diff --git a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/cdc_store.go b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/cdc_store.go
index 3386f9880..8f92eda73 100644
--- a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/cdc_store.go
+++ b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/cdc_store.go
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ func (s *Store) ListUnsent(ctx context.Context, limit int) ([]OutboxEvent, error
 
 // MarkSent flags an outbox row delivered.
 func (s *Store) MarkSent(ctx context.Context, outboxID int64, at time.Time) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.MarkOutboxSent(ctx, gen.MarkOutboxSentParams{
 		SentAt: sql.NullTime{Time: at, Valid: true},
 		ID:     outboxID,
@@ -53,6 +55,8 @@ func (s *Store) MarkSent(ctx context.Context, outboxID int64, at time.Time) erro
 
 // MarkFailed bumps the attempt count and records the last error for an outbox row.
 func (s *Store) MarkFailed(ctx context.Context, outboxID int64, errMsg string) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.MarkOutboxFailed(ctx, gen.MarkOutboxFailedParams{LastError: errMsg, ID: outboxID})
 }
 
@@ -70,6 +74,8 @@ func (s *Store) GetOffset(ctx context.Context, consumer string) (int64, error) {
 
 // SetOffset durably records a consumer's acknowledged seq.
 func (s *Store) SetOffset(ctx context.Context, consumer string, seq int64, at time.Time) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.UpsertConsumerOffset(ctx, gen.UpsertConsumerOffsetParams{
 		Consumer:  consumer,
 		LastSeq:   seq,
@@ -100,5 +106,7 @@ func (s *Store) MinConsumerOffset(ctx context.Context) (int64, error) {
 // DeleteSentOutboxBelow removes delivered outbox rows whose seq is below the
 // watermark, returning the number removed.
 func (s *Store) DeleteSentOutboxBelow(ctx context.Context, seq int64) (int64, error) {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.DeleteSentOutboxBelow(ctx, seq)
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/db.go b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/db.go
index 78eb3ae9d..0a2555e4e 100644
--- a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/db.go
+++ b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/db.go
@@ -18,17 +18,25 @@ import (
 //go:embed migrations/*.sql
 var migrationsFS embed.FS
 
-// pragmas are applied on every connection open. WAL + NORMAL gives concurrent
-// reads alongside the single writer; busy_timeout absorbs brief writer
-// contention; foreign_keys enforces the session_metadata cascade.
+// pragmas are applied on every connection open. WAL + NORMAL lets readers run
+// concurrently with the writer; busy_timeout absorbs brief writer contention;
+// foreign_keys enforces the cascades.
 const pragmas = "?_pragma=journal_mode(WAL)" +
 	"&_pragma=busy_timeout(5000)" +
 	"&_pragma=foreign_keys(ON)" +
 	"&_pragma=synchronous(NORMAL)"
 
+// maxConnections caps the pool. WAL allows many concurrent readers, so reads
+// (List/Get/GetPR/...) scale across the pool instead of queuing behind a single
+// connection. Writes do NOT rely on the pool for serialization — the Store funnels
+// every write through its writeMu (see store.go), which keeps WAL's single-writer
+// rule and the revision-CAS read-then-write atomic regardless of pool size.
+const maxConnections = 8
+
 // Open opens (creating if absent) the SQLite database under dataDir, applies the
 // connection pragmas, and runs all goose migrations up. The returned *sql.DB is
-// safe for the single-writer / many-reader workload the LCM and readers impose.
+// sized for the many-reader / serialized-single-writer workload the LCM and
+// readers impose.
 func Open(dataDir string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(dataDir, 0o755); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("create data dir: %w", err)
@@ -38,10 +46,8 @@ func Open(dataDir string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("open sqlite: %w", err)
 	}
-	// Single writer: serialize all access through one connection so WAL's
-	// single-writer rule is never violated by the pool handing out a second
-	// writable conn mid-transaction.
-	db.SetMaxOpenConns(1)
+	db.SetMaxOpenConns(maxConnections)
+	db.SetMaxIdleConns(maxConnections) // keep reader conns warm; avoid open/close churn
 
 	if err := migrate(db); err != nil {
 		db.Close()
diff --git a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/pr_store.go b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/pr_store.go
index c7d436bda..1eca08f8f 100644
--- a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/pr_store.go
+++ b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/pr_store.go
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ type PRComment struct {
 
 // UpsertPR inserts or replaces the scalar PR facts for one session.
 func (s *Store) UpsertPR(ctx context.Context, r PRRow) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.UpsertPR(ctx, gen.UpsertPRParams{
 		SessionID:      r.SessionID,
 		ReviewDecision: r.ReviewDecision,
@@ -87,6 +89,8 @@ func (s *Store) GetPR(ctx context.Context, sessionID string) (PRRow, bool, error
 // comments. Normally unnecessary (the chain cascades on session delete); exposed
 // for explicit eviction.
 func (s *Store) DeletePR(ctx context.Context, sessionID string) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.DeletePR(ctx, sessionID)
 }
 
@@ -172,9 +176,12 @@ func (s *Store) ListPRComments(ctx context.Context, sessionID string) ([]PRComme
 	return out, nil
 }
 
-// inTx runs fn inside a single transaction over the store's queries, rolling
-// back on error.
+// inTx runs fn inside a single write transaction over the store's queries,
+// rolling back on error. It holds writeMu for the duration, so callers must not
+// already hold it.
 func (s *Store) inTx(ctx context.Context, what string, fn func(*gen.Queries) error) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	tx, err := s.db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("begin %s: %w", what, err)
diff --git a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/project_store.go b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/project_store.go
index fb75e18ae..4837cafcc 100644
--- a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/project_store.go
+++ b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/project_store.go
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ type ProjectRow struct {
 
