diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-release.yml
index cee3a0b03..600084c14 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-release.yml
@@ -179,9 +179,6 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           }
 
-      - name: Initialize database
-        run: docker exec -i mysql mysql -u root -proot ospos < app/Database/database.sql
-
       - name: Run PHPUnit tests
         env:
           CI_ENVIRONMENT: testing
diff --git a/app/Database/Migrations/20170501000000_initial_schema.php b/app/Database/Migrations/20170501000000_initial_schema.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aa1935a0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Database/Migrations/20170501000000_initial_schema.php
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Database\Migrations;
+
+use CodeIgniter\Database\Migration;
+
+class Migration_Initial_Schema extends Migration
+{
+    public function __construct()
+    {
+        parent::__construct();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Perform a migration step.
+     * Only runs on fresh installs - skips if database already has tables.
+     */
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+        // Check if database already has tables (existing install)
+        $tables = $this->db->listTables();
+        
+        if (!empty($tables)) {
+            // Database already populated - skip initial schema
+            // This is an existing installation upgrading from older version
+            return;
+        }
+        
+        // Fresh install - load initial schema
+        helper('migration');
+        $schemaPath = APPPATH . 'Database/database.sql';
+        
+        if (file_exists($schemaPath)) {
+            $sql = file_get_contents($schemaPath);
+            
+            // Split by semicolons and execute each statement
+            // Handle multi-line statements and DELIMITER changes
+            $this->executeSqlScript($sql);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Execute SQL script handling multi-line statements
+     */
+    private function executeSqlScript(string $sql): void
+    {
+        // Remove comments
+        $sql = preg_replace('/--.*$/m', '', $sql);
+        $sql = preg_replace('/\/\*.*?\*\//s', '', $sql);
+        
+        // Split by semicolons at end of lines
+        $statements = preg_split('/;\s*\n/', $sql);
+        
+        foreach ($statements as $statement) {
+            $statement = trim($statement);
+            if (!empty($statement)) {
+                try {
+                    $this->db->query($statement);
+                } catch (\Exception $e) {
+                    // Log but continue - some statements may fail on duplicate indexes etc.
+                    log_message('debug', 'Migration statement warning: ' . $e->getMessage());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Revert a migration step.
+     * Cannot revert initial schema - would lose all data.
+     */
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        // Cannot safely revert initial schema
+        // Would require dropping all tables which would lose all data
+        $this->db->query('SET FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS = 0');
+        
+        foreach ($this->db->listTables() as $table) {
+            $this->db->query('DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `' . $table . '`');
+        }
+        
+        $this->db->query('SET FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS = 1');
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file