diff --git a/crates/admin/src/cluster_controller/service.rs b/crates/admin/src/cluster_controller/service.rs
index a7e393196..f545728c5 100644
--- a/crates/admin/src/cluster_controller/service.rs
+++ b/crates/admin/src/cluster_controller/service.rs
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ mod tests {
     use test_log::test;
 
     use restate_bifrost::providers::memory_loglet;
-    use restate_bifrost::{Bifrost, BifrostService};
+    use restate_bifrost::{Bifrost, BifrostService, ErrorRecoveryStrategy};
     use restate_core::network::{
         FailingConnector, Incoming, MessageHandler, MockPeerConnection, NetworkServerBuilder,
     };
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ mod tests {
         let _ = builder.build().await;
         bifrost_svc.start().await?;
 
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::default())?;
 
         TaskCenter::spawn(TaskKind::SystemService, "cluster-controller", svc.run())?;
 
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ mod tests {
         let (_node_2, _node2_reactor) =
             node_2.process_with_message_handler(get_node_state_handler)?;
 
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::default())?;
         for i in 1..=20 {
             let lsn = appender.append("").await?;
             assert_eq!(Lsn::from(i), lsn);
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ mod tests {
         let (_node_2, _node2_reactor) =
             node_2.process_with_message_handler(get_node_state_handler)?;
 
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::default())?;
         for i in 1..=20 {
             let lsn = appender.append(format!("record{i}")).await?;
             assert_eq!(Lsn::from(i), lsn);
@@ -1112,7 +1112,7 @@ mod tests {
         })
         .await?;
 
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::default())?;
         for i in 1..=5 {
             let lsn = appender.append(format!("record{i}")).await?;
             assert_eq!(Lsn::from(i), lsn);
diff --git a/crates/bifrost/Cargo.toml b/crates/bifrost/Cargo.toml
index e3f8449fa..4b3df3785 100644
--- a/crates/bifrost/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/bifrost/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ default = []
 replicated-loglet = []
 memory-loglet = ["restate-types/memory-loglet"]
 test-util = ["memory-loglet", "dep:googletest", "dep:restate-test-util"]
+# enables bifrost to auto seal and extend. This is a transitional feature that will be removed soon.
+auto-extend = []
 
 [dependencies]
 restate-core = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/crates/bifrost/src/appender.rs b/crates/bifrost/src/appender.rs
index 65feaa37b..81d8a26ba 100644
--- a/crates/bifrost/src/appender.rs
+++ b/crates/bifrost/src/appender.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use restate_types::logs::{LogId, Lsn, Record};
 use restate_types::retries::RetryIter;
 use restate_types::storage::StorageEncode;
 
-use crate::bifrost::BifrostInner;
+use crate::bifrost::{BifrostInner, ErrorRecoveryStrategy};
 use crate::loglet::AppendError;
 use crate::loglet_wrapper::LogletWrapper;
 use crate::{Error, InputRecord, Result};
@@ -31,17 +31,25 @@ pub struct Appender {
     log_id: LogId,
     #[debug(skip)]
     pub(super) config: Live<Configuration>,
+    // todo: asoli remove
+    #[allow(unused)]
+    error_recovery_strategy: ErrorRecoveryStrategy,
     loglet_cache: Option<LogletWrapper>,
     #[debug(skip)]
     bifrost_inner: Arc<BifrostInner>,
 }
 
 impl Appender {
-    pub(crate) fn new(log_id: LogId, bifrost_inner: Arc<BifrostInner>) -> Self {
+    pub(crate) fn new(
+        log_id: LogId,
+        error_recovery_strategy: ErrorRecoveryStrategy,
+        bifrost_inner: Arc<BifrostInner>,
+    ) -> Self {
         let config = Configuration::updateable();
         Self {
             log_id,
             config,
+            error_recovery_strategy,
             loglet_cache: Default::default(),
             bifrost_inner,
         }
diff --git a/crates/bifrost/src/bifrost.rs b/crates/bifrost/src/bifrost.rs
index 6c769aac6..06b86ff76 100644
--- a/crates/bifrost/src/bifrost.rs
+++ b/crates/bifrost/src/bifrost.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,40 @@ use crate::loglet_wrapper::LogletWrapper;
 use crate::watchdog::WatchdogSender;
 use crate::{Error, InputRecord, LogReadStream, Result};
 
