diff --git a/server/plugins/migrate.ts b/server/plugins/migrate.ts
index a0124cb..885fe33 100644
--- a/server/plugins/migrate.ts
+++ b/server/plugins/migrate.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,19 @@
 import { migrate } from "drizzle-orm/better-sqlite3/migrator";
 import { db } from "../db/index";
 import { resolve } from "path";
+import { existsSync } from "fs";
 
-export default defineNitroPlugin(async () => {
-  const migrationsFolder = process.env.MIGRATIONS_PATH || resolve(process.cwd(), "drizzle");
+// run synchronously at module load — before any request handler fires
+const migrationsFolder = process.env.MIGRATIONS_PATH || resolve(process.cwd(), "drizzle");
+
+console.log(`[revisione] running migrations from: ${migrationsFolder} (exists: ${existsSync(migrationsFolder)})`);
+
+try {
   migrate(db, { migrationsFolder });
   console.log("[revisione] db migrations applied");
-});
+} catch (err: any) {
+  console.error("[revisione] MIGRATION FAILED:", err?.message ?? err);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+export default defineNitroPlugin(() => {});