diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 37301da..3b98414 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ OM_TELEMETRY=true
 # Server Mode
 OM_MODE=standard # standard | langgraph
 
+# Database Initialization Delay (milliseconds)
+# Delay before running initial decay process to ensure database is ready
+# Helps prevent race conditions with SQLite initialization
+# Default: 3000 (3 seconds)
+OM_DB_INIT_DELAY_MS=3000
+
 # --------------------------------------------
 # Metadata Store
 # --------------------------------------------
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 94c630d..2a39cc0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ exports
 *.egg-info
 *.vsix
 __pycache__
-test
\ No newline at end of file
+test.chunkhound/
diff --git a/backend/src/core/cfg.ts b/backend/src/core/cfg.ts
index 4826212..7604fc1 100644
--- a/backend/src/core/cfg.ts
+++ b/backend/src/core/cfg.ts
@@ -107,4 +107,5 @@ export const env = {
     summary_layers: num(process.env.OM_SUMMARY_LAYERS, 3),
     keyword_boost: num(process.env.OM_KEYWORD_BOOST, 2.5),
     keyword_min_length: num(process.env.OM_KEYWORD_MIN_LENGTH, 3),
+    db_init_delay_ms: num(process.env.OM_DB_INIT_DELAY_MS, 3000),
 };
diff --git a/backend/src/memory/hsg.ts b/backend/src/memory/hsg.ts
index 101831d..488602d 100644
--- a/backend/src/memory/hsg.ts
+++ b/backend/src/memory/hsg.ts
@@ -993,7 +993,17 @@ export async function run_decay_process(): Promise<{
     processed: number;
     decayed: number;
 }> {
+    console.log('[DECAY] Querying memories from database...');
     const mems = await q.all_mem.all(10000, 0);
+    console.log(`[DECAY] Retrieved ${mems.length} memories from database`);
+    
+    if (mems.length === 0) {
+        console.warn('[DECAY] ⚠️  WARNING: No memories retrieved! Possible causes:');
+        console.warn('[DECAY]    - Database not initialized');
+        console.warn('[DECAY]    - Wrong database path');
+        console.warn('[DECAY]    - Database file is empty');
+    }
+    
     let p = 0,
         d = 0;
     for (const m of mems) {
@@ -1006,6 +1016,8 @@ export async function run_decay_process(): Promise<{
         p++;
     }
     if (d > 0) await log_maint_op("decay", d);
+    
+    console.log(`[DECAY] Completed: Processed ${p} memories, updated ${d}`);
     return { processed: p, decayed: d };
 }
 export async function add_hsg_memory(
diff --git a/backend/src/server/index.ts b/backend/src/server/index.ts
index e6c8b79..985623a 100644
--- a/backend/src/server/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/server/index.ts
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ import { start_reflection } from "../memory/reflect";
 import { start_user_summary_reflection } from "../memory/user_summary";
 import { sendTelemetry } from "../core/telemetry";
 import { req_tracker_mw } from "./routes/dashboard";
-
-const ASC = `   ____                   __  __                                 
+const ASC = `
+   ____                   __  __                                
   / __ \\                 |  \\/  |                                
  | |  | |_ __   ___ _ __ | \\  / | ___ _ __ ___   ___  _ __ _   _ 
  | |  | | '_ \\ / _ \\ '_ \\| |\\/| |/ _ \\ '_ \` _ \\ / _ \\| '__| | | |
@@ -98,13 +98,22 @@ setInterval(
     },
     7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000,
 );
-run_decay_process()
-    .then((result: any) => {
+// Wait for database initialization before running decay
+// This prevents race conditions where decay runs before SQLite is fully ready
+setTimeout(async () => {
+    try {
+        console.log('[INIT] Starting delayed decay process to ensure database is ready...');
+        const result = await run_decay_process();
         console.log(
             `[INIT] Initial decay: ${result.decayed}/${result.processed} memories updated`,
         );
-    })
-    .catch(console.error);
+        if (result.processed === 0) {
+            console.warn('[INIT] ⚠️  WARNING: No memories were processed! Database may not be initialized.');
+        }
+    } catch (error) {
+        console.error("[INIT] Initial decay failed:", error);
+    }
+}, env.db_init_delay_ms);
 
 start_reflection();
 start_user_summary_reflection();