diff --git a/kits/.gitignore b/kits/.gitignore
index 4d9946868..2afaeeff7 100644
--- a/kits/.gitignore
+++ b/kits/.gitignore
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ dist/
 .env
 .env.*
 # Emulator test apps commit their params: demo values, never secrets.
-!*/tests/emulator/app/.env
+!*/tests/emulator/*/.env
 
 # Test / coverage
 coverage/
diff --git a/kits/delete-user-data/firebase.json b/kits/delete-user-data/firebase.json
index 6b8f0be4b..fde19fc6b 100644
--- a/kits/delete-user-data/firebase.json
+++ b/kits/delete-user-data/firebase.json
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
     {
       "source": "tests/emulator/app",
       "codebase": "delete-user-data"
+    },
+    {
+      "source": "tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb",
+      "codebase": "delete-user-data-no-rtdb"
     }
   ],
   "emulators": {
diff --git a/kits/delete-user-data/src/index.ts b/kits/delete-user-data/src/index.ts
index bd6012502..a0da72453 100644
--- a/kits/delete-user-data/src/index.ts
+++ b/kits/delete-user-data/src/index.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,11 @@ function getContext(): HandlerContext {
   ctx = {
     firestore: getFirestore(resolved.firestoreDatabaseId),
     storage: admin.storage(),
-    database: admin.database(),
+    // Resolved on first use. Without a configured RTDB instance there is no
+    // databaseURL to initialize the app with, and admin.database() throws.
+    get database() {
+      return admin.database();
+    },
     pubsub: new PubSub({ projectId: resolved.projectId }),
     config: resolved,
   };
diff --git a/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/.env b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/.env
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..694ec679b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+INSTANCE_ID=nortdb
+FIRESTORE_PATHS=
+FIRESTORE_DATABASE_ID=(default)
+FIRESTORE_DELETE_MODE=recursive
+SELECTED_DATABASE_INSTANCE=
+SELECTED_DATABASE_LOCATION=us-central1
+RTDB_PATHS=
+CLOUD_STORAGE_BUCKET=demo-test.appspot.com
+STORAGE_PATHS=
+ENABLE_AUTO_DISCOVERY=true
+AUTO_DISCOVERY_SEARCH_DEPTH=3
+AUTO_DISCOVERY_SEARCH_FIELDS=id,uid,userId
+SEARCH_FUNCTION=
+DISCOVERY_TOPIC_NAME=kit-nortdb-discovery
+DELETION_TOPIC_NAME=kit-nortdb-deletion
diff --git a/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/index.js b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..308f462be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+// Exported under a distinct name so this codebase does not shadow the
+// handleSearch registered by tests/emulator/app, and without clearData so
+// only one auth onDelete handler exists.
+const kit = require("../../../lib/index.js");
+
+exports.handleSearchNoRtdb = kit.handleSearch;
diff --git a/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/package.json b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bea91ddbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "name": "delete-user-data-emulator-app-no-rtdb",
+  "private": true,
+  "main": "index.js",
+  "engines": { "node": "24" }
+}
diff --git a/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/cascade.test.ts b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/cascade.test.ts
index 63080b390..3805f4599 100644
--- a/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/cascade.test.ts
+++ b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/cascade.test.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import { search } from "../../src/search";
 import {
   collectionEmpty,
   createUser,
+  database,
   documentGone,
   initialize,
   publisherContext,
@@ -191,4 +192,14 @@ describe("account deletion", () => {
 
     expect(await waitFor(documentGone(doc))).toBe(true);
   });
+
+  test("clears the configured RTDB path when a user is deleted", async () => {
+    const user = await createUser(auth);
+    const ref = database().ref(`user-data/${user.uid}`);
+    await ref.set({ email: user.email });
+
+    await auth.deleteUser(user.uid);
+
+    expect(await waitFor(async () => !(await ref.get()).exists())).toBe(true);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/helpers.ts b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/helpers.ts
index ee386d05f..31ad78ed3 100644
--- a/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/helpers.ts
+++ b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/helpers.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import type { DocumentReference, Firestore } from "firebase-admin/firestore";
 process.env.FIRESTORE_EMULATOR_HOST = "127.0.0.1:8080";
 process.env.FIREBASE_AUTH_EMULATOR_HOST = "127.0.0.1:9099";
 process.env.PUBSUB_EMULATOR_HOST = "127.0.0.1:8085";
+process.env.FIREBASE_DATABASE_EMULATOR_HOST = "127.0.0.1:9000";
 process.env.GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT = "demo-test";
 
 export const PROJECT_ID = "demo-test";
@@ -74,3 +75,21 @@ export const documentGone = (ref: DocumentReference) => async () =>
 export const collectionEmpty =
   (db: Firestore, path: string) => async (): Promise<boolean> =>
     (await db.collection(path).get()).empty;
+
+/**
+ * Separate app: the default one has no databaseURL, which is the whole point
+ * of the no-RTDB case the emulator suite also covers.
+ */
+export function database(): admin.database.Database {
+  const existing = admin.apps.find((app) => app?.name === "rtdb");
+  const app =
+    existing ??
+    admin.initializeApp(
+      {
+        projectId: PROJECT_ID,
+        databaseURL: `https://${PROJECT_ID}.firebaseio.com`,
+      },
+      "rtdb"
+    );
+  return (app as admin.app.App).database();
+}
diff --git a/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/no-rtdb.test.ts b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/no-rtdb.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bff07e57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kits/delete-user-data/tests/emulator/no-rtdb.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import type { Firestore } from "firebase-admin/firestore";
+import { beforeAll, describe, expect, test } from "vitest";
+
+import { resolveDeleteUserDataConfig } from "../../src/export-config";
+import { publishSearch } from "../../src/runBatchPubSubDeletions";
+import {
+  collectionEmpty,
+  initialize,
+  publisherContext,
+  randomId,
+  waitFor,
+} from "./helpers";
+
+// Matches tests/emulator/app-no-rtdb/.env: no Realtime Database instance, the
+// default for anyone deleting only Firestore data.
+const config = resolveDeleteUserDataConfig({
+  instanceId: "nortdb",
+  projectId: "demo-test",
+  discoveryTopicName: "kit-nortdb-discovery",
+  deletionTopicName: "kit-nortdb-deletion",
+});
+
+let db: Firestore;
+let ctx: ReturnType<typeof publisherContext>;
+
+beforeAll(() => {
+  ({ db } = initialize());
+  ctx = publisherContext(config);
+});
+
+describe("with no Realtime Database instance configured", () => {
+  test("still runs discovery instead of dying on startup", async () => {
+    const uid = randomId();
+    const collection = db.collection(randomId()).doc("parent").collection(uid);
+    await collection.add({ foo: "bar" });
+
+    await publishSearch(uid, 1, collection.path, ctx);
+
+    expect(await waitFor(collectionEmpty(db, collection.path))).toBe(true);
+  });
+});