diff --git a/management/internals/server/boot.go b/management/internals/server/boot.go
index 24dfb641b99..0a2c808def5 100644
--- a/management/internals/server/boot.go
+++ b/management/internals/server/boot.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/netip"
+	"os"
 	"slices"
 	"time"
 
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ func (s *BaseServer) CacheStore() cachestore.StoreInterface {
 
 func (s *BaseServer) Store() store.Store {
 	return Create(s, func() store.Store {
-		store, err := store.NewStore(context.Background(), s.Config.StoreConfig.Engine, s.Config.Datadir, s.Metrics(), false)
+		store, err := store.NewStore(context.Background(), s.Config.StoreConfig.Engine, s.Config.Datadir, s.Metrics(), os.Getenv("NETBIRD_SKIP_MIGRATIONS") == "true")
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("failed to create store: %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/management/server/activity/store/sql_store.go b/management/server/activity/store/sql_store.go
index 73e8e295caf..e82e73dd42f 100644
--- a/management/server/activity/store/sql_store.go
+++ b/management/server/activity/store/sql_store.go
@@ -62,13 +62,24 @@ func NewSqlStore(ctx context.Context, dataDir string, encryptionKey string) (*St
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("initialize database: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	if err = migrate(ctx, fieldEncrypt, db); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("events database migration: %w", err)
-	}
+	// Only honor NETBIRD_SKIP_MIGRATIONS for the Postgres activity store, which
+	// is the one that participates in multi-master logical replication.
+	// A per-node SQLite activity store still needs its schema created on fresh
+	// nodes, so the skip must not apply there.
+	skipMigrations := os.Getenv("NETBIRD_SKIP_MIGRATIONS") == "true" &&
+		os.Getenv(storeEngineEnv) == string(types.PostgresStoreEngine)
+
+	if !skipMigrations {
+		if err = migrate(ctx, fieldEncrypt, db); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("events database migration: %w", err)
+		}
 
-	err = db.AutoMigrate(&activity.Event{}, &activity.DeletedUser{})
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("events auto migrate: %w", err)
+		err = db.AutoMigrate(&activity.Event{}, &activity.DeletedUser{})
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("events auto migrate: %w", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		log.WithContext(ctx).Info("NETBIRD_SKIP_MIGRATIONS=true and activity store engine is Postgres; skipping events database migration and AutoMigrate/schema updates")
 	}
 
 	return &Store{