diff --git a/src/lib/db/client.ts b/src/lib/db/client.ts
index 880f337..993a134 100644
--- a/src/lib/db/client.ts
+++ b/src/lib/db/client.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ fs.mkdirSync(dataDir, { recursive: true });
 const sqlite = new Database(path.join(dataDir, "db.sqlite"));
 sqlite.pragma("journal_mode = WAL");
 sqlite.pragma("foreign_keys = ON");
+// Next's build-time page-data collection evaluates route modules across
+// several worker processes concurrently — without this, two workers
+// racing to open/initialize a fresh db.sqlite can throw SQLITE_BUSY
+// instead of just waiting the few ms for the other's lock to clear.
+sqlite.pragma("busy_timeout = 5000");
 
 export const db = drizzle(sqlite, { schema });
 export type DB = typeof db;