diff --git a/src/basic_memory/alembic/versions/y8f9a0b1c2d3_merge_row_kind_and_deferral_heads.py b/src/basic_memory/alembic/versions/y8f9a0b1c2d3_merge_row_kind_and_deferral_heads.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4e1368558
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/basic_memory/alembic/versions/y8f9a0b1c2d3_merge_row_kind_and_deferral_heads.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"""Merge the two migration heads left by #1440 and #1444.
+
+Both branches revised `v5o6b7s8d9e0`: #1444 added `w6k7i8n9d0a1` (search_index
+uniqueness keyed on the row kind) and #1440 added `w6r7e8a9d0y1` then
+`x7d8e9f0a1b2` (project.last_indexed_at, entity.vector_sync_deferred_at). Each
+PR was green on its own, and the test suite builds schemas with `create_all` and
+stamps them, so nothing ran `upgrade head` against the merged graph. With two
+heads, Alembic refuses `upgrade head` and every fresh database fails to
+initialize.
+
+A merge revision, rather than re-parenting one branch under the other, is what
+keeps databases already stamped at either head upgradeable: from `w6k7i8n9d0a1`
+the `w6r7…`/`x7d8…` pair still applies, and from `x7d8e9f0a1b2` the row-kind
+index still applies. The schema itself needs no change here.
+
+Revision ID: y8f9a0b1c2d3
+Revises: w6k7i8n9d0a1, x7d8e9f0a1b2
+Create Date: 2026-09-03 10:45:00.000000
+
+"""
+
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+
+revision: str = "y8f9a0b1c2d3"
+down_revision: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = ("w6k7i8n9d0a1", "x7d8e9f0a1b2")
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    """Both parents already applied their schema changes; this only joins them."""
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    """Splitting back into two heads needs no schema change either."""
diff --git a/tests/test_migration_graph.py b/tests/test_migration_graph.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc629a728
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_migration_graph.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+"""The migration graph must have exactly one head.
+
+Two PRs that each add a migration off the same parent are each green on their
+own and leave main with two heads once both merge. The suite builds schemas with
+`create_all` and stamps them, so nothing here ran `upgrade head` against the
+merged graph; the first fresh database on main failed to initialize instead
+(#1440 + #1444, repaired by the `y8f9a0b1c2d3` merge revision).
+
+This reads the graph the same way `run_migrations` does, so the check fails in
+CI on the second PR to merge rather than on the next user's first `bm` command.
+"""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from alembic.config import Config
+from alembic.script import ScriptDirectory
+
+import basic_memory
+
+
+def _script_directory() -> ScriptDirectory:
+    config = Config()
+    config.set_main_option("script_location", str(Path(basic_memory.__file__).parent / "alembic"))
+    return ScriptDirectory.from_config(config)
+
+
+def test_the_migration_graph_has_one_head():
+    heads = _script_directory().get_heads()
+
+    assert len(heads) == 1, (
+        f"alembic has {len(heads)} heads {sorted(heads)}; `upgrade head` refuses to run "
+        "until they are joined by a merge revision (down_revision = (a, b))"
+    )
+
+
+def test_every_revision_is_reachable_from_the_head():
+    script = _script_directory()
+    (head,) = script.get_heads()
+
+    reachable = {rev.revision for rev in script.walk_revisions("base", head)}
+    all_revisions = {rev.revision for rev in script.walk_revisions()}
+
+    assert reachable == all_revisions, (
+        f"revisions not on the path from base to {head}: {sorted(all_revisions - reachable)}"
+    )
diff --git a/tests/test_search_index_row_kind_migration.py b/tests/test_search_index_row_kind_migration.py
index 8a79b4fde..633fd366e 100644
--- a/tests/test_search_index_row_kind_migration.py
+++ b/tests/test_search_index_row_kind_migration.py
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ def test_upgrade_widens_the_unique_index_to_include_the_row_kind(monkeypatch) ->
     assert len(statements) == 2
     # The wide index is created before the narrow one is dropped, so the table is never
     # momentarily unconstrained.
-    assert "CREATE UNIQUE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS uix_search_index_permalink_type_project" in (
-        statements[0]
+    assert (
+        "CREATE UNIQUE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS uix_search_index_permalink_type_project"
+        in (statements[0])
     )
     assert "ON search_index (permalink, type, project_id)" in statements[0]
     assert "WHERE permalink IS NOT NULL" in statements[0]