diff --git a/src/psyc/db.py b/src/psyc/db.py
index 5d19acb..cd0a6e5 100644
--- a/src/psyc/db.py
+++ b/src/psyc/db.py
@@ -313,6 +313,25 @@ def kill_switch_set(armed: bool, db_path: Path = DB_PATH) -> None:
         conn.execute(stmt)
 
 
+def pulse_setting_get(key: str, db_path: Path = DB_PATH) -> Optional[str]:
+    """Fetch one row from pulse_settings by key; returns None if absent."""
+    stmt = select(pulse_settings.c.value).where(pulse_settings.c.key == key)
+    with engine(db_path).connect() as conn:
+        row = conn.execute(stmt).fetchone()
+    return str(row.value) if row else None
+
+
+def pulse_setting_set(key: str, value: str, db_path: Path = DB_PATH) -> None:
+    """Upsert one (key, value) into pulse_settings."""
+    stmt = sqlite_insert(pulse_settings).values(key=key, value=value)
+    stmt = stmt.on_conflict_do_update(
+        index_elements=[pulse_settings.c.key],
+        set_=dict(value=stmt.excluded.value),
+    )
+    with engine(db_path).begin() as conn:
+        conn.execute(stmt)
+
+
 # ---------- federation: peers + signal buffer ----------------------------
 
 def upsert_peer(row: dict, db_path: Path = DB_PATH) -> None:
diff --git a/src/psyc/lines/pulse.py b/src/psyc/lines/pulse.py
index 10473ba..20944a8 100644
--- a/src/psyc/lines/pulse.py
+++ b/src/psyc/lines/pulse.py
@@ -134,8 +134,48 @@ def _run_respond_propose() -> str:
     return f"proposed {proposed} action(s) for {touched} case(s)"
 
 
+_DISCOVERY_SEEDS_KEY = "discovery_seeds"
+
+
+def get_discovery_seeds() -> List[str]:
+    """Operator-curated seed list for the discovery walker. Newline-separated in DB."""
+    raw = db.pulse_setting_get(_DISCOVERY_SEEDS_KEY)
+    if not raw:
+        return []
+    return [line.strip() for line in raw.splitlines() if line.strip()]
+
+
+def set_discovery_seeds(seeds: List[str]) -> None:
+    """Replace the seed list. Strips blanks + dedupes preserving order."""
+    seen: set = set()
+    cleaned: List[str] = []
+    for s in seeds:
+        v = (s or "").strip()
+        if not v or v in seen:
+            continue
+        seen.add(v)
+        cleaned.append(v)
+    db.pulse_setting_set(_DISCOVERY_SEEDS_KEY, "\n".join(cleaned))
+
+
 def _run_peer_pull() -> str:
-    return "federation not yet active"
+    """Walk DNS-SD + recurse over peer-public lists from the operator's seeds.
+
+    Records every fresh candidate into the `peers` table with status=unknown.
+    Vouching (sibling stage) is what eventually promotes them.
+    """
+    from psyc.lines import discovery
+
+    seeds = get_discovery_seeds()
+    if not seeds:
+        return "no seeds configured"
+    candidates = discovery.walk(seeds)
+    for c in candidates:
+        try:
+            discovery.record_candidate(c)
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — one bad write must not abort the batch
+            _log.warning("pulse.peer_pull.record.error", domain=c.domain, error=str(exc))
+    return f"discovered {len(candidates)} candidate(s) from {len(seeds)} seed(s)"
 
 
 def _run_vouch_refresh() -> str: