diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/types/featureToggles.gen.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/types/featureToggles.gen.ts
index b5602037615..0f657aadff7 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/types/featureToggles.gen.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/types/featureToggles.gen.ts
@@ -912,6 +912,10 @@ export interface FeatureToggles {
   */
   unifiedStorageGrpcConnectionPool?: boolean;
   /**
+  * Use KV-backed SQL storage backend instead of direct SQL queries
+  */
+  unifiedStorageKVBackend?: boolean;
+  /**
   * Enables UI functionality to permanently delete alert rules
   * @default true
   */
diff --git a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/registry.go b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/registry.go
index 8ecc3a481e7..f6fb0591dfc 100644
--- a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/registry.go
+++ b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/registry.go
@@ -1580,6 +1580,14 @@ var (
 			HideFromAdminPage: true,
 			HideFromDocs:      true,
 		},
+		{
+			Name:              "unifiedStorageKVBackend",
+			Description:       "Use KV-backed SQL storage backend instead of direct SQL queries",
+			Stage:             FeatureStageExperimental,
+			Owner:             grafanaSearchAndStorageSquad,
+			HideFromAdminPage: true,
+			HideFromDocs:      true,
+		},
 		{
 			Name:              "alertingRulePermanentlyDelete",
 			Description:       "Enables UI functionality to permanently delete alert rules",
diff --git a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.csv b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.csv
index bba9ab351d2..66c7ea7d656 100644
--- a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.csv
+++ b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.csv
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ unifiedStorageHistoryPruner,GA,@grafana/search-and-storage,false,false,false
 azureMonitorLogsBuilderEditor,preview,@grafana/partner-datasources,false,false,false
 localeFormatPreference,preview,@grafana/grafana-frontend-platform,false,false,false
 unifiedStorageGrpcConnectionPool,experimental,@grafana/search-and-storage,false,false,false
+unifiedStorageKVBackend,experimental,@grafana/search-and-storage,false,false,false
 alertingRulePermanentlyDelete,GA,@grafana/alerting-squad,false,false,true
 alertingRuleRecoverDeleted,GA,@grafana/alerting-squad,false,false,true
 multiTenantTempCredentials,experimental,@grafana/aws-datasources,false,false,false
diff --git a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.go b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.go
index 1f5f7b42489..f87d46a3b45 100644
--- a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.go
+++ b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.go
@@ -830,6 +830,10 @@ const (
 	// Enables the unified storage grpc connection pool
 	FlagUnifiedStorageGrpcConnectionPool = "unifiedStorageGrpcConnectionPool"
 
+	// FlagUnifiedStorageKVBackend
+	// Use KV-backed SQL storage backend instead of direct SQL queries
+	FlagUnifiedStorageKVBackend = "unifiedStorageKVBackend"
+
 	// FlagAlertingRulePermanentlyDelete
 	// Enables UI functionality to permanently delete alert rules
 	FlagAlertingRulePermanentlyDelete = "alertingRulePermanentlyDelete"
diff --git a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.json b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.json
index 852e0e7f3b3..81512202e1a 100644
--- a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.json
+++ b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.json
@@ -4208,6 +4208,20 @@
         "expression": "true"
       }
     },
+    {
+      "metadata": {
+        "name": "unifiedStorageKVBackend",
+        "resourceVersion": "1763461706359",
+        "creationTimestamp": "2025-11-18T10:28:26Z"
+      },
+      "spec": {
+        "description": "Use KV-backed SQL storage backend instead of direct SQL queries",
+        "stage": "experimental",
+        "codeowner": "@grafana/search-and-storage",
+        "hideFromAdminPage": true,
+        "hideFromDocs": true
+      }
+    },
     {
       "metadata": {
         "name": "unifiedStorageSearch",
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/server.go b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/server.go
index 60fa9b8467a..97a82dd8dad 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/server.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/server.go
@@ -101,21 +101,46 @@ func NewResourceServer(opts ServerOptions) (resource.ResourceServer, error) {
 		//nolint:staticcheck // not yet migrated to OpenFeature
 		withPruner := opts.Features.IsEnabledGlobally(featuremgmt.FlagUnifiedStorageHistoryPruner)
 
-		backend, err := NewBackend(BackendOptions{
-			DBProvider:           eDB,
-			Tracer:               opts.Tracer,
-			Reg:                  opts.Reg,
-			IsHA:                 isHA,
-			withPruner:           withPruner,
-			storageMetrics:       opts.StorageMetrics,
-			LastImportTimeMaxAge: opts.SearchOptions.MaxIndexAge, // No need to keep last_import_times older than max index age.
-		})
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		// Check if KV backend is enabled via feature flag
+		//nolint:staticcheck // not yet migrated to OpenFeature
+		if opts.Features.IsEnabledGlobally(featuremgmt.FlagUnifiedStorageKVBackend) {
+			// Create SQL KV instance
+			sqlKV, err := resource.NewSQLKV(eDB)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("create SQL KV: %w", err)
+			}
+
+			// Use existing KV storage backend (already implements StorageBackend interface)
+			kvBackend, err := resource.NewKVStorageBackend(resource.KVBackendOptions{
+				KvStore:    sqlKV,
+				WithPruner: withPruner,
+				Tracer:     opts.Tracer,
+				Reg:        opts.Reg,
+			})
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("create KV backend: %w", err)
+			}
+			serverOptions.Backend = kvBackend
+			// Note: kvStorageBackend doesn't implement Diagnostics/Lifecycle yet
+			// For now, we'll leave these nil and they will be handled by the server
+		} else {
+			// Use existing SQL backend
+			backend, err := NewBackend(BackendOptions{
+				DBProvider:           eDB,
+				Tracer:               opts.Tracer,
+				Reg:                  opts.Reg,
+				IsHA:                 isHA,
+				withPruner:           withPruner,
+				storageMetrics:       opts.StorageMetrics,
+				LastImportTimeMaxAge: opts.SearchOptions.MaxIndexAge, // No need to keep last_import_times older than max index age.
+			})
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			serverOptions.Backend = backend
+			serverOptions.Diagnostics = backend
+			serverOptions.Lifecycle = backend
 		}
-		serverOptions.Backend = backend
-		serverOptions.Diagnostics = backend
-		serverOptions.Lifecycle = backend
 	}
 
 	serverOptions.Search = opts.SearchOptions