+/// The strategy to use when bifrost fails to append or when it observes
+/// a sealed loglet while it's tailing a log.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+pub enum ErrorRecoveryStrategy {
+    /// Eagerly extend the chain by creating a new loglet and appending to it.
+    ExtendChainPreferred,
+    /// Extend the chain only running out of patience, others might be better suited to reconfigure
+    /// the chain, but when desperate, we are allowed to seal and extend.
+    ExtendChainAllowed,
+    /// Do not extend the chain, wait indefinitely instead until the error disappears.
+    Wait,
+}
+
+impl ErrorRecoveryStrategy {
+    /// Conditional on a temporary feature gate `auto-extend` until transition is complete
+    pub fn extend_preferred() -> Self {
+        if cfg!(feature = "auto-extend") {
+            Self::ExtendChainPreferred
+        } else {
+            Self::Wait
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Default for ErrorRecoveryStrategy {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        if cfg!(feature = "auto-extend") {
+            Self::ExtendChainAllowed
+        } else {
+            Self::Wait
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Bifrost is Restate's durable interconnect system
 ///
 /// Bifrost is a mutable-friendly handle to access the system. You don't need
@@ -97,10 +131,13 @@ impl Bifrost {
     pub async fn append<T: StorageEncode>(
         &self,
         log_id: LogId,
+        error_recovery_strategy: ErrorRecoveryStrategy,
         body: impl Into<InputRecord<T>>,
     ) -> Result<Lsn> {
         self.inner.fail_if_shutting_down()?;
-        self.inner.append(log_id, body).await
+        self.inner
+            .append(log_id, error_recovery_strategy, body)
+            .await
     }
 
     /// Appends a batch of records to a log. The log id must exist, otherwise the
@@ -116,10 +153,13 @@ impl Bifrost {
     pub async fn append_batch<T: StorageEncode>(
         &self,
         log_id: LogId,
+        error_recovery_strategy: ErrorRecoveryStrategy,
         batch: Vec<impl Into<InputRecord<T>>>,
     ) -> Result<Lsn> {
         self.inner.fail_if_shutting_down()?;
-        self.inner.append_batch(log_id, batch).await
+        self.inner
+            .append_batch(log_id, error_recovery_strategy, batch)
+            .await
     }
 
     /// Read the next record from the LSN provided. The `from` indicates the LSN where we will
@@ -171,15 +211,24 @@ impl Bifrost {
     /// The best way to write to Bifrost is to hold on to an [`Appender`] and reuse it across
     /// calls, this allows internal caching of recently accessed loglets and recycling write
     /// buffers.
-    pub fn create_appender(&self, log_id: LogId) -> Result<Appender> {
+    pub fn create_appender(
+        &self,
+        log_id: LogId,
+        error_recovery_strategy: ErrorRecoveryStrategy,
+    ) -> Result<Appender> {
         self.inner.fail_if_shutting_down()?;
         self.inner.check_log_id(log_id)?;
-        Ok(Appender::new(log_id, self.inner.clone()))
+        Ok(Appender::new(
+            log_id,
+            error_recovery_strategy,
+            self.inner.clone(),
+        ))
     }
 
     pub fn create_background_appender<T>(
         &self,
         log_id: LogId,
+        error_recovery_strategy: ErrorRecoveryStrategy,
         queue_capacity: usize,
         max_batch_size: usize,
     ) -> Result<BackgroundAppender<T>>
@@ -187,7 +236,7 @@ impl Bifrost {
         T: StorageEncode,
     {
         Ok(BackgroundAppender::new(
-            self.create_appender(log_id)?,
+            self.create_appender(log_id, error_recovery_strategy)?,
             queue_capacity,
             max_batch_size,
         ))
@@ -279,17 +328,21 @@ impl BifrostInner {
     pub async fn append<T: StorageEncode>(
         self: &Arc<Self>,
         log_id: LogId,
+        error_recovery_strategy: ErrorRecoveryStrategy,
         record: impl Into<InputRecord<T>>,
     ) -> Result<Lsn> {
-        Appender::new(log_id, Arc::clone(self)).append(record).await
+        Appender::new(log_id, error_recovery_strategy, Arc::clone(self))
+            .append(record)
+            .await
     }
 