 // UpsertProject inserts or updates one registered project.
 func (s *Store) UpsertProject(ctx context.Context, r ProjectRow) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.UpsertProject(ctx, gen.UpsertProjectParams{
 		ID:            r.ID,
 		Path:          r.Path,
@@ -53,6 +55,8 @@ func (s *Store) UpsertProject(ctx context.Context, r ProjectRow) error {
 // ArchiveProject soft-deletes one project, keeping the row so a session's
 // project_id still resolves. Active-only reads (ListProjects) then hide it.
 func (s *Store) ArchiveProject(ctx context.Context, id string, t time.Time) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.ArchiveProject(ctx, gen.ArchiveProjectParams{
 		ArchivedAt: nullTime(t),
 		ID:         id,
@@ -86,6 +90,8 @@ func (s *Store) ListProjects(ctx context.Context) ([]ProjectRow, error) {
 
 // DeleteProject removes one project by id.
 func (s *Store) DeleteProject(ctx context.Context, id string) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.DeleteProject(ctx, id)
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/reaction_store.go b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/reaction_store.go
index 819d9716b..c703a21b2 100644
--- a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/reaction_store.go
+++ b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/reaction_store.go
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ func (s *Store) ListReactionTrackers(ctx context.Context) ([]ReactionTrackerRow,
 
 // SaveReactionTracker durably persists one escalation budget (insert or update).
 func (s *Store) SaveReactionTracker(ctx context.Context, r ReactionTrackerRow) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	escalated := int64(0)
 	if r.Escalated {
 		escalated = 1
@@ -68,6 +70,8 @@ func (s *Store) SaveReactionTracker(ctx context.Context, r ReactionTrackerRow) e
 
 // DeleteReactionTracker drops one escalation budget.
 func (s *Store) DeleteReactionTracker(ctx context.Context, sessionID, reactionKey string) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.DeleteReactionTracker(ctx, gen.DeleteReactionTrackerParams{
 		SessionID:   sessionID,
 		ReactionKey: reactionKey,
@@ -76,5 +80,7 @@ func (s *Store) DeleteReactionTracker(ctx context.Context, sessionID, reactionKe
 
 // DeleteSessionReactionTrackers drops every escalation budget for a session.
 func (s *Store) DeleteSessionReactionTrackers(ctx context.Context, sessionID string) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.DeleteSessionReactionTrackers(ctx, sessionID)
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/store.go b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/store.go
index 75b5474a2..2effeaee8 100644
--- a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/store.go
+++ b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/store.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/domain"
@@ -12,11 +13,17 @@ import (
 	"github.com/aoagents/agent-orchestrator/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/gen"
 )
 
-// Store is the SQLite-backed ports.LifecycleStore. The LCM is its sole logical
-// writer (via Upsert); readers (Session Manager, reaper) use Load/Get/List.
+// Store is the SQLite-backed ports.LifecycleStore. Reads (Load/Get/List/...) run
+// concurrently across the connection pool; every write is funnelled through
+// writeMu so there is exactly one writer at a time. That single-writer guarantee
+// is load-bearing: it keeps WAL's single-writer rule and makes the revision-CAS
+// (read-then-write in Upsert) atomic without depending on the pool size. Hold
+// writeMu only around writes — never around a read — and never call one
+// write method from inside another (the mutex is not reentrant).
 type Store struct {
-	db *sql.DB
-	q  *gen.Queries
+	db      *sql.DB
+	q       *gen.Queries
+	writeMu sync.Mutex
 }
 
 var _ ports.LifecycleStore = (*Store)(nil)
@@ -105,6 +112,8 @@ func (s *Store) PatchMetadata(ctx context.Context, id domain.SessionID, meta dom
 	if meta.IsZero() {
 		return nil
 	}
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	return s.q.UpsertSessionMetadata(ctx, gen.UpsertSessionMetadataParams{
 		SessionID:       string(id),
 		Branch:          meta.Branch,
diff --git a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/store_test.go b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/store_test.go
index 711f8cf1e..a197f3af1 100644
--- a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/store_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/store_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package sqlite
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -255,3 +257,52 @@ func assertOutboxCount(t *testing.T, s *Store, ctx context.Context, want int) {
 		t.Fatalf("outbox count = %d, want %d", len(rows), want)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestConcurrentReadsAndWrites exercises the read-pool + write-mutex model:
+// many writers (each its own session) run alongside many readers hammering
+// ListAll. Reads must not be serialized behind writes, writes must not corrupt
+// or error under the revision-CAS, and the final state must be exact. Run under
+// -race this also guards the writeMu discipline.
+func TestConcurrentReadsAndWrites(t *testing.T) {
+	s := newTestStore(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	const n = 16
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	errc := make(chan error, n*2)
+
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func(i int) {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			if err := s.Upsert(ctx, sampleRecord(fmt.Sprintf("s%02d", i)), ports.EventSessionCreated); err != nil {
+				errc <- err
+			}
+		}(i)
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			for j := 0; j < 25; j++ {
+				if _, err := s.ListAll(ctx); err != nil {
+					errc <- err
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+	close(errc)
+	for err := range errc {
+		t.Fatalf("concurrent op error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	got, err := s.ListAll(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(got) != n {
+		t.Fatalf("after %d concurrent inserts, ListAll returned %d", n, len(got))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/upsert.go b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/upsert.go
index 646745168..f8ae40932 100644
--- a/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/upsert.go
+++ b/backend/internal/storage/sqlite/upsert.go
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ import (
 //     stored+1.
 //   - insert: rec.Lifecycle.Revision must be 0, persisted as 1.
 func (s *Store) Upsert(ctx context.Context, rec domain.SessionRecord, eventType ports.EventType) error {
+	s.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer s.writeMu.Unlock()
 	tx, err := s.db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("begin upsert: %w", err)