diff --git a/packages/db/drizzle.config.ts b/packages/db/drizzle.config.ts
index 65ea990..41c1b6b 100644
--- a/packages/db/drizzle.config.ts
+++ b/packages/db/drizzle.config.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ export default defineConfig({
   schema: "./src/schema.ts",
   out: "./drizzle",
   dbCredentials: {
-    url: process.env.DATABASE_URL ?? "./parking.sqlite",
+    // Default to the live appliance DB (apps/server), NOT a stray ./parking.sqlite in
+    // this package. The `db:migrate` script also sets DATABASE_URL to this. Override with
+    // DATABASE_URL to target another DB.
+    url: process.env.DATABASE_URL ?? "../../apps/server/parking.sqlite",
   },
 });
diff --git a/packages/db/package.json b/packages/db/package.json
index 125a2fd..13903fc 100644
--- a/packages/db/package.json
+++ b/packages/db/package.json
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "lint": "tsc --noEmit",
     "db:generate": "drizzle-kit generate",
-    "db:migrate": "drizzle-kit migrate"
+    "db:migrate": "DATABASE_URL=\"${DATABASE_URL:-../../apps/server/parking.sqlite}\" drizzle-kit migrate"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@parking/shared": "workspace:*",