diff --git a/server/plugins/migrations.ts b/server/plugins/migrations.ts
index 2784fdc5..5f992549 100644
--- a/server/plugins/migrations.ts
+++ b/server/plugins/migrations.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ class MultiFolderMigrationProvider implements MigrationProvider {
 }
 
 export default defineNitroPlugin(async () => {
+  // Skip during build-time prerender — the builder isn't attached to the VPC,
+  // so connecting to the private DB host would time out. Migrations run at runtime.
+  if (import.meta.prerender) return
+
   const cfg = useRuntimeConfig()
   const databaseUrl = cfg.databaseUrl || process.env.DATABASE_URL
   if (!databaseUrl) {
diff --git a/server/utils/database.ts b/server/utils/database.ts
index 8c8bfcbd..471036f3 100644
--- a/server/utils/database.ts
+++ b/server/utils/database.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ function getDb(): Kysely<Database> {
     dialect: new PostgresJSDialect({
       postgres: postgres(databaseUrl, {
         ssl: isLocal ? false : 'require',
-        max: 10,
+        max: 5,
         idle_timeout: 20,
         connect_timeout: 30,
         onnotice: () => {},