diff --git a/app/db.py b/app/db.py
index 8a5a463..39c2562 100644
--- a/app/db.py
+++ b/app/db.py
@@ -35,9 +35,10 @@ class Database:
 
     @contextmanager
     def connect(self) -> Iterator[sqlite3.Connection]:
-        conn = sqlite3.connect(self.path)
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(self.path, timeout=30)
         conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
         conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON")
+        conn.execute("PRAGMA busy_timeout = 30000")
         try:
             yield conn
             conn.commit()
@@ -136,13 +137,14 @@ class Database:
                 conn.execute(
                     "ALTER TABLE routing_rules ADD COLUMN card_body_template TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT '{{symbol}} {{timeframe}} {{strategy}} {{action}} @ {{price}}'"
                 )
-            admin = conn.execute("SELECT id FROM admin_settings WHERE id = 1").fetchone()
-            if not admin:
-                now = now_iso()
-                conn.execute(
-                    "INSERT INTO admin_settings (id, password_hash, created_at, updated_at) VALUES (1, ?, ?, ?)",
-                    (hash_password(settings.admin_password), now, now),
-                )
+            now = now_iso()
+            conn.execute(
+                """
+                INSERT OR IGNORE INTO admin_settings (id, password_hash, created_at, updated_at)
+                VALUES (1, ?, ?, ?)
+                """,
+                (hash_password(settings.admin_password), now, now),
+            )
 
     def cleanup_old_logs(self, retention_days: int) -> int:
         cutoff = (datetime.now(UTC) - timedelta(days=retention_days)).replace(microsecond=0).isoformat()