diff --git a/server/db.ts b/server/db.ts
index 5bea859..eadd63f 100644
--- a/server/db.ts
+++ b/server/db.ts
@@ -18,9 +18,22 @@ const pool = new Pool({
 
 export const db = drizzle(pool);
 
+// Use raw pool client for DDL — Drizzle wraps queries in prepared statements
+// and PostgreSQL rejects CREATE/ALTER IF NOT EXISTS in prepared queries.
+async function executeDDL(query: string): Promise<void> {
+  const client = await pool.connect();
+  try {
+    await client.query(query);
+  } catch {
+    // Table/column already exists — ignore silently
+  } finally {
+    client.release();
+  }
+}
+
 // Initialize users table if it doesn't exist (called at startup)
 export async function initDb(): Promise<void> {
-  await db.execute(`
+  await executeDDL(`
     CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
       id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
       name TEXT NOT NULL,
@@ -32,14 +45,14 @@ export async function initDb(): Promise<void> {
       created_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE NOT NULL DEFAULT NOW()
     )
   `);
-  
+
   // Add columns if they don't exist (for existing tables)
-  await addColumnIfExists('email_verified', 'BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT FALSE');
-  await addColumnIfExists('verification_token', 'TEXT');
-  await addColumnIfExists('verification_token_expiry', 'TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE');
+  await executeDDL(`ALTER TABLE users ADD COLUMN email_verified BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT FALSE`);
+  await executeDDL(`ALTER TABLE users ADD COLUMN verification_token TEXT`);
+  await executeDDL(`ALTER TABLE users ADD COLUMN verification_token_expiry TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE`);
 
   // Create custom_symbols table
-  await db.execute(`
+  await executeDDL(`
     CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS custom_symbols (
       id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
       ticker TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
@@ -52,14 +65,6 @@ export async function initDb(): Promise<void> {
   `);
 }
 
-async function addColumnIfExists(column: string, typeDef: string): Promise<void> {
-  try {
-    await db.execute(`ALTER TABLE users ADD COLUMN ${column} ${typeDef}`);
-  } catch {
-    // Column already exists or table doesn't exist — ignore
-  }
-}
-
 export async function createUser(data: NewUser): Promise<User> {
   const [user] = await db.insert(users).values(data).returning();
   return user;