Usage:
+ *   node scripts/validate-staging-instances.mjs
+ *
+ * Reads keys from INTEGRATION_INSTANCE_KEYS / INTEGRATION_STAGING_INSTANCE_KEYS
+ * env vars, or from integration/.keys.json / integration/.keys.staging.json.
+ */
+
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { resolve } from 'node:path';
+
+const STAGING_KEY_PREFIX = 'clerkstage-';
+
+/**
+ * Paths to ignore during comparison — these are expected to differ between
+ * production and staging environments.
+ */
+const IGNORED_PATHS = [
+  /\.id$/,
+  /^auth_config\.id$/,
+  /\.logo_url$/,
+  /\.captcha_enabled$/,
+  /\.captcha_widget_type$/,
+  /\.enforce_hibp_on_sign_in$/,
+  /\.disable_hibp$/,
+];
+
+function isIgnored(path) {
+  return IGNORED_PATHS.some(pattern => pattern.test(path));
+}
+
+// ── Key loading ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function loadKeys(envVar, filePath) {
+  if (process.env[envVar]) {
+    return JSON.parse(process.env[envVar]);
+  }
+  try {
+    return JSON.parse(readFileSync(resolve(filePath), 'utf-8'));
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+// ── PK parsing ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function parseFapiDomain(pk) {
+  const parts = pk.split('_');
+  const encoded = parts.slice(2).join('_');
+  const decoded = Buffer.from(encoded, 'base64').toString('utf-8');
+  return decoded.replace(/\$$/, '');
+}
+
+// ── Environment fetching ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+async function fetchEnvironment(fapiDomain) {
+  const url = `https://${fapiDomain}/v1/environment`;
+  const res = await fetch(url, { signal: AbortSignal.timeout(10_000) });
+  if (!res.ok) {
+    throw new Error(`Failed to fetch ${url}: ${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
+  }
+  return res.json();
+}
+
+// ── Comparison ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+const COMPARED_USER_SETTINGS_FIELDS = ['attributes', 'social', 'sign_in', 'sign_up', 'password_settings'];
+
+/**
+ * Recursively compare two values and collect paths where they differ.
+ * For arrays of primitives (like strategy lists), stores structured diff info.
+ */
+function diffObjects(a, b, path = '') {
+  const mismatches = [];
+
+  if (a === b) return mismatches;
+  if (a == null || b == null || typeof a !== typeof b) {
+    mismatches.push({ path, prod: a, staging: b });
+    return mismatches;
+  }
+  if (typeof a !== 'object') {
+    if (a !== b) {
+      mismatches.push({ path, prod: a, staging: b });
+    }
+    return mismatches;
+  }
+  if (Array.isArray(a) && Array.isArray(b)) {
+    const sortedA = JSON.stringify([...a].sort());
+    const sortedB = JSON.stringify([...b].sort());
+    if (sortedA !== sortedB) {
+      // For arrays of primitives, compute added/removed
+      const flatA = a.flat(Infinity);
+      const flatB = b.flat(Infinity);
+      if (flatA.every(v => typeof v !== 'object') && flatB.every(v => typeof v !== 'object')) {
+        const setA = new Set(flatA);
+        const setB = new Set(flatB);
+        const missingOnStaging = [...new Set(flatA.filter(v => !setB.has(v)))];
+        const extraOnStaging = [...new Set(flatB.filter(v => !setA.has(v)))];
+        mismatches.push({ path, prod: a, staging: b, missingOnStaging, extraOnStaging });
+      } else {
+        mismatches.push({ path, prod: a, staging: b });
+      }
+    }
+    return mismatches;
+  }
+
+  const allKeys = new Set([...Object.keys(a), ...Object.keys(b)]);
+  for (const key of allKeys) {
+    const childPath = path ? `${path}.${key}` : key;
+    mismatches.push(...diffObjects(a[key], b[key], childPath));
+  }
+  return mismatches;
+}
+
+function compareEnvironments(prodEnv, stagingEnv) {
+  const mismatches = [];
+
+  // auth_config
+  mismatches.push(...diffObjects(prodEnv.auth_config, stagingEnv.auth_config, 'auth_config'));
+
+  // organization_settings
+  const orgFields = ['enabled', 'force_organization_selection'];
+  for (const field of orgFields) {
+    mismatches.push(
+      ...diffObjects(
+        prodEnv.organization_settings?.[field],
+        stagingEnv.organization_settings?.[field],
+        `organization_settings.${field}`,
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+
+  // user_settings — selected fields only
+  for (const field of COMPARED_USER_SETTINGS_FIELDS) {
+    if (field === 'social') {
+      const prodSocial = prodEnv.user_settings?.social ?? {};
+      const stagingSocial = stagingEnv.user_settings?.social ?? {};
+      const allProviders = new Set([...Object.keys(prodSocial), ...Object.keys(stagingSocial)]);
+      for (const provider of allProviders) {
+        const prodProvider = prodSocial[provider];
+        const stagingProvider = stagingSocial[provider];
+        if (!prodProvider?.enabled && !stagingProvider?.enabled) continue;
+        mismatches.push(...diffObjects(prodProvider, stagingProvider, `user_settings.social.${provider}`));
+      }
+    } else {
+      mismatches.push(
+        ...diffObjects(prodEnv.user_settings?.[field], stagingEnv.user_settings?.[field], `user_settings.${field}`),
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
+  return mismatches;
+}
+
+// ── Output formatting ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/**
+ * Section display names and the path prefixes they cover.
