diff --git a/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/158_evolve_podcasts_lifecycle.py b/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/158_evolve_podcasts_lifecycle.py
index f3b194cbd..ae595cc1b 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/158_evolve_podcasts_lifecycle.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/alembic/versions/158_evolve_podcasts_lifecycle.py
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ Revises: 157
 
 from collections.abc import Sequence
 
-import sqlalchemy as sa
-
 from alembic import op
 
 revision: str = "158"
@@ -16,29 +14,7 @@ branch_labels: str | Sequence[str] | None = None
 depends_on: str | Sequence[str] | None = None
 
 
-def _drop_podcasts_from_publication() -> None:
-    """Detach podcasts from zero_publication so status can be retyped.
-
-    Postgres refuses ``ALTER COLUMN ... TYPE`` on a column a publication
-    depends on. Some databases reach this migration with podcasts already
-    published (an interim apply_publication ran during 156); drop it here and
-    let migration 159 reconcile the publication to the canonical shape.
-    """
-    conn = op.get_bind()
-    published = conn.execute(
-        sa.text(
-            "SELECT 1 FROM pg_publication_tables "
-            "WHERE pubname = 'zero_publication' "
-            "AND schemaname = current_schema() AND tablename = 'podcasts'"
-        )
-    ).fetchone()
-    if published:
-        op.execute('ALTER PUBLICATION "zero_publication" DROP TABLE "podcasts";')
-
-
 def upgrade() -> None:
-    _drop_podcasts_from_publication()
-
     # Retype the status enum by swapping in a fresh type and casting existing
     # rows. The legacy transient value 'generating' maps onto 'rendering'.
     op.execute("ALTER TYPE podcast_status RENAME TO podcast_status_old;")
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/tasks/celery_tasks/auto_reload_task.py b/surfsense_backend/app/tasks/celery_tasks/auto_reload_task.py
index 385cdde88..41a6f0b70 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/tasks/celery_tasks/auto_reload_task.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/tasks/celery_tasks/auto_reload_task.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def _card_error_payment_intent_id(exc: CardError) -> str | None:
 @celery_app.task(name="auto_reload_credits")
 def auto_reload_credits_task(user_id: str):
     """Charge the user's saved card to top up credits when below threshold."""
-    return run_async_celery_task(lambda: _auto_reload_credits(user_id))
+    return run_async_celery_task(_auto_reload_credits, user_id)
 
 
 async def _auto_reload_credits(user_id: str) -> None:
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/zero_publication.py b/surfsense_backend/app/zero_publication.py
index b14ee14d1..139286ee6 100644
--- a/surfsense_backend/app/zero_publication.py
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/zero_publication.py
@@ -86,15 +86,18 @@ def _quote_identifier(identifier: str) -> str:
     return '"' + identifier.replace('"', '""') + '"'
 
 
-def _table_columns(conn: Connection, table: str) -> set[str]:
-    rows = conn.execute(
-        text(
-            "SELECT column_name FROM information_schema.columns "
-            "WHERE table_schema = current_schema() AND table_name = :table"
-        ),
-        {"table": table},
-    ).fetchall()
-    return {row[0] for row in rows}
+def _column_exists(conn: Connection, table: str, column: str) -> bool:
+    return (
+        conn.execute(
+            text(
+                "SELECT 1 FROM information_schema.columns "
+                "WHERE table_schema = current_schema() "
+                "AND table_name = :table AND column_name = :column"
+            ),
+            {"table": table, "column": column},
+        ).fetchone()
+        is not None
+    )
 
 
 def _expected_columns(conn: Connection, table: str) -> list[str] | None:
@@ -103,39 +106,19 @@ def _expected_columns(conn: Connection, table: str) -> list[str] | None:
         return None
 
     expected = list(columns)
-    if table in {"documents", "user", "podcasts"} and "_0_version" in _table_columns(
-        conn, table
+    if table in {"documents", "user", "podcasts"} and _column_exists(
+        conn, table, "_0_version"
     ):
         expected.append("_0_version")
     return expected
 
 
-def _format_table_entry(conn: Connection, table: str) -> str | None:
-    """Render one SET TABLE entry, or ``None`` if the table isn't ready.
-
-    Historical migrations (e.g. 155/156) call ``apply_publication`` while the
-    schema is still mid-history, before later migrations add columns that the
-    canonical shape references. A table is only published once it exists AND
-    every canonical column exists; otherwise it is omitted entirely and a later
-    reconcile migration (e.g. 159) picks it up once its columns land. Partial
-    column lists are deliberately avoided: publishing a column early would
-    block later ``ALTER COLUMN ... TYPE`` migrations on it (Postgres forbids
-    retyping columns a publication depends on). ``verify_publication`` remains
-    strict against the unfiltered canonical shape.
-    """
-
-    actual = _table_columns(conn, table)
-    if not actual:
-        return None
-
-    table_sql = _quote_identifier(table)
+def _format_table_entry(conn: Connection, table: str) -> str:
     columns = _expected_columns(conn, table)
+    table_sql = _quote_identifier(table)
     if columns is None:
         return table_sql
 
-    if any(column not in actual for column in columns):
-        return None
-
     column_sql = ", ".join(_quote_identifier(column) for column in columns)
     return f"{table_sql} ({column_sql})"
 
@@ -143,8 +126,9 @@ def _format_table_entry(conn: Connection, table: str) -> str | None:
 def build_set_table_sql(conn: Connection) -> str:
     """Build the canonical plain SET TABLE statement for Zero's event triggers."""
 
-    entries = [_format_table_entry(conn, table) for table in ZERO_PUBLICATION]
-    table_list = ", ".join(entry for entry in entries if entry is not None)
+    table_list = ", ".join(
+        _format_table_entry(conn, table) for table in ZERO_PUBLICATION
+    )
     return f"ALTER PUBLICATION {_quote_identifier(PUBLICATION_NAME)} SET TABLE {table_list}"