diff --git a/deep_agent/aegra/startup.py b/deep_agent/aegra/startup.py
index bb2c2fdf..199ced04 100644
--- a/deep_agent/aegra/startup.py
+++ b/deep_agent/aegra/startup.py
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ async def _ensure_database() -> str:
         return "ok"
     except Exception as exc:
         logger.error("Database setup failed: %s", exc)
-        return f"error: {exc}"
+        raise
 
 
 async def _warm_caches() -> str:
diff --git a/tests/unit/aegra/test_startup.py b/tests/unit/aegra/test_startup.py
index d0dceb75..bc06bf1c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/aegra/test_startup.py
+++ b/tests/unit/aegra/test_startup.py
@@ -43,6 +43,28 @@ async def test_idempotent(self):
         result = await startup.run_startup()
         assert result["status"] == "already_complete"
 
+    async def test_not_ready_when_database_fails(self):
+        with (
+            patch.object(
+                startup, "_validate_config", new_callable=AsyncMock, return_value="ok"
+            ),
+            patch.object(
+                startup,
+                "_init_aegra_db",
+                new_callable=AsyncMock,
+                return_value="ok",
+            ),
+            patch.object(
+                startup,
+                "_ensure_database",
+                new_callable=AsyncMock,
+                side_effect=ConnectionError("db down"),
+            ),
+        ):
+            with pytest.raises(ConnectionError, match="db down"):
+                await startup.run_startup()
+        assert startup.is_ready() is False
+
 
 class TestValidateConfig:
     async def test_valid(self):
@@ -98,6 +120,30 @@ async def test_db_ok(self):
         mock_feedback.ensure_table.assert_awaited_once()
         mock_mcp_store.ensure_tables.assert_awaited_once()
 
+    async def test_db_failure_propagates(self):
+        mock_settings = MagicMock()
+        mock_settings.database_uri = "postgresql://test"
+        mock_settings.MONGODB_URI = ""
+        mock_personalization = AsyncMock()
+        mock_personalization.ensure_tables.side_effect = ConnectionError("refused")
+        with (
+            patch("deep_agent.src.settings.settings", mock_settings),
+            patch(
+                "deep_agent.src.personalization.repository.PersonalizationRepository",
+                return_value=mock_personalization,
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "deep_agent.src.feedback.repository.FeedbackRepository",
+                return_value=AsyncMock(),
+            ),
+            patch(
+                "deep_agent.aegra.mcp_token_store.McpTokenStore",
+                return_value=AsyncMock(),
+            ),
+        ):
+            with pytest.raises(ConnectionError, match="refused"):
+                await startup._ensure_database()
+
     async def test_mongo_indexes_when_configured(self):
         import sys