diff --git a/.github/workflows/automatic.yml b/.github/workflows/automatic.yml
index 68ff24d..c255fe9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/automatic.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/automatic.yml
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ jobs:
         id: plan
         run: |
           set -o pipefail -ex
-          terraform plan -compact-warnings -no-color -input=false -lock-timeout=5m -out tfplan 2>&1 \
+          terraform plan -compact-warnings -no-color -input=false -lock=false -out tfplan 2>&1 \
             | tee terraform_log
           terraform show -json tfplan > tfplan.json
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ jobs:
         id: plan-cost
         run: |
           set -o pipefail -ex
-          terraform plan -compact-warnings -no-color -input=false -lock-timeout=5m -out tfplan-cost 2>&1
+          terraform plan -compact-warnings -no-color -input=false -lock=false -out tfplan-cost 2>&1
           terraform show -json tfplan-cost > tfplan-cost.json
 
       - uses: overmindtech/cost-signals-action@v1
diff --git a/modules/scenarios/memory-optimization/networking.tf b/modules/scenarios/memory-optimization/networking.tf
index 488c826..4f0528f 100644
--- a/modules/scenarios/memory-optimization/networking.tf
+++ b/modules/scenarios/memory-optimization/networking.tf
@@ -58,6 +58,34 @@ resource "aws_lb_target_group" "app" {
   })
 }
 
+# Blackhole Target Group - Empty target group for DNS outage simulation
+resource "aws_lb_target_group" "blackhole" {
+  count       = var.enabled ? 1 : 0
+  name        = "${local.name_prefix}-tg-blackhole"
+  port        = var.application_port
+  protocol    = "HTTP"
+  vpc_id      = local.vpc_id
+  target_type = "ip"
+
+  health_check {
+    enabled             = true
+    healthy_threshold   = 5
+    unhealthy_threshold = 2
+    timeout             = 5
+    interval            = 60
+    path                = "/"
+    matcher             = "200"
+    port                = "traffic-port"
+    protocol            = "HTTP"
+  }
+
+  tags = merge(local.common_tags, {
+    Name    = "${local.name_prefix}-tg-blackhole"
+    Purpose = "risk-test"
+    Mode    = "blackhole"
+  })
+}
+
 # ALB Listener
 resource "aws_lb_listener" "app" {
   count             = var.enabled ? 1 : 0
@@ -67,12 +95,7 @@ resource "aws_lb_listener" "app" {
 
   default_action {
     type             = "forward"
-    
-    forward {
-      target_group {
-        arn = aws_lb_target_group.app[0].arn
-      }
-    }
+    target_group_arn = aws_lb_target_group.blackhole[0].arn
   }
 
   tags = merge(local.common_tags, {
diff --git a/modules/scenarios/memory-optimization/outputs.tf b/modules/scenarios/memory-optimization/outputs.tf
index 7ea771e..d38bc6e 100644
--- a/modules/scenarios/memory-optimization/outputs.tf
+++ b/modules/scenarios/memory-optimization/outputs.tf
@@ -7,6 +7,16 @@ output "alb_url" {
   value       = var.enabled ? "http://${aws_lb.app[0].dns_name}" : null
 }
 
+output "alb_dns_name" {
+  description = "DNS name of the ALB"
+  value       = var.enabled ? aws_lb.app[0].dns_name : null
+}
+
+output "alb_zone_id" {
+  description = "Zone ID of the ALB"
+  value       = var.enabled ? aws_lb.app[0].zone_id : null
+}
+
 output "demo_status" {
   description = "Object showing current vs required memory, cost calculations, and risk assessment"
   value = var.enabled ? {
diff --git a/modules/scenarios/route53_blackhole.tf b/modules/scenarios/route53_blackhole.tf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f31cf87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/scenarios/route53_blackhole.tf
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Route53 DNS record for blackhole scenario testing
+# This simulates DNS endpoint going dark by pointing to ALB with empty target group
+# No failover, no health checks - mimics AWS DNS outage scenario
+
+resource "aws_route53_record" "blackhole" {
+  count   = var.enable_memory_optimization_demo ? 1 : 0
+  zone_id = data.aws_route53_zone.demo.zone_id
+  name    = "blackhole-${var.example_env}.${data.aws_route53_zone.demo.name}"
+  type    = "A"
+
+  alias {
+    name                   = module.memory_optimization.alb_dns_name
+    zone_id                = module.memory_optimization.alb_zone_id
+    evaluate_target_health = false
+  }
+
+  # TTL is ignored for alias records but included for documentation
+  # High TTL (300s = 5 minutes) indicates no failover capability
+  # No health check evaluation - mimics DNS endpoint going dark
+}
+