+ */
+const SECTIONS = [
+  { label: 'Auth Config', prefix: 'auth_config.' },
+  { label: 'Organization Settings', prefix: 'organization_settings.' },
+  { label: 'Attributes', prefix: 'user_settings.attributes.' },
+  { label: 'Social Providers', prefix: 'user_settings.social.' },
+  { label: 'Sign In', prefix: 'user_settings.sign_in.' },
+  { label: 'Sign Up', prefix: 'user_settings.sign_up.' },
+  { label: 'Password Settings', prefix: 'user_settings.password_settings.' },
+];
+
+const COL_FIELD = 40;
+const COL_VAL = 14;
+
+function pad(str, len) {
+  return str.length >= len ? str : str + ' '.repeat(len - str.length);
+}
+
+function formatScalar(val) {
+  if (val === undefined) return 'undefined';
+  if (val === null) return 'null';
+  if (typeof val === 'object') return JSON.stringify(val);
+  return String(val);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Collapse attribute mismatches: if <attr>.enabled differs, skip the child
+ * fields (first_factors, second_factors, verifications, etc.) since the root
+ * cause is the enabled flag.
+ */
+function collapseAttributeMismatches(mismatches) {
+  const disabledAttrs = new Set();
+  for (const m of mismatches) {
+    if (m.path.startsWith('user_settings.attributes.') && m.path.endsWith('.enabled')) {
+      disabledAttrs.add(m.path.replace('.enabled', ''));
+    }
+  }
+  return mismatches.filter(m => {
+    if (!m.path.startsWith('user_settings.attributes.')) return true;
+    // Keep the .enabled entry itself
+    if (m.path.endsWith('.enabled')) return true;
+    // Drop children of disabled attributes
+    const parentAttr = m.path.replace(/\.[^.]+$/, '');
+    return !disabledAttrs.has(parentAttr);
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * For social providers that are entirely present/missing, collapse to one line.
