diff --git a/src/db/ensure-runtime-schema.ts b/src/db/ensure-runtime-schema.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55f8ad8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db/ensure-runtime-schema.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { db } from "./client.js";
+import { log } from "../log.js";
+
+async function ensureGrowConversationsMetadataColumn() {
+  await db.execute(`
+    ALTER TABLE grow_conversations
+    ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS metadata jsonb NOT NULL DEFAULT '{}'::jsonb
+  `);
+}
+
+export async function ensureRuntimeSchema() {
+  await ensureGrowConversationsMetadataColumn();
+  log.info("runtime schema ensured");
+}
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 73ba222..61057a3 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -24,12 +24,14 @@ import { logRoutes } from "./routes/logs.js";
 import { v1Routes } from "./v1/index.js";
 import { startGrowEventsRedisConsumer } from "./events/redis-consumer.js";
 import { db } from "./db/client.js";
+import { ensureRuntimeSchema } from "./db/ensure-runtime-schema.js";
 import { hydratePortAllocator, reconcileOnBoot, ensureCentralGiteaReady } from "./docker/manager.js";
 import { initCatalog } from "./agents/catalog.js";
 
 async function main() {
   // Boot-time DB sanity + reconcile + central Gitea readiness.
   await db.execute("select 1");
+  await ensureRuntimeSchema();
   await hydratePortAllocator();
 
   // Ensure central Gitea is reachable before accepting traffic (changes.md §2A).
diff --git a/src/routes/users.ts b/src/routes/users.ts
index 56747a4..335b6cc 100644
--- a/src/routes/users.ts
+++ b/src/routes/users.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import { requireUser, type AuthContext } from "../auth/clerk.js";
 import { db } from "../db/client.js";
 import { growEvents, users, userStacks, type UserStack } from "../db/schema.js";
 import { and, desc, eq, inArray } from "drizzle-orm";
-import { provisionUserStack } from "../docker/manager.js";
 import { log } from "../log.js";
 import { config } from "../config.js";
 import { ensureOnboardingBaselineQscore } from "../events/onboarding-qscore.js";
@@ -18,12 +17,6 @@ function publicStack(stack: UserStack | null | undefined) {
   return safe;
 }
 
-function shouldStartProvisioning(stack: UserStack | null | undefined) {
-  if (!stack || stack.status === "error" || stack.status === "stopped") return true;
-  if (stack.status !== "provisioning") return false;
-  return Date.now() - stack.updatedAt.getTime() >= 5 * 60_000;
-}
-
 function userServiceTarget(path: string, search = "") {
   return new URL(`/api/v1/users${path}${search}`, config.userServiceUrl.replace(/\/$/, ""));
 }
@@ -110,12 +103,6 @@ export function userRoutes() {
       where: eq(userStacks.userId, userId),
     });
 
-    if (shouldStartProvisioning(stack)) {
-      void provisionUserStack(userId).catch((err) =>
-        log.error({ err, userId }, "background provision failed"),
-      );
-    }
-
     return c.json({
       user: userServiceUser,
       backendUser: userRow,