diff --git a/shelfmark/core/activity_view_state_service.py b/shelfmark/core/activity_view_state_service.py
index 3aeec4c8..8b914e95 100644
--- a/shelfmark/core/activity_view_state_service.py
+++ b/shelfmark/core/activity_view_state_service.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import threading
 from typing import Any
 
 from shelfmark.core.request_helpers import now_utc_iso
+from shelfmark.core.utils import DB_BUSY_TIMEOUT_SECONDS
 
 VALID_ACTIVITY_ITEM_TYPES = frozenset({"download", "request"})
 ADMIN_VIEWER_SCOPE = "admin:shared"
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ class ActivityViewStateService:
         self._lock = threading.Lock()
 
     def _connect(self) -> sqlite3.Connection:
-        conn = sqlite3.connect(self._db_path)
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(self._db_path, timeout=DB_BUSY_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)
         conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
         conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON")
         return conn
diff --git a/shelfmark/core/download_history_service.py b/shelfmark/core/download_history_service.py
index 86c8484e..97738e1e 100644
--- a/shelfmark/core/download_history_service.py
+++ b/shelfmark/core/download_history_service.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from shelfmark.core.request_helpers import (
     normalize_optional_text,
     now_utc_iso,
 )
-from shelfmark.core.utils import transform_cover_url
+from shelfmark.core.utils import DB_BUSY_TIMEOUT_SECONDS, transform_cover_url
 
 logger = setup_logger(__name__)
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class DownloadHistoryService:
         self._lock = threading.Lock()
 
     def _connect(self) -> sqlite3.Connection:
-        conn = sqlite3.connect(self._db_path)
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(self._db_path, timeout=DB_BUSY_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)
         conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
         conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON")
         return conn
diff --git a/shelfmark/core/user_db.py b/shelfmark/core/user_db.py
index ad0734c2..4276dd0a 100644
--- a/shelfmark/core/user_db.py
+++ b/shelfmark/core/user_db.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from shelfmark.core.request_validation import (
     validate_request_level_payload,
     validate_status_transition,
 )
+from shelfmark.core.utils import DB_BUSY_TIMEOUT_SECONDS
 
 logger = setup_logger(__name__)
 
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ class UserDB:
         return self._db_path
 
     def _connect(self) -> sqlite3.Connection:
-        conn = sqlite3.connect(self._db_path)
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(self._db_path, timeout=DB_BUSY_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)
         conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
         conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON")
         return conn
diff --git a/shelfmark/core/utils.py b/shelfmark/core/utils.py
index ab158b70..3c4e8342 100644
--- a/shelfmark/core/utils.py
+++ b/shelfmark/core/utils.py
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 
 logger = setup_logger(__name__)
 
+# How long an app database connection waits for another writer before it raises. SQLite's
+# own default is 5 s, which a start-up migration or a restart reconcile can outlast when a
+# backup or a second process holds the file.
+DB_BUSY_TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 30
+
 
 def normalize_http_url(
     url: str | None,
diff --git a/tests/core/test_db_busy_timeout.py b/tests/core/test_db_busy_timeout.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5e2248eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/core/test_db_busy_timeout.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"""The app databases wait out a busy writer instead of failing at SQLite's 5 s default."""
+
+import pytest
+
+from shelfmark.core.activity_view_state_service import ActivityViewStateService
+from shelfmark.core.download_history_service import DownloadHistoryService
+from shelfmark.core.user_db import UserDB
+
+# SQLite's own default is 5000 ms. A start-up migration or a restart reconcile that meets a
+# writer for a few seconds should wait, not raise.
+_MIN_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS = 15_000
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "service_cls",
+    [UserDB, DownloadHistoryService, ActivityViewStateService],
+)
+def test_app_database_connections_wait_for_a_busy_writer(tmp_path, service_cls):
+    service = service_cls(str(tmp_path / "users.db"))
+
+    conn = service._connect()
+    try:
+        busy_timeout_ms = conn.execute("PRAGMA busy_timeout").fetchone()[0]
+    finally:
+        conn.close()
+
+    assert busy_timeout_ms >= _MIN_BUSY_TIMEOUT_MS