diff --git a/alembic/env.py b/alembic/env.py
index 0530946..b657465 100644
--- a/alembic/env.py
+++ b/alembic/env.py
@@ -2,12 +2,21 @@
 
 from logging.config import fileConfig
 
-from sqlalchemy import engine_from_config, pool
+from sqlalchemy import engine_from_config, pool, text
 
 from alembic import context
 from backend.app.config import get_config
 from backend.app.models import Base
 
+# Arbitrary fixed 64-bit key for the session/transaction advisory lock that
+# serializes concurrent `alembic upgrade head` runs. Every `web` replica runs
+# migrations in its entrypoint, so under `docker stack deploy` two replicas can
+# boot at once and race the same DDL — duplicate CREATE TABLE, then a crashed
+# replica (operator-flagged 2026-06-07: 0040 raced; one backend died with
+# AdminShutdown). The first replica to reach the lock migrates; the rest block,
+# then find the version table already at head and apply nothing.
+_MIGRATION_LOCK_KEY = 0xFCA1E35C
+
 config = context.config
 
 if config.config_file_name is not None:
@@ -44,6 +53,18 @@ def run_migrations_online() -> None:
             compare_type=True,
         )
         with context.begin_transaction():
+            # Serialize concurrent migrators (see _MIGRATION_LOCK_KEY). A
+            # transaction-scoped advisory lock: the first replica to get here
+            # holds it for the whole upgrade and is auto-released when this
+            # transaction ends. A sibling replica blocks on this line, and only
+            # once the leader commits does it proceed to read the version table
+            # — now at head — so it runs zero migrations instead of re-applying
+            # the same DDL. The lock is acquired BEFORE run_migrations() reads
+            # the current revision, which is what makes the no-op correct.
+            connection.execute(
+                text("SELECT pg_advisory_xact_lock(:k)"),
+                {"k": _MIGRATION_LOCK_KEY},
+            )
             context.run_migrations()