diff --git a/.env.sample b/.env.sample
index 4a669dd..ca26604 100644
--- a/.env.sample
+++ b/.env.sample
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ LOGGING_LEVEL_HANDLERS_CONSOLE=INFO
 LOGGING_LEVEL_LOGGERS_ROOT=INFO
 LOGGING_LEVEL_LOGGERS_APP=INFO
 
+##############################################################################
+# MIGRATIONS
+##############################################################################
+# Set to false to disable automatic migrations on backend startup
+# AUTO_MIGRATIONS=true
+
 ##############################################################################
 # COLLABORA ADMIN PANEL
 ##############################################################################
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5ee60c6..78244db 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@ This recipe requires four domains. One domain for drive, and one for minio which
 * `abra app config <app-name>`
      - make sure to set MINIO_DOMAIN, COLLABORA_DOMAIN, ONLY_OFFICE_DOMAIN to the domains you set up for each. 
 * `abra app deploy <app-name>`
-* `abra app cmd <app-name> backend migrate` # creates database tables
-* `abra app restart <app-name> minio-createbuckets` (Note: this will appear to fail, but probably worked! Check `abra app logs <app-name> minio-createbuckets`)
 
 You should then be able to visit the landing page of your app, but not yet to login. To login, you need to deploy and integrate single sign on (described below in the "Configure Authentication" section). 
 
+* Migrations run automatically on backend startup. To trigger manually: `abra app cmd <app-name> backend migrate`
+* Minio buckets are created automatically on first deploy. To manually trigger: `abra app cmd <app-name> minio minio_initialize`
+
 Wopi discovery is supposed to happen automatically, but if collabora/onlyoffice are not connecting, you can try running:
 
 * `abra app cmd <app-name> backend trigger_wopi` # connects only office & collabora (if they stop working, try running this again)
diff --git a/abra.sh b/abra.sh
index 5c0a8e4..ad1496b 100755
--- a/abra.sh
+++ b/abra.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ export ABRA_ENTRYPOINT_VERSION=v11
 export NGINX_CONF_VERSION=v6
 export ONLYOFFICE_CONF_VERSION=v2
 export PG_BACKUP_VERSION=v4
+export MIGRATE_VERSION=v1
+export MINIO_INITIALIZE_VERSION=v1
 
 environment() {
   # this exports all the secrets as environment variables
@@ -11,8 +13,11 @@ environment() {
 }
 
 migrate() {
-  environment
-  python manage.py migrate --noinput
+  /migrate.sh
+}
+
+minio_initialize() {
+  /minio-initialize.sh
 }
 
 trigger_wopi() {
diff --git a/compose.yml b/compose.yml
index d184ed7..38f8474 100644
--- a/compose.yml
+++ b/compose.yml
@@ -118,9 +118,11 @@ services:
     user: ${DOCKER_USER:-1000}
     image: lasuite/drive-backend:v0.19.0
     command: [ "gunicorn", "-c", "/usr/local/etc/gunicorn/drive.py", "drive.wsgi:application" ]
-    entrypoint: [ "/abra-entrypoint.sh", "/usr/local/bin/entrypoint" ]
+    entrypoint: >
+      sh -c "if [ \"$$AUTO_MIGRATIONS\" = \"true\" ]; then /migrate.sh; fi && exec /abra-entrypoint.sh /usr/local/bin/entrypoint \"$$@\"" --
     environment:
       <<: [ *common-env, *postgres-env ]
+      AUTO_MIGRATIONS: "${AUTO_MIGRATIONS:-true}"
     networks:
       - backend
     depends_on:
@@ -129,6 +131,9 @@ services:
       - source: abra_entrypoint
         target: /abra-entrypoint.sh
         mode: 0555
+      - source: migrate
+        target: /migrate.sh
+        mode: 0555
     secrets:
       - django_sk
       - django_sp
@@ -223,28 +228,6 @@ services:
     networks:
       - backend
 