     pub async fn append_batch<T: StorageEncode>(
         self: &Arc<Self>,
         log_id: LogId,
+        error_recovery_strategy: ErrorRecoveryStrategy,
         batch: Vec<impl Into<InputRecord<T>>>,
     ) -> Result<Lsn> {
-        Appender::new(log_id, Arc::clone(self))
+        Appender::new(log_id, error_recovery_strategy, Arc::clone(self))
             .append_batch(batch)
             .await
     }
@@ -523,8 +576,8 @@ mod tests {
 
         let clean_bifrost_clone = bifrost.clone();
 
-        let mut appender_0 = bifrost.create_appender(LogId::new(0))?;
-        let mut appender_3 = bifrost.create_appender(LogId::new(3))?;
+        let mut appender_0 = bifrost.create_appender(LogId::new(0), ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
+        let mut appender_3 = bifrost.create_appender(LogId::new(3), ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
         let mut max_lsn = Lsn::INVALID;
         for i in 1..=5 {
             // Append a record to memory
@@ -536,13 +589,14 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Append to a log that doesn't exist.
         let invalid_log = LogId::from(num_partitions + 1);
-        let resp = bifrost.create_appender(invalid_log);
+        let resp = bifrost.create_appender(invalid_log, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait);
 
         assert_that!(resp, pat!(Err(pat!(Error::UnknownLogId(eq(invalid_log))))));
 
         // use a cloned bifrost.
         let cloned_bifrost = bifrost.clone();
-        let mut second_appender_0 = cloned_bifrost.create_appender(LogId::new(0))?;
+        let mut second_appender_0 =
+            cloned_bifrost.create_appender(LogId::new(0), ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
         for _ in 1..=5 {
             // Append a record to memory
             let lsn = second_appender_0.append("").await?;
@@ -553,7 +607,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Ensure original clone writes to the same underlying loglet.
         let lsn = clean_bifrost_clone
-            .create_appender(LogId::new(0))?
+            .create_appender(LogId::new(0), ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?
             .append("")
             .await?;
         assert_eq!(max_lsn + Lsn::from(1), lsn);
@@ -591,7 +645,10 @@ mod tests {
         let bifrost = Bifrost::init_with_factory(factory).await;
 
         let start = tokio::time::Instant::now();
-        let lsn = bifrost.create_appender(LogId::new(0))?.append("").await?;
+        let lsn = bifrost
+            .create_appender(LogId::new(0), ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?
+            .append("")
+            .await?;
         assert_eq!(Lsn::from(1), lsn);
         // The append was properly delayed
         assert_eq!(delay, start.elapsed());
@@ -618,7 +675,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         assert_eq!(Lsn::INVALID, bifrost.get_trim_point(LOG_ID).await?);
 
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
         // append 10 records
         for _ in 1..=10 {
             appender.append("").await?;
@@ -687,7 +744,7 @@ mod tests {
             &node_env.metadata_store_client,
         );
 
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
         // Lsns [1..5]
         for i in 1..=5 {
             // Append a record to memory
@@ -771,7 +828,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
 
