diff --git a/src/payload.config.ts b/src/payload.config.ts
index 8ccd285..682c6b6 100644
--- a/src/payload.config.ts
+++ b/src/payload.config.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { postgresAdapter } from '@payloadcms/db-postgres'
-import { sqliteAdapter } from '@payloadcms/db-sqlite'
 import { lexicalEditor } from '@payloadcms/richtext-lexical'
 import path from 'path'
 import { buildConfig } from 'payload'
@@ -21,22 +20,17 @@ import { seed } from './seed'
 const filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)
 const dirname = path.dirname(filename)
 
-// Conditionally import migrations only when using PostgreSQL
-let migrations: any
-if (process.env.DATABASE_URI || process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
-  const migrationsModule = await import('./migrations')
-  migrations = migrationsModule.migrations
-}
-
-// Use PostgreSQL by default, SQLite only for local development
+// Use PostgreSQL when DATABASE_URI is set, SQLite only for local development
 // Migration commands:
 //   pnpm payload migrate:create  - Create migration file
 //   pnpm payload migrate         - Run pending migrations
 //   pnpm payload migrate:fresh   - Drop all & re-run migrations
 //   pnpm payload migrate:reset   - Rollback all migrations
 //   pnpm payload migrate:status  - Check migration status
-const getDatabaseAdapter = () => {
+const getDatabaseAdapter = async () => {
   if (process.env.DATABASE_URI) {
+    // Conditionally import migrations only when using PostgreSQL
+    const { migrations } = await import('./migrations')
     return postgresAdapter({
       pool: {
         connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URI,
@@ -49,6 +43,8 @@ const getDatabaseAdapter = () => {
   }
 
   // Only load SQLite in development (no DATABASE_URI set)
+  // Dynamic import to avoid loading libsql in production/Docker
+  const { sqliteAdapter } = await import('@payloadcms/db-sqlite')
   return sqliteAdapter({
     client: {
       url: 'file:./meal-planner.db',
@@ -74,7 +70,7 @@ export default buildConfig({
     },
   },
   collections: [Users, Tenants, Residents, MealOrders, Meals, Media],
-  db: getDatabaseAdapter(),
+  db: await getDatabaseAdapter(),
   onInit: async (payload) => {
     // Run migrations automatically on startup (for Docker/production)
     payload.logger.info('Running database migrations...')