diff --git a/backend/druks/contrib/ship/models.py b/backend/druks/contrib/ship/models.py
index adee5f96..0491fc14 100644
--- a/backend/druks/contrib/ship/models.py
+++ b/backend/druks/contrib/ship/models.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class ProjectRepo(StoredSubject):
     profile: Mapped[dict[str, Any]] = mapped_column(JSONB, default=dict)
     created_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(default=Base.utc_now)
 
-    project: Mapped[Project] = relationship(back_populates="repos")
+    project: Mapped[Project] = relationship(back_populates="repos", lazy="joined")
 
     @classmethod
     def create(
diff --git a/backend/druks/durable/models.py b/backend/druks/durable/models.py
index b5259d0c..2bf2ffdd 100644
--- a/backend/druks/durable/models.py
+++ b/backend/druks/durable/models.py
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ class AgentCall(Base, Uuid7Pk):
     model: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(String)
     # The run this LLM call ran in. ON DELETE CASCADE, so a call never outlives it.
     run_id: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(ForeignKey("durable_runs.id", ondelete="CASCADE"))
-    run: Mapped["Run"] = relationship(back_populates="agent_calls")
+    run: Mapped["Run"] = relationship(back_populates="agent_calls", lazy="joined")
     # Which agent (registry id: "scope", "implement", …) made this call — the
     # timeline's grouping label. An agent is what makes a call, so there is no
     # unattributed one: the row is written from the registered agent's own id.
diff --git a/backend/druks/models.py b/backend/druks/models.py
index 92921ee7..8b1b196d 100644
--- a/backend/druks/models.py
+++ b/backend/druks/models.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, ClassVar, Self
 
 from sqlalchemy import DateTime, Integer, cast, select
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncAttrs
 from sqlalchemy.orm import DeclarativeBase, Mapped, mapped_column
 from sqlalchemy.types import TypeDecorator
 
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ def process_result_value(self, value: datetime | None, dialect: Any) -> datetime
         return ensure_utc(value) if value else value
 
 
-class Base(DeclarativeBase):
+class Base(AsyncAttrs, DeclarativeBase):
     # Every ``Mapped[datetime]`` column stores tz-aware UTC — the decorator
     # guarantees aware values on read (writes are unaffected). Mapping it here
     # means models declare ``Mapped[datetime]`` with no per-column type.
diff --git a/backend/druks/skills/models.py b/backend/druks/skills/models.py
index 849b7e7c..d396f709 100644
--- a/backend/druks/skills/models.py
+++ b/backend/druks/skills/models.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class SkillCollection(Base, Uuid7Pk):
     skills: Mapped[list["Skill"]] = relationship(
         back_populates="collection",
         cascade="all, delete-orphan",
+        lazy="selectin",
         order_by="Skill.name",
     )
 
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ class Skill(Base, Uuid7Pk):
 
     name: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(String, unique=True)
     description: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(String, default="")
-    collection: Mapped[SkillCollection] = relationship(back_populates="skills")
+    collection: Mapped[SkillCollection] = relationship(back_populates="skills", lazy="raise_on_sql")
     collection_id: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(ForeignKey("skill_collections.id"))
     # Disabled skills stay on disk but the delivery projection excludes them
     # from every sandbox upload.