         // appends should go to the new segment
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
         // Lsns [5..7]
         for i in 5..=7 {
             // Append a record to memory
@@ -882,7 +939,7 @@ mod tests {
             let append_counter = append_counter.clone();
             let stop_signal = stop_signal.clone();
             let bifrost = bifrost.clone();
-            let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+            let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
             async move {
                 let mut i = 0;
                 while !stop_signal.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
diff --git a/crates/bifrost/src/lib.rs b/crates/bifrost/src/lib.rs
index 7cfaf7dbb..305a07c63 100644
--- a/crates/bifrost/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/bifrost/src/lib.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ mod watchdog;
 
 pub use appender::Appender;
 pub use background_appender::{AppenderHandle, BackgroundAppender, CommitToken, LogSender};
-pub use bifrost::Bifrost;
+pub use bifrost::{Bifrost, ErrorRecoveryStrategy};
 pub use bifrost_admin::{BifrostAdmin, SealedSegment};
 pub use error::{Error, Result};
 pub use read_stream::LogReadStream;
diff --git a/crates/bifrost/src/read_stream.rs b/crates/bifrost/src/read_stream.rs
index 8b95884b3..8ac81c3ee 100644
--- a/crates/bifrost/src/read_stream.rs
+++ b/crates/bifrost/src/read_stream.rs
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ mod tests {
     use restate_types::metadata_store::keys::BIFROST_CONFIG_KEY;
     use restate_types::Versioned;
 
-    use crate::{BifrostAdmin, BifrostService};
+    use crate::{BifrostAdmin, BifrostService, ErrorRecoveryStrategy};
 
     #[restate_core::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
     #[traced_test]
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ mod tests {
         svc.start().await.expect("loglet must start");
 
         let mut reader = bifrost.create_reader(LOG_ID, KeyFilter::Any, read_from, Lsn::MAX)?;
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
 
         let tail = bifrost.find_tail(LOG_ID).await?;
         // no records have been written
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
         svc.start().await.expect("loglet must start");
 
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
 
         assert_eq!(Lsn::INVALID, bifrost.get_trim_point(LOG_ID).await?);
 
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         // create the reader and put it on the side.
         let mut reader = bifrost.create_reader(LOG_ID, KeyFilter::Any, Lsn::OLDEST, Lsn::MAX)?;
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
         // We should be at tail, any attempt to read will yield `pending`.
         assert_that!(
             futures::poll!(std::pin::pin!(reader.next())),
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
         svc.start().await.expect("loglet must start");
 
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
 
         let tail = bifrost.find_tail(LOG_ID).await?;
         // no records have been written
@@ -922,7 +922,7 @@ mod tests {
             .enable_in_memory_loglet();
         let bifrost = svc.handle();
         svc.start().await.expect("loglet must start");
-        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+        let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait)?;
 
         let metadata = Metadata::current();
         // prepare a chain that starts from Lsn 10 (we expect trim from OLDEST -> 9)
diff --git a/crates/wal-protocol/src/lib.rs b/crates/wal-protocol/src/lib.rs
index feec06619..d3a5418ce 100644
--- a/crates/wal-protocol/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/wal-protocol/src/lib.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use bytes::{Bytes, BytesMut};
-use restate_bifrost::Bifrost;
+use restate_bifrost::{Bifrost, ErrorRecoveryStrategy};
 use restate_core::{Metadata, ShutdownError};
 use restate_storage_api::deduplication_table::DedupInformation;
 use restate_types::identifiers::{LeaderEpoch, PartitionId, PartitionKey, WithPartitionKey};
@@ -231,6 +231,10 @@ pub enum Error {
 ///
 /// Important: This method must only be called in the context of a [`TaskCenter`] task because
 /// it needs access to [`metadata()`].
+///
+/// todo: This method should be removed in favor of using Appender/BackgroundAppender API in
+/// Bifrost. Additionally, the check for partition_table is probably unnecessary in the vast
+/// majority of call-sites.
 pub async fn append_envelope_to_bifrost(
     bifrost: &Bifrost,
     envelope: Arc<Envelope>,
@@ -246,7 +250,9 @@ pub async fn append_envelope_to_bifrost(
     let log_id = LogId::from(*partition_id);
     // todo: Pass the envelope as `Arc` to `append_envelope_to_bifrost` instead. Possibly use
     // triomphe's UniqueArc for a mutable Arc during construction.
-    let lsn = bifrost.append(log_id, envelope).await?;
+    let lsn = bifrost
+        .append(log_id, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::default(), envelope)
+        .await?;
 