-  minio-createbuckets:
-    image: minio/minio:RELEASE.2025-09-07T16-13-09Z
-    environment: *minio-env
-    entrypoint: >
-      sh -c "
-      MINIO_ROOT_USER=\"\$$(cat /run/secrets/minio_ru)\" &&   
-      MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD=\"\$$(cat /run/secrets/minio_rp)\" &&   
-      /usr/bin/mc alias set drive http://minio:9000 \$${MINIO_ROOT_USER} \"\$${MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD}\" && \
-      /usr/bin/mc mb drive/drive-media-storage && \
-      /usr/bin/mc version enable drive/drive-media-storage && \
-      exit 0;"
-    deploy:
-      mode: replicated
-      replicas: 0
-      restart_policy:
-        condition: none
-    secrets:
-      - minio_rp
-      - minio_ru
-    networks:
-      - backend
-
   minio:
     image: minio/minio:RELEASE.2025-09-07T16-13-09Z
     environment: *minio-env
@@ -257,13 +240,17 @@ services:
       - backend
       - proxy
     command: minio server /data
-    entrypoint: ["/usr/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh"]
+    entrypoint: >
+      sh -c "/minio-initialize.sh & exec /usr/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh \"$$@\"" --
     volumes:
       - minio:/data
     configs:
       - source: abra_entrypoint
         target: /abra-entrypoint.sh
         mode: 0555
+      - source: minio_initialize
+        target: /minio-initialize.sh
+        mode: 0555
     secrets:
       - minio_rp
       - minio_ru
@@ -405,6 +392,12 @@ configs:
   abra_entrypoint:
     name: ${STACK_NAME}_entrypoint_${ABRA_ENTRYPOINT_VERSION}
     file: abra-entrypoint.sh
+  migrate:
+    name: ${STACK_NAME}_migrate_${MIGRATE_VERSION}
+    file: migrate.sh
+  minio_initialize:
+    name: ${STACK_NAME}_minio_initialize_${MINIO_INITIALIZE_VERSION}
+    file: minio-initialize.sh
   onlyoffice_conf:
     name: ${STACK_NAME}_onlyoffice_conf_${ONLYOFFICE_CONF_VERSION}
     file: onlyoffice-config.json.tmpl
diff --git a/migrate.sh b/migrate.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..52b5435
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrate.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Load secrets into environment
+source /abra-entrypoint.sh -e
+
+# Wait for database to be ready (up to 30 seconds)
+i=0
+while ! python manage.py check --database default 2>/dev/null; do
+  i=$((i+1))
+  if [ "$i" -ge 30 ]; then
+    echo "migrate: timed out waiting for database" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  sleep 1
+done
+
+# Idempotent: skip if no pending migrations
+if python manage.py migrate --check > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "migrate: no pending migrations, skipping"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo "migrate: applying pending migrations..."
+python manage.py migrate --noinput
+echo "migrate: done"
diff --git a/minio-initialize.sh b/minio-initialize.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb36278
--- /dev/null
+++ b/minio-initialize.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+# Wait for minio to be ready (up to 60 seconds)
+i=0
+while ! mc ready local 2>/dev/null; do
+  i=$((i+1))
+  if [ "$i" -ge 60 ]; then
+    echo "minio-initialize: timed out waiting for minio to be ready" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  sleep 1
+done
+
+MINIO_ROOT_USER="$(cat /run/secrets/minio_ru)"
+MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD="$(cat /run/secrets/minio_rp)"
+
+mc alias set drive http://localhost:9000 "${MINIO_ROOT_USER}" "${MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD}"
+
+# Idempotent: skip if bucket already exists
+if mc ls drive/drive-media-storage > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "minio-initialize: bucket 'drive-media-storage' already exists, skipping"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo "minio-initialize: creating bucket 'drive-media-storage'..."
+mc mb drive/drive-media-storage
+mc version enable drive/drive-media-storage
+echo "minio-initialize: done"