src/later_store.py

@@ -22,10 +22,14 @@ class LaterStore:
         self.operation_limit = operation_limit
         self.operation_retention_seconds = operation_retention_seconds
         self.clock = clock
+        self._initialize()
 
-    def _connect(self) -> sqlite3.Connection:
+    def _initialize(self) -> None:
         self.path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         connection = sqlite3.connect(self.path, timeout=self.timeout)
+        if connection.execute("PRAGMA user_version").fetchone()[0] >= 1:
+            connection.close()
+            return
         connection.execute("PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL")
         connection.execute(
             """
@@ -63,8 +67,12 @@ class LaterStore:
             "UPDATE later_operations SET created_at = ? WHERE created_at IS NULL",
             (self.clock(),),
         )
+        connection.execute("PRAGMA user_version = 1")
         connection.commit()
-        return connection
+        connection.close()
+
+    def _connect(self) -> sqlite3.Connection:
+        return sqlite3.connect(self.path, timeout=self.timeout)
 
     def _record_operation(self, connection: sqlite3.Connection, login: str, operation_id: str) -> None:
         now = self.clock()

src/today_store.py

@@ -30,10 +30,14 @@ class TodayStore:
         self.operation_retention_seconds = operation_retention_seconds
         self.recap_limit = recap_limit
         self.clock = clock
+        self._initialize()
 
-    def _connect(self) -> sqlite3.Connection:
+    def _initialize(self) -> None:
         self.path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         connection = sqlite3.connect(self.path, timeout=self.timeout)
+        if connection.execute("PRAGMA user_version").fetchone()[0] >= 1:
+            connection.close()
+            return
         connection.execute("PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL")
         connection.execute(
             """
@@ -101,8 +105,12 @@ class TodayStore:
             )
             """
         )
+        connection.execute("PRAGMA user_version = 1")
         connection.commit()
-        return connection
+        connection.close()
+
+    def _connect(self) -> sqlite3.Connection:
+        return sqlite3.connect(self.path, timeout=self.timeout)
 
     def _record_operation(self, connection: sqlite3.Connection, login: str, operation_id: str) -> None:
         now = self.clock()

tests/test_later_store.py

@@ -65,6 +65,23 @@ def test_deferrals_are_durable_revisioned_idempotent_and_account_scoped(tmp_path
     ) == {"revision": 2, "records": {}}
 
 
+def test_initialized_later_reads_remain_available_during_a_planning_write(tmp_path):
+    path = tmp_path / "later.sqlite3"
+    store = LaterStore(path, timeout=0.05)
+    expected = store.apply(
+        "timmy", "seed", "defer", "issue:r:1:",
+        wake_at="2026-08-10T09:00:00.000Z",
+    )
+
+    writer = sqlite3.connect(path)
+    writer.execute("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+    try:
+        assert LaterStore(path, timeout=0.05).get("timmy") == expected
+    finally:
+        writer.rollback()
+        writer.close()
+
+
 def test_batch_applies_in_one_ordered_idempotent_unit(tmp_path):
     store = LaterStore(tmp_path / "later.sqlite3")
     operations = [

tests/test_today_store.py

@@ -67,6 +67,20 @@ def test_operations_are_durable_ordered_idempotent_and_account_scoped(tmp_path):
     }
 
 
+def test_initialized_today_reads_remain_available_during_a_planning_write(tmp_path):
+    path = tmp_path / "today.sqlite3"
+    store = TodayStore(path, timeout=0.05)
+    expected = store.apply("timmy", "seed", "add", "issue:r:1:")
+
+    writer = sqlite3.connect(path)
+    writer.execute("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+    try:
+        assert TodayStore(path, timeout=0.05).get("timmy") == expected
+    finally:
+        writer.rollback()
+        writer.close()
+
+
 def test_capacity_and_estimates_are_durable_account_scoped_and_follow_item_identity(tmp_path):
     path = tmp_path / "today.sqlite3"
     store = TodayStore(path, limit=3)