Systems and methods of optical restoration include, in an optical network with a photonic service operating between two nodes via an associated optical modem at each node, wherein each modem is capable of supporting variable capacity, C1, C2, . . . , CN where C1>C2> . . . >CN, detecting a fault on a home route of the photonic service while the photonic service operates at a home route capacity CH, CH is one of C1, C2, . . . , CN−1; downshifting the photonic service to a restoration route capacity CR, CR is one of C2, C2 . . . , CN and CR