diff --git a/db/migrations/023_channel_messages_cascade.sql b/db/migrations/023_channel_messages_cascade.sql
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index 0000000..582a8f0
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+++ b/db/migrations/023_channel_messages_cascade.sql
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+-- Copyright 2026 Beacon Contributors
+-- SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+
+-- The packet_hash FK had no ON DELETE action, so packets carrying a channel
+-- message could never age out and DeleteOldPackets aborted. Match packet_observations.
+
+ALTER TABLE channel_messages
+  DROP CONSTRAINT IF EXISTS channel_messages_packet_hash_fkey;
+
+ALTER TABLE channel_messages
+  ADD CONSTRAINT channel_messages_packet_hash_fkey
+  FOREIGN KEY (packet_hash) REFERENCES packets(packet_hash) ON DELETE CASCADE;