+ */
+function collapseSocialMismatches(mismatches) {
+  const wholeMissing = new Set();
+  for (const m of mismatches) {
+    if (m.path.startsWith('user_settings.social.') && !m.path.includes('.', 'user_settings.social.x'.length)) {
+      if ((m.prod && !m.staging) || (!m.prod && m.staging)) {
+        wholeMissing.add(m.path);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return mismatches.filter(m => {
+    if (!m.path.startsWith('user_settings.social.')) return true;
+    // Keep the top-level entry
+    const parts = m.path.split('.');
+    if (parts.length <= 3) return true;
+    // Drop children of wholly missing providers
+    const parentPath = parts.slice(0, 3).join('.');
+    return !wholeMissing.has(parentPath);
+  });
+}
+
+function formatMismatch(m, prefix) {
+  const field = m.path.slice(prefix.length);
+
+  // Array diff with missing/extra items
+  if (m.missingOnStaging || m.extraOnStaging) {
+    const parts = [];
+    if (m.missingOnStaging?.length) {
+      parts.push(`missing on staging: ${m.missingOnStaging.join(', ')}`);
+    }
+    if (m.extraOnStaging?.length) {
+      parts.push(`extra on staging: ${m.extraOnStaging.join(', ')}`);
+    }
+    return `    ${pad(field, COL_FIELD)} ${parts.join('; ')}`;
+  }
+
+  // Social provider entirely present/missing
+  if (prefix === 'user_settings.social.' && !field.includes('.')) {
+    if (m.prod && !m.staging) {
+      return `    ${pad(field, COL_FIELD)} ${pad('present', COL_VAL)} missing`;
+    }
+    if (!m.prod && m.staging) {
+      return `    ${pad(field, COL_FIELD)} ${pad('missing', COL_VAL)} present`;
+    }
+  }
+
+  const prodVal = formatScalar(m.prod);
+  const stagingVal = formatScalar(m.staging);
+  return `    ${pad(field, COL_FIELD)} ${pad(prodVal, COL_VAL)} ${stagingVal}`;
+}
+
+function printReport(name, mismatches) {
+  if (mismatches.length === 0) {
+    console.log(`✅ ${name}: matched\n`);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  console.log(`❌ ${name} (${mismatches.length} mismatch${mismatches.length === 1 ? '' : 'es'})\n`);
+
+  for (const section of SECTIONS) {
+    const sectionMismatches = mismatches.filter(m => m.path.startsWith(section.prefix));
+    if (sectionMismatches.length === 0) continue;
+
+    console.log(`  ${section.label}`);
+    console.log(`    ${pad('', COL_FIELD)} ${pad('prod', COL_VAL)} staging`);
+
+    for (const m of sectionMismatches) {
+      console.log(formatMismatch(m, section.prefix));
+    }
+    console.log();
+  }
+}
+
+// ── Main ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+async function main() {
+  const prodKeys = loadKeys('INTEGRATION_INSTANCE_KEYS', 'integration/.keys.json');
+  if (!prodKeys) {
+    console.error('No production instance keys found.');
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+
+  const stagingKeys = loadKeys('INTEGRATION_STAGING_INSTANCE_KEYS', 'integration/.keys.staging.json');
+  if (!stagingKeys) {
+    console.error('No staging instance keys found. Skipping validation.');
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+
+  const pairs = [];
+  for (const [name, keys] of Object.entries(prodKeys)) {
+    const stagingName = STAGING_KEY_PREFIX + name;
+    if (stagingKeys[stagingName]) {
+      pairs.push({ name, prod: keys, staging: stagingKeys[stagingName] });
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (pairs.length === 0) {
+    console.log('No production/staging key pairs found. Skipping validation.');
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+
+  console.log(`Validating ${pairs.length} staging instance pair(s)...\n`);
+
+  let mismatchCount = 0;
+  let fetchFailCount = 0;
+
+  for (const pair of pairs) {
+    const prodDomain = parseFapiDomain(pair.prod.pk);
+    const stagingDomain = parseFapiDomain(pair.staging.pk);
+
+    let prodEnv, stagingEnv;
+    try {
+      [prodEnv, stagingEnv] = await Promise.all([fetchEnvironment(prodDomain), fetchEnvironment(stagingDomain)]);
+    } catch (err) {
+      fetchFailCount++;
+      console.log(`⚠️  ${pair.name}: failed to fetch environment`);
+      console.log(`   ${err.message}\n`);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    let mismatches = compareEnvironments(prodEnv, stagingEnv).filter(m => !isIgnored(m.path));
+    mismatches = collapseAttributeMismatches(mismatches);
+    mismatches = collapseSocialMismatches(mismatches);
+
+    if (mismatches.length > 0) mismatchCount++;
+    printReport(pair.name, mismatches);
+  }
+
+  const parts = [];
+  if (mismatchCount > 0) parts.push(`${mismatchCount} mismatched`);
+  if (fetchFailCount > 0) parts.push(`${fetchFailCount} failed to fetch`);
+  const matchedCount = pairs.length - mismatchCount - fetchFailCount;
+  if (matchedCount > 0) parts.push(`${matchedCount} matched`);
+  console.log(`Summary: ${parts.join(', ')} (${pairs.length} total)`);
+}
+
+main().catch(err => {
+  console.error('Unexpected error:', err);
+  process.exit(0);
+});