diff --git a/scripts/init-db.js b/scripts/init-db.js
index a71997a..d897401 100644
--- a/scripts/init-db.js
+++ b/scripts/init-db.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 
 const { Pool } = require('pg')
+const fs = require('fs')
+const path = require('path')
 
 const DB_HOST = process.env.DB_HOST || 'localhost'
 const DB_PORT = parseInt(process.env.DB_PORT || '5432', 10)
@@ -33,9 +35,38 @@ async function main() {
   } finally {
     await admin.end().catch(() => {})
   }
+
+  // Connect to the target DB and apply schema
+  const db = new Pool({
+    host: DB_HOST,
+    port: DB_PORT,
+    database: DB_NAME,
+    user: DB_USER,
+    password: DB_PASSWORD,
+  })
+
+  try {
+    const schemaPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'src', 'lib', 'database', 'schema.sql')
+    const schema = fs.readFileSync(schemaPath, 'utf8')
+    console.log('🔧 Applying schema...')
+    await db.query(schema)
+    console.log('✅ Schema applied')
+  } catch (err) {
+    // 42P07 duplicate_table, 42710 duplicate_object, 23505 unique_violation (for seed inserts)
+    const ignorable = new Set(['42P07', '42710', '23505'])
+    if (err && ignorable.has(err.code)) {
+      console.log('ℹ️ Schema objects already exist; skipping')
+    } else {
+      console.error('❌ Schema apply error:', err)
+      process.exitCode = 1
+    }
+  } finally {
+    await db.end().catch(() => {})
+  }
 }
 
 main().catch((e) => {
   console.error('❌ init:db failed:', e)
   process.exit(1)
 })
+