diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/storycove/config/DatabaseMigrationRunner.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/storycove/config/DatabaseMigrationRunner.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e2839e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/storycove/config/DatabaseMigrationRunner.java
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+package com.storycove.config;
+
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Value;
+import org.springframework.boot.CommandLineRunner;
+import org.springframework.core.annotation.Order;
+import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
+
+import javax.sql.DataSource;
+import java.sql.Connection;
+import java.sql.Statement;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * Runs database migrations on application startup.
+ * This ensures all library databases have the required schema,
+ * particularly for tables like backup_jobs that were added after initial deployment.
+ */
+@Component
+@Order(1) // Run early in startup sequence
+public class DatabaseMigrationRunner implements CommandLineRunner {
+
+    private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(DatabaseMigrationRunner.class);
+
+    @Autowired
+    private DataSource dataSource;
+
+    @Value("${spring.datasource.username}")
+    private String dbUsername;
+
+    @Value("${spring.datasource.password}")
+    private String dbPassword;
+
+    // List of all library databases that need migrations
+    private static final List<String> LIBRARY_DATABASES = Arrays.asList(
+        "storycove",           // default database
+        "storycove_afterdark",
+        "storycove_clas",
+        "storycove_secret"
+    );
+
+    // SQL for backup_jobs table migration (idempotent)
+    private static final String BACKUP_JOBS_MIGRATION = """
+        CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS backup_jobs (
+            id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
+            library_id VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
+            type VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL CHECK (type IN ('DATABASE_ONLY', 'COMPLETE')),
+            status VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL CHECK (status IN ('PENDING', 'IN_PROGRESS', 'COMPLETED', 'FAILED', 'EXPIRED')),
+            file_path VARCHAR(1000),
+            file_size_bytes BIGINT,
+            progress_percent INTEGER,
+            error_message VARCHAR(1000),
+            created_at TIMESTAMP NOT NULL,
+            started_at TIMESTAMP,
+            completed_at TIMESTAMP,
+            expires_at TIMESTAMP
+        );
+
+        CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_backup_jobs_library_id ON backup_jobs(library_id);
+        CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_backup_jobs_status ON backup_jobs(status);
+        CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_backup_jobs_expires_at ON backup_jobs(expires_at);
+        CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_backup_jobs_created_at ON backup_jobs(created_at DESC);
+        """;
+
+    @Override
+    public void run(String... args) throws Exception {
+        logger.info("🗄️  Starting database migrations...");
+
+        for (String database : LIBRARY_DATABASES) {
+            try {
+                applyMigrations(database);
+                logger.info("✅ Successfully applied migrations to database: {}", database);
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                // Log error but don't fail startup if database doesn't exist yet
+                if (e.getMessage() != null && e.getMessage().contains("does not exist")) {
+                    logger.warn("⚠️  Database {} does not exist yet, skipping migrations", database);
+                } else {
+                    logger.error("❌ Failed to apply migrations to database: {}", database, e);
+                    // Don't throw - allow application to start even if some migrations fail
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        logger.info("✅ Database migrations completed");
+    }
+
+    private void applyMigrations(String database) throws Exception {
+        // We need to connect directly to each database, not through SmartRoutingDataSource
+        // Build connection URL from the default datasource URL
+        String originalUrl = dataSource.getConnection().getMetaData().getURL();
+        String baseUrl = originalUrl.substring(0, originalUrl.lastIndexOf('/'));
+        String targetUrl = baseUrl + "/" + database;
+
+        // Connect directly to target database using credentials from application properties
+        try (Connection conn = java.sql.DriverManager.getConnection(
+                targetUrl,
+                dbUsername,
+                dbPassword
+        )) {
+            // Apply backup_jobs migration
+            try (Statement stmt = conn.createStatement()) {
+                stmt.execute(BACKUP_JOBS_MIGRATION);
+            }
+
+            logger.debug("Applied backup_jobs migration to {}", database);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 00c374e..24d5981 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ services:
       - library_config:/app/config
     depends_on:
       postgres:
-        condition: service_started
+        condition: service_healthy
       solr:
         condition: service_started
     networks:
@@ -71,35 +71,6 @@ services:
       timeout: 5s
       retries: 5
 
-  migrations:
-    image: postgres:15-alpine
-    depends_on:
-      postgres:
-        condition: service_healthy
-    volumes:
-      - ./backend/create_backup_jobs_table.sql:/migrations/create_backup_jobs_table.sql:ro
-    networks:
-      - storycove-network
-    environment:
-      - PGPASSWORD=${DB_PASSWORD}
-    entrypoint: /bin/sh
-    command: >
-      -c "
-      echo '🗄️  Applying database migrations...';
-      for DB in storycove storycove_afterdark storycove_clas storycove_secret; do
-        if psql -h postgres -U storycove -lqt | cut -d '|' -f 1 | grep -qw \$$DB; then
-          echo \"  ✓ Applying migration to \$$DB...\";
-          psql -h postgres -U storycove -d \$$DB -f /migrations/create_backup_jobs_table.sql > /dev/null 2>&1 || true;
-        fi;
-      done;
-      echo '✅ Migrations complete!';
-      sleep infinity;
-      "
-    deploy:
-      restart_policy:
-        condition: on-failure
-        max_attempts: 1
-
 
   solr:
     build: