diff --git a/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/5_remove_title_char_limit.py b/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/5_remove_title_char_limit.py
index 2e4cd56d1..afdbaa803 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/5_remove_title_char_limit.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/5_remove_title_char_limit.py
@@ -18,59 +18,77 @@ branch_labels: str | Sequence[str] | None = None
 depends_on: str | Sequence[str] | None = None
 
 
-def upgrade() -> None:
-    # Alter Chat table
-    op.alter_column(
-        "chats",
-        "title",
-        existing_type=sa.String(200),
-        type_=sa.String(),
-        existing_nullable=False,
+def table_exists(table_name: str) -> bool:
+    """Check if a table exists in the database."""
+    conn = op.get_bind()
+    result = conn.execute(
+        sa.text(
+            "SELECT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM information_schema.tables WHERE table_name = :table_name)"
+        ),
+        {"table_name": table_name},
     )
+    return result.scalar()
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    # Alter Chat table (may not exist on fresh databases, removed in migration 49)
+    if table_exists("chats"):
+        op.alter_column(
+            "chats",
+            "title",
+            existing_type=sa.String(200),
+            type_=sa.String(),
+            existing_nullable=False,
+        )
 
     # Alter Document table
-    op.alter_column(
-        "documents",
-        "title",
-        existing_type=sa.String(200),
-        type_=sa.String(),
-        existing_nullable=False,
-    )
+    if table_exists("documents"):
+        op.alter_column(
+            "documents",
+            "title",
+            existing_type=sa.String(200),
+            type_=sa.String(),
+            existing_nullable=False,
+        )
 
     # Alter Podcast table
-    op.alter_column(
-        "podcasts",
-        "title",
-        existing_type=sa.String(200),
-        type_=sa.String(),
-        existing_nullable=False,
-    )
+    if table_exists("podcasts"):
+        op.alter_column(
+            "podcasts",
+            "title",
+            existing_type=sa.String(200),
+            type_=sa.String(),
+            existing_nullable=False,
+        )
 
 
 def downgrade() -> None:
     # Revert Chat table
-    op.alter_column(
-        "chats",
-        "title",
-        existing_type=sa.String(),
-        type_=sa.String(200),
-        existing_nullable=False,
-    )
+    if table_exists("chats"):
+        op.alter_column(
+            "chats",
+            "title",
+            existing_type=sa.String(),
+            type_=sa.String(200),
+            existing_nullable=False,
+        )
 
     # Revert Document table
-    op.alter_column(
-        "documents",
-        "title",
-        existing_type=sa.String(),
-        type_=sa.String(200),
-        existing_nullable=False,
-    )
+    if table_exists("documents"):
+        op.alter_column(
+            "documents",
+            "title",
+            existing_type=sa.String(),
+            type_=sa.String(200),
+            existing_nullable=False,
+        )
 
     # Revert Podcast table
-    op.alter_column(
-        "podcasts",
-        "title",
-        existing_type=sa.String(),
-        type_=sa.String(200),
-        existing_nullable=False,
-    )
+    if table_exists("podcasts"):
+        op.alter_column(
+            "podcasts",
+            "title",
+            existing_type=sa.String(),
+            type_=sa.String(200),
+            existing_nullable=False,
+        )