diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 4a43484..90ee7fa 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -6046,9 +6046,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/dompurify": {
-      "version": "3.4.15",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dompurify/-/dompurify-3.4.15.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-EUBjM+B+lkDE41iE82DDSCfkoPGfXx8IxFxPMjNzm/Uk4xDet77rTN9wqlxlVg71kK7XGuUMv6wUxJUwwv+Xyw==",
+      "version": "3.4.16",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dompurify/-/dompurify-3.4.16.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-sqo+pNp3qRhCIpbgRi1y8Tgk27Bo2Ry7w0dC1NBeNTdZChWjz9Xb/KOoZbRP/R6pQZ80Qw8YhXw13hWWBbMRnQ==",
       "license": "(MPL-2.0 OR Apache-2.0)",
       "peer": true,
       "optionalDependencies": {
diff --git a/src/lib/db/index.ts b/src/lib/db/index.ts
index 1c47f7d..0a09f28 100644
--- a/src/lib/db/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/db/index.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,12 @@ const dbUrl = process.env.DB_URL || "data/learning-platform.db";
 const dbPath = dbUrl.startsWith("/") ? dbUrl : join(/*turbopackIgnore: true*/ process.cwd(), dbUrl);
 const sqlite = new Database(dbPath);
 
-// Enable WAL mode for better concurrent read performance
-sqlite.pragma("journal_mode = WAL");
+// Enable WAL mode for better concurrent read performance.
+// ponytail: WAL persists in the file; parallel build workers race on a fresh DB, the winner sets it.
+try {
+  sqlite.pragma("journal_mode = WAL");
+} catch (e) {
+  if ((e as { code?: string }).code !== "SQLITE_BUSY") throw e;
+}
 
 export const db = drizzle(sqlite, { schema });