diff --git a/meridian_control/README.md b/meridian_control/README.md
index 38d3926..080b9c4 100644
--- a/meridian_control/README.md
+++ b/meridian_control/README.md
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ pip install -e ".[control]"          # from the Meridian repo root
 
 # Run the control plane (SQLite by default)
 meridian-control run --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8443
-# Or point at Postgres:
+# Or point at Postgres (apply the schema with Alembic first):
+MERIDIAN_CONTROL_DB_URL=postgresql+psycopg://user:pass@host/meridian_control \
+  meridian-control migrate
 MERIDIAN_CONTROL_DB_URL=postgresql+psycopg://user:pass@host/meridian_control \
   meridian-control run
 
@@ -28,6 +30,10 @@ MERIDIAN_CONTROL_DB_URL=postgresql+psycopg://user:pass@host/meridian_control \
 meridian-control mint-token --auto-approve
 ```
 
+Production manages the schema with **Alembic** (`meridian-control migrate`, or
+`alembic -c meridian_control/alembic.ini upgrade head`). `create_all` remains the
+zero-config default for local dev and tests.
+
 ## Endpoints
 
 | Method + path | Purpose |
@@ -76,6 +82,5 @@ python scripts/verify_connection.py   # prints a numbers report, exits 0 on PASS
 
 ## Not yet included
 
-- Alembic migrations (schema is created via `create_all` for now).
 - Certificate **revocation** automation / CRL distribution (rotation is
   implemented: `POST /control/v1/nodes/{id}/certificate`).
diff --git a/meridian_control/alembic.ini b/meridian_control/alembic.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b5b8d13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meridian_control/alembic.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Alembic config for meridian-control. The database URL is resolved in env.py
+# from MERIDIAN_CONTROL_DB_URL (ControlConfig), or an -x db_url=... override.
+[alembic]
+script_location = %(here)s/migrations
+prepend_sys_path = .
+path_separator = os
diff --git a/meridian_control/cli.py b/meridian_control/cli.py
index c40c444..1599581 100644
--- a/meridian_control/cli.py
+++ b/meridian_control/cli.py
@@ -18,8 +18,19 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     tok.add_argument("--auto-approve", action="store_true")
     tok.add_argument("--ttl", type=int, default=3600)
 
+    sub.add_parser("migrate", help="apply Alembic migrations up to head")
+
     args = parser.parse_args(argv)
 
+    if args.command == "migrate":
+        from .config import ControlConfig
+        from .db import run_migrations
+
+        db_url = ControlConfig.from_env().db_url
+        run_migrations(db_url)
+        print(f"migrated {db_url} to head")
+        return 0
+
     if args.command == "run":
         import uvicorn
 
diff --git a/meridian_control/db.py b/meridian_control/db.py
index 8287478..b17a3e5 100644
--- a/meridian_control/db.py
+++ b/meridian_control/db.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from pathlib import Path
+
 from sqlalchemy import create_engine
 from sqlalchemy.orm import DeclarativeBase, sessionmaker
 
@@ -15,7 +17,23 @@ def make_engine(db_url: str):
     return create_engine(db_url, connect_args=connect_args, future=True)
 
 
-def make_session_factory(db_url: str):
+def make_session_factory(db_url: str, create_schema: bool = True):
+    """Session factory. `create_schema` uses `create_all` for dev/tests; set it
+    False in production and manage the schema with Alembic (`meridian-control
+    migrate`, or `run_migrations`)."""
     engine = make_engine(db_url)
-    Base.metadata.create_all(engine)
+    if create_schema:
+        Base.metadata.create_all(engine)
     return sessionmaker(bind=engine, expire_on_commit=False, future=True)
+
+
+def run_migrations(db_url: str) -> None:
+    """Apply Alembic migrations up to head (the production schema path)."""
+    from alembic import command
+    from alembic.config import Config
+
+    here = Path(__file__).parent
+    cfg = Config(str(here / "alembic.ini"))
+    cfg.set_main_option("script_location", str(here / "migrations"))
+    cfg.set_main_option("sqlalchemy.url", db_url)
+    command.upgrade(cfg, "head")
diff --git a/meridian_control/migrations/env.py b/meridian_control/migrations/env.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62ff07c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meridian_control/migrations/env.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+"""Alembic environment for meridian-control.
