diff --git a/packages/server/src/db/migrate.ts b/packages/server/src/db/migrate.ts
index fb3b4593..1ef6b294 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/db/migrate.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/db/migrate.ts
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ export function runMigrations(db: Database.Database): void {
     {
       name: 'instance_settings',
       columns: [
-        { name: 'federation_relay_enabled', type: 'INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0' },
+        { name: 'federation_relay_enabled', type: 'INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 1' },
         { name: 'federation_relay_ttl_days', type: 'INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 30' },
       ]
     },
@@ -483,6 +483,15 @@ export function runMigrations(db: Database.Database): void {
   db.exec(`CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_outbox_retry ON federation_outbox(next_retry_at)`);
   db.exec(`CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_mutation_log_time ON federation_mutation_log(mutated_at)`);
 
+  // ─── Ensure federation relay is enabled (fix: was incorrectly defaulting to 0) ─
+  try {
+    const relayState = db.prepare('SELECT federation_relay_enabled FROM instance_settings WHERE id = 1').get() as { federation_relay_enabled: number } | undefined;
+    if (relayState && relayState.federation_relay_enabled === 0) {
+      db.prepare('UPDATE instance_settings SET federation_relay_enabled = 1 WHERE id = 1').run();
+      console.log('Federation: Enabled relay (was incorrectly defaulting to disabled)');
+    }
+  } catch { /* column may not exist yet on first run */ }
+
   // ─── Backfill federation mutation log for existing DM messages (idempotent) ─
   try {
     const mutationLogExists = (db.pragma('table_info(federation_mutation_log)') as { name: string }[]).length > 0;
diff --git a/packages/server/src/db/schema.ts b/packages/server/src/db/schema.ts
index fcfdef89..c7c13730 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/db/schema.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/db/schema.ts
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ export const instanceSettings = sqliteTable('instance_settings', {
   bitrateMatrixOverrides: text('bitrate_matrix_overrides'),
   allowCustomBitrate: integer('allow_custom_bitrate').notNull().default(1),
   maxUploadSizeBytes: integer('max_upload_size_bytes'),
-  federationRelayEnabled: integer('federation_relay_enabled').notNull().default(0),
+  federationRelayEnabled: integer('federation_relay_enabled').notNull().default(1),
   federationRelayTtlDays: integer('federation_relay_ttl_days').notNull().default(30),
   updatedAt: integer('updated_at').notNull(),
 });