diff --git a/cmd/gotosocial/action/server/server.go b/cmd/gotosocial/action/server/server.go
index 2ea48b7df..8deed6ecc 100644
--- a/cmd/gotosocial/action/server/server.go
+++ b/cmd/gotosocial/action/server/server.go
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/KimMachineGun/automemlimit/memlimit"
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
-	"github.com/ncruces/go-sqlite3"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/cmd/gotosocial/action"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/api"
 	apiutil "github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/api/util"
@@ -74,13 +73,6 @@ var Start action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context) error {
 	// to match container limits.
 	setLimits(ctx)
 
-	// Compile WASM modules ahead of first use
-	// to prevent unexpected initial slowdowns.
-	log.Info(ctx, "precompiling WebAssembly")
-	if err := precompileWASM(ctx); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	var (
 		// Define necessary core variables
 		// before anything so we can prepare
@@ -203,6 +195,17 @@ var Start action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context) error {
 		TLSInsecureSkipVerify: config.GetHTTPClientTLSInsecureSkipVerify(),
 	})
 
+	// Compile WASM modules ahead of first use
+	// to prevent unexpected initial slowdowns.
+	//
+	// Note that this can take a bit of memory
+	// and processing so we perform this much
+	// later after any database migrations.
+	log.Info(ctx, "compiling WebAssembly")
+	if err := compileWASM(ctx); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// Build handlers used in later initializations.
 	mediaManager := media.NewManager(state)
 	oauthServer := oauth.New(ctx, dbService)
@@ -491,11 +494,7 @@ func setLimits(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 }
 
-func precompileWASM(ctx context.Context) error {
-	if err := sqlite3.Initialize(); err != nil {
-		return gtserror.Newf("error compiling sqlite3: %w", err)
-	}
-
+func compileWASM(ctx context.Context) error {
 	// Use admin-set ffmpeg pool size, and fall
 	// back to GOMAXPROCS if number 0 or less.
 	ffPoolSize := config.GetMediaFfmpegPoolSize()