+
+The DB URL comes from ControlConfig (MERIDIAN_CONTROL_DB_URL) unless overridden
+with `-x db_url=...`. target_metadata is the ORM Base so autogenerate stays in
+sync with meridian_control.models.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from alembic import context
+
+import meridian_control.models  # noqa: F401 - import registers all tables on Base.metadata
+from meridian_control.config import ControlConfig
+from meridian_control.db import Base, make_engine
+
+target_metadata = Base.metadata
+
+
+def _url() -> str:
+    override = context.get_x_argument(as_dictionary=True).get("db_url")
+    if override:
+        return override
+    ini = context.config.get_main_option("sqlalchemy.url")
+    return ini or ControlConfig.from_env().db_url
+
+
+def run_migrations_offline() -> None:
+    context.configure(url=_url(), target_metadata=target_metadata, literal_binds=True, compare_type=True)
+    with context.begin_transaction():
+        context.run_migrations()
+
+
+def run_migrations_online() -> None:
+    engine = make_engine(_url())
+    with engine.connect() as connection:
+        context.configure(connection=connection, target_metadata=target_metadata, compare_type=True)
+        with context.begin_transaction():
+            context.run_migrations()
+
+
+if context.is_offline_mode():
+    run_migrations_offline()
+else:
+    run_migrations_online()
diff --git a/meridian_control/migrations/script.py.mako b/meridian_control/migrations/script.py.mako
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..590f5b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meridian_control/migrations/script.py.mako
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"""${message}
+
+Revision ID: ${up_revision}
+Revises: ${down_revision | comma,n}
+Create Date: ${create_date}
+"""
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+${imports if imports else ""}
+
+revision: str = ${repr(up_revision)}
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = ${repr(down_revision)}
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = ${repr(branch_labels)}
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = ${repr(depends_on)}
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    ${upgrades if upgrades else "pass"}
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    ${downgrades if downgrades else "pass"}
diff --git a/meridian_control/migrations/versions/dc240ff6c192_initial_schema.py b/meridian_control/migrations/versions/dc240ff6c192_initial_schema.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ee0aea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meridian_control/migrations/versions/dc240ff6c192_initial_schema.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+"""initial schema
+
+Revision ID: dc240ff6c192
+Revises: 
+Create Date: 2026-08-04 00:59:38.132114
+"""
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+
+revision: str = 'dc240ff6c192'
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = None
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.create_table('audit_events',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.Integer(), autoincrement=True, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('node_id', sa.String(length=128), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('kind', sa.String(length=64), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('detail', sa.String(length=1024), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('created_at', sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=False),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id')
+    )
+    op.create_table('claims',
+    sa.Column('claim_id', sa.String(length=128), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('node_id', sa.String(length=128), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('public_key', sa.LargeBinary(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('nonce', sa.String(length=128), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('status', sa.String(length=16), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('created_at', sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=False),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('claim_id')
+    )
+    op.create_table('enrollment_tokens',
+    sa.Column('token_hash', sa.String(length=64), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('auto_approve', sa.Boolean(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('used', sa.Boolean(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('expires_at', sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=True),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('token_hash')
+    )
+    op.create_table('incarnation',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('value', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('epoch_floor', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id')
+    )
+    op.create_table('nodes',
+    sa.Column('node_id', sa.String(length=128), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('public_key', sa.LargeBinary(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('certificate_pem', sa.String(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('display_name', sa.String(length=253), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('labels', sa.JSON(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('active_session_id', sa.String(length=128), nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('fencing_epoch', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('incarnation', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('highest_sequence', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('lease_expires_at', sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('desired_generation', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('revoked', sa.Boolean(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('created_at', sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=False),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('node_id')
+    )
+    op.create_table('stop_authorizations',
+    sa.Column('node_id', sa.String(length=128), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('engine_id', sa.String(length=128), nullable=False),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('node_id', 'engine_id')
+    )
+    op.create_table('desired_snapshots',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.Integer(), autoincrement=True, nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('node_id', sa.String(length=128), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('generation', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('snapshot', sa.JSON(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('created_at', sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=False),
+    sa.ForeignKeyConstraint(['node_id'], ['nodes.node_id'], ),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id'),
+    sa.UniqueConstraint('node_id', 'generation', name='uq_node_generation')
+    )
+    op.create_table('observations',
+    sa.Column('node_id', sa.String(length=128), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('sequence', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('observation', sa.JSON(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('updated_at', sa.DateTime(timezone=True), nullable=False),
+    sa.ForeignKeyConstraint(['node_id'], ['nodes.node_id'], ),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('node_id')
+    )
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.drop_table('observations')
+    op.drop_table('desired_snapshots')
+    op.drop_table('stop_authorizations')
+    op.drop_table('nodes')
+    op.drop_table('incarnation')
+    op.drop_table('enrollment_tokens')
+    op.drop_table('claims')
+    op.drop_table('audit_events')
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f2d3107..62e659c 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ docs = [
 # service. SQLite by default, Postgres via a connection URL.
 control = [
     "sqlalchemy>=2.0",
+    "alembic>=1.13",
 ]
 dev = [
     "ruff",
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ packages = ["meridian", "meridian_control"]
 [tool.ruff]
 target-version = "py39"
 line-length = 120
+# Alembic autogenerates migration scripts; don't lint their generated style.
+extend-exclude = ["meridian_control/migrations/versions"]
 
 [tool.ruff.lint]
 select = ["E", "F", "I", "W"]
diff --git a/tests/control/test_migrations.py b/tests/control/test_migrations.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99cbe92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/control/test_migrations.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""Alembic migrations build the full schema (the production schema path).
+
+Proves `run_migrations` (used by `meridian-control migrate`) applies cleanly to a
+fresh database and that the initial migration stays in sync with the ORM models.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+from sqlalchemy import create_engine, inspect
+
+from meridian_control.db import Base, run_migrations
+
+pytest.importorskip("alembic")  # only in the [control] extra; skip in the gateway-only CI job
+
+
+def test_migrations_create_full_schema(tmp_path):
+    db_url = f"sqlite:///{tmp_path}/m.db"
+    run_migrations(db_url)  # apply head to an empty DB
+    tables = set(inspect(create_engine(db_url)).get_table_names())
+    expected = set(Base.metadata.tables) | {"alembic_version"}
+    missing = expected - tables
+    assert not missing, f"migration is missing tables: {missing}"
+
+
+def test_migrations_are_idempotent(tmp_path):
+    db_url = f"sqlite:///{tmp_path}/m.db"
+    run_migrations(db_url)
+    run_migrations(db_url)  # second upgrade to head is a no-op, must not error