     Ok((log_id, lsn))
 }
diff --git a/crates/worker/src/partition/leadership/self_proposer.rs b/crates/worker/src/partition/leadership/self_proposer.rs
index a3611463c..5f561206d 100644
--- a/crates/worker/src/partition/leadership/self_proposer.rs
+++ b/crates/worker/src/partition/leadership/self_proposer.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 use crate::partition::leadership::Error;
 use futures::never::Never;
-use restate_bifrost::{Bifrost, CommitToken};
+use restate_bifrost::{Bifrost, CommitToken, ErrorRecoveryStrategy};
 use restate_core::my_node_id;
 use restate_storage_api::deduplication_table::{DedupInformation, EpochSequenceNumber};
 use restate_types::identifiers::{PartitionId, PartitionKey};
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ impl SelfProposer {
         let bifrost_appender = bifrost
             .create_background_appender(
                 LogId::from(partition_id),
+                ErrorRecoveryStrategy::extend_preferred(),
                 BIFROST_QUEUE_SIZE,
                 MAX_BIFROST_APPEND_BATCH,
             )?
diff --git a/server/tests/replicated_loglet.rs b/server/tests/replicated_loglet.rs
index 621aa73b6..8fa79c7f2 100644
--- a/server/tests/replicated_loglet.rs
+++ b/server/tests/replicated_loglet.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     use futures_util::StreamExt;
     use googletest::prelude::*;
-    use restate_bifrost::loglet::AppendError;
+    use restate_bifrost::{loglet::AppendError, ErrorRecoveryStrategy};
     use restate_core::{cancellation_token, Metadata, TaskCenterFutureExt};
     use test_log::test;
 
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ mod tests {
                                 let offset = bifrost
                                     .append(
                                         log_id,
+                                        ErrorRecoveryStrategy::Wait,
                                         format!("appender-{appender_id}-record{i}"),
                                     )
                                     .await?;
diff --git a/tools/bifrost-benchpress/src/append_latency.rs b/tools/bifrost-benchpress/src/append_latency.rs
index 37d5a82df..9c696a020 100644
--- a/tools/bifrost-benchpress/src/append_latency.rs
+++ b/tools/bifrost-benchpress/src/append_latency.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use bytes::BytesMut;
 use hdrhistogram::Histogram;
 use tracing::info;
 
-use restate_bifrost::Bifrost;
+use restate_bifrost::{Bifrost, ErrorRecoveryStrategy};
 use restate_types::logs::{LogId, WithKeys};
 
 use crate::util::{print_latencies, DummyPayload};
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ pub async fn run(
     let blob = BytesMut::zeroed(args.payload_size).freeze();
     let mut append_latencies = Histogram::<u64>::new(3)?;
     let mut counter = 0;
-    let mut appender = bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID)?;
+    let mut appender =
+        bifrost.create_appender(LOG_ID, ErrorRecoveryStrategy::extend_preferred())?;
     let start = Instant::now();
     loop {
         if counter >= args.num_records {
diff --git a/tools/bifrost-benchpress/src/write_to_read.rs b/tools/bifrost-benchpress/src/write_to_read.rs
index f4f58f63a..eff7ac025 100644
--- a/tools/bifrost-benchpress/src/write_to_read.rs
+++ b/tools/bifrost-benchpress/src/write_to_read.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use futures::StreamExt;
 use hdrhistogram::Histogram;
 use tracing::info;
 
-use restate_bifrost::Bifrost;
+use restate_bifrost::{Bifrost, ErrorRecoveryStrategy};
 use restate_core::{Metadata, TaskCenter, TaskHandle, TaskKind};
 use restate_types::logs::{KeyFilter, LogId, Lsn, SequenceNumber, WithKeys};
 
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ pub async fn run(_common_args: &Arguments, args: &WriteToReadOpts, bifrost: Bifr
                 let appender_handle = bifrost
                     .create_background_appender(
                         LOG_ID,
+                        ErrorRecoveryStrategy::extend_preferred(),
                         args.write_buffer_size,
                         args.max_batch_size,
                     )?