diff --git a/.github/workflows/README.md b/.github/workflows/README.md
index 98116b640..bfc5acff8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/README.md
+++ b/.github/workflows/README.md
@@ -342,6 +342,14 @@ gh workflow run database-migration.yml \
   -f direction=down \
   -f steps=2
 
+# Rollback 1 migration on AWS prod (requires typed confirmation)
+gh workflow run database-migration.yml \
+  -f cloud=aws \
+  -f environment=prod \
+  -f direction=down \
+  -f steps=1 \
+  -f confirm=rollback-prod
+
 # Apply to all clouds
 gh workflow run database-migration.yml \
   -f cloud=all \
@@ -351,10 +359,11 @@ gh workflow run database-migration.yml \
 
 ### Safety Features
 
-- **Validation** - Checks migration files exist
-- **Production Warnings** - Warns on prod down migrations
-- **Audit Trail** - Records all migrations
-- **Step Control** - Apply specific number of migrations
+- **Validation** - Checks migration files exist before running
+- **Explicit steps required** - `direction=down` requires an explicit positive `steps` value; `steps=0` (the default, which would run `down -all` and drop the entire schema) is rejected
+- **Production confirmation** - `direction=down` on `environment=prod` additionally requires typing `rollback-prod` in the `confirm` input; omitting or mistyping it blocks the run
+- **Defense in depth** - each migrate job independently re-validates the positive-steps constraint, so a future validate regression cannot reach `down -all`
+- **Audit Trail** - Records all migrations in the step summary
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/database-migration.yml b/.github/workflows/database-migration.yml
index 0a6463e9d..29b39b479 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/database-migration.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/database-migration.yml
@@ -47,10 +47,15 @@ on:
         options: [up, down]
         default: up
       steps:
-        description: 'Number of migrations to apply/rollback (0 = all)'
+        description: 'Number of migrations to apply/rollback (0 = all; for direction=down an explicit positive value is required)'
         required: false
         type: number
         default: 0
+      confirm:
+        description: 'Type "rollback-prod" to confirm a down migration on prod (ignored otherwise)'
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: ''
   workflow_call:
     inputs:
       cloud:
@@ -83,6 +88,11 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Safety checks
         id: check
+        env:
+          ENVIRONMENT: ${{ inputs.environment }}
+          DIRECTION: ${{ inputs.direction }}
+          STEPS: ${{ inputs.steps }}
+          CONFIRM: ${{ inputs.confirm }}
         run: |
           IS_SAFE=true
 
@@ -92,11 +102,25 @@ jobs:
             IS_SAFE=false
           fi
 
-          # Warn on production down migrations
-          if [[ "${{ inputs.environment }}" == "prod" ]] && [[ "${{ inputs.direction }}" == "down" ]]; then
-            echo "⚠️ WARNING: Attempting to rollback migrations on PRODUCTION"
-            echo "This operation is destructive and may cause data loss!"
-            # For production, we don't auto-fail, but require manual confirmation
+          # Down migrations must specify an explicit positive step count.
+          # steps=0 (the default) would run 'migrate down -all' and drop the
+          # entire schema, so it is rejected here for direction=down.
+          if [[ "$DIRECTION" == "down" ]]; then
+            if ! [[ "$STEPS" =~ ^[1-9][0-9]*$ ]]; then
+              echo "❌ direction=down requires an explicit positive 'steps' value (got '${STEPS:-<empty>}')."
+              echo "Rolling back ALL migrations at once is not supported by this workflow."
+              IS_SAFE=false
+            fi
+
+            # Production down migrations additionally require typed confirmation.
+            if [[ "$ENVIRONMENT" == "prod" ]]; then
+              echo "⚠️ WARNING: Attempting to rollback migrations on PRODUCTION"
+              echo "This operation is destructive and may cause data loss!"
+              if [[ "$CONFIRM" != "rollback-prod" ]]; then
+                echo "❌ Production rollback requires typing 'rollback-prod' in the 'confirm' input."
+                IS_SAFE=false
+              fi
+            fi
           fi
 
           # Check migration files
@@ -116,6 +140,11 @@ jobs:
 
           echo "is_safe=$IS_SAFE" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
+          if [[ "$IS_SAFE" != "true" ]]; then
+            echo "Validation failed; refusing to run migrations."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
       - name: Display migration plan
         run: |
           echo "## Database Migration Plan" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
@@ -148,7 +177,7 @@ jobs:
           persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up Go
-        uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-go@4a3601121dd01d1626a1e23e37211e3254c1c06c # v6.4.0
         with:
           go-version-file: go.mod
 
@@ -188,13 +217,13 @@ jobs:
               migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" up ${{ inputs.steps }}
             fi
           else
-            if [[ "${{ inputs.steps }}" == "0" ]]; then
-              echo "Rolling back all migrations..."
-              migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" down -all
-            else
-              echo "Rolling back ${{ inputs.steps }} migration(s)..."
-              migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" down ${{ inputs.steps }}
+            # Defense in depth: validate already rejects this, but never run 'down -all'.
+            if ! [[ "${{ inputs.steps }}" =~ ^[1-9][0-9]*$ ]]; then
+              echo "❌ Refusing to roll back without an explicit positive 'steps' value."
+              exit 1
             fi
+            echo "Rolling back ${{ inputs.steps }} migration(s)..."
+            migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" down ${{ inputs.steps }}
           fi
 
       - name: Get migration version
@@ -224,7 +253,7 @@ jobs:
           persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up Go
-        uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-go@4a3601121dd01d1626a1e23e37211e3254c1c06c # v6.4.0
         with:
           go-version-file: go.mod
 
@@ -265,11 +294,12 @@ jobs:
               migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" up ${{ inputs.steps }}
             fi
           else
-            if [[ "${{ inputs.steps }}" == "0" ]]; then
-              migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" down -all
-            else
-              migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" down ${{ inputs.steps }}
+            # Defense in depth: validate already rejects this, but never run 'down -all'.
+            if ! [[ "${{ inputs.steps }}" =~ ^[1-9][0-9]*$ ]]; then
+              echo "❌ Refusing to roll back without an explicit positive 'steps' value."
+              exit 1
             fi
+            migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" down ${{ inputs.steps }}
           fi
 
   # Run Azure migrations
@@ -290,7 +320,7 @@ jobs:
           persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up Go
-        uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-go@4a3601121dd01d1626a1e23e37211e3254c1c06c # v6.4.0
         with:
           go-version-file: go.mod
 
@@ -329,11 +359,12 @@ jobs:
               migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" up ${{ inputs.steps }}
             fi
           else
-            if [[ "${{ inputs.steps }}" == "0" ]]; then
-              migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" down -all
-            else
-              migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" down ${{ inputs.steps }}
+            # Defense in depth: validate already rejects this, but never run 'down -all'.
+            if ! [[ "${{ inputs.steps }}" =~ ^[1-9][0-9]*$ ]]; then
+              echo "❌ Refusing to roll back without an explicit positive 'steps' value."
+              exit 1
             fi
+            migrate -path ${{ env.MIGRATIONS_PATH }} -database "$DB_URL" down ${{ inputs.steps }}
           fi
 
   # Summary