diff --git a/hosts/manatee/modules/romm/default.nix b/hosts/manatee/modules/romm/default.nix
index ae6a61c..bdac223 100644
--- a/hosts/manatee/modules/romm/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/manatee/modules/romm/default.nix
@@ -55,7 +55,11 @@ in
 
     systemd.tmpfiles.rules = [
       "d /var/lib/romm 0755 root root -"
-      "d /var/lib/romm/db 0755 root root -"
+      # Owned by the container's mysql user (999). tmpfiles re-applies owner
+      # and mode on every switch; as root:root it left a running MariaDB unable
+      # to delete tc.log on shutdown, so the next start failed "crash recovery"
+      # with "Bad magic header in tc log".
+      "d /var/lib/romm/db 0755 999 999 -"
       "d /var/lib/romm/redis 0755 999 1000 -"
       "d /var/lib/romm/resources 0755 root root -"
       "d /var/lib/romm/assets 0755 root root -"