diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/notifications/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/notifications/__init__.py
index e29c58c0c..6ffe45000 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/notifications/__init__.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/notifications/__init__.py
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ the router in :mod:`app.notifications.api` exposes the inbox endpoints.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+# Initialize app.db first to avoid a partial-init circular import when this
+# package is the entry point (e.g. Celery loading it before any ORM code).
+import app.db  # noqa: F401
+
 from app.notifications.persistence import Notification
 from app.notifications.service import NotificationService