diff --git a/src/fabledassistant/models/note.py b/src/fabledassistant/models/note.py
index cfdd318..ca12310 100644
--- a/src/fabledassistant/models/note.py
+++ b/src/fabledassistant/models/note.py
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ class Note(Base, TimestampMixin):
     # Entity type — 'note' (default), 'person', 'place', 'list'
     note_type: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(Text, default="note", server_default="note")
     # Structured metadata for entity types (person/place/list)
-    metadata: Mapped[dict | None] = mapped_column(JSONB, nullable=True)
+    # Named 'entity_meta' to avoid collision with SQLAlchemy's reserved 'metadata' attribute
+    entity_meta: Mapped[dict | None] = mapped_column("metadata", JSONB, nullable=True)
 
     __table_args__ = (
         Index("ix_notes_tags", "tags", postgresql_using="gin"),
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ class Note(Base, TimestampMixin):
             ),
             "is_task": self.is_task,
             "note_type": self.entity_type,
-            "metadata": self.metadata or {},
+            "metadata": self.entity_meta or {},
             "created_at": self.created_at.isoformat(),
             "updated_at": self.updated_at.isoformat(),
         }
diff --git a/src/fabledassistant/services/knowledge.py b/src/fabledassistant/services/knowledge.py
index 14c22ce..11c2d1e 100644
--- a/src/fabledassistant/services/knowledge.py
+++ b/src/fabledassistant/services/knowledge.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ _SNIPPET_LEN = 200
 
 
 def _note_to_item(note: Note) -> dict:
-    meta = note.metadata or {}
+    meta = note.entity_meta or {}
     item: dict = {
         "id": note.id,
         "note_type": note.entity_type,
@@ -184,14 +184,14 @@ async def get_people_and_places_context(user_id: int) -> str:
     if people:
         parts = []
         for p in people:
-            meta = p.metadata or {}
+            meta = p.entity_meta or {}
             rel = meta.get("relationship", "")
             parts.append(f"{p.title}" + (f" ({rel})" if rel else ""))
         lines.append("Known people: " + ", ".join(parts))
     if places:
         parts = []
         for p in places:
-            meta = p.metadata or {}
+            meta = p.entity_meta or {}
             addr = meta.get("address", "")
             parts.append(f"{p.title}" + (f" – {addr}" if addr else ""))
         lines.append("Known places: " + "; ".join(parts))
diff --git a/src/fabledassistant/services/notes.py b/src/fabledassistant/services/notes.py
index 0ab3788..bcf6323 100644
--- a/src/fabledassistant/services/notes.py
+++ b/src/fabledassistant/services/notes.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ async def create_note(
     due_date: date | None = None,
     recurrence_rule: dict | None = None,
     note_type: str = "note",
-    metadata: dict | None = None,
+    entity_meta: dict | None = None,
 ) -> Note:
     # Auto-populate project_id from milestone when not explicitly provided
     if milestone_id is not None and project_id is None:
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ async def create_note(
             due_date=due_date,
             recurrence_rule=recurrence_rule,
             note_type=note_type,
-            metadata=metadata,
+            entity_meta=entity_meta,
         )
         session.add(note)
         await session.commit()
diff --git a/src/fabledassistant/services/tools.py b/src/fabledassistant/services/tools.py
index fdfe565..4e8b297 100644
--- a/src/fabledassistant/services/tools.py
+++ b/src/fabledassistant/services/tools.py
@@ -2043,7 +2043,7 @@ async def execute_tool(
                 body="\n".join(body_lines),
                 tags=["person"],
                 note_type="person",
-                metadata=meta,
+                entity_meta=meta,
             )
             _schedule_embedding(note.id, user_id, name, note.body)
             return {"success": True, "type": "person", "data": {"id": note.id, "name": name}}
@@ -2075,7 +2075,7 @@ async def execute_tool(
                 body="\n".join(body_lines),
                 tags=["place"],
                 note_type="place",
-                metadata=meta,
+                entity_meta=meta,
             )
             _schedule_embedding(note.id, user_id, name, note.body)
             return {"success": True, "type": "place", "data": {"id": note.id, "name": name}}
@@ -2101,7 +2101,7 @@ async def execute_tool(
                 body=body,
                 tags=tags,
                 note_type="list",
-                metadata=meta,
+                entity_meta=meta,
             )
             _schedule_embedding(note.id, user_id, name, body)
             return {"success": True, "type": "list", "data": {"id": note.id, "name": name, "item_count": len(items)}}