diff --git a/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.install.ex b/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.install.ex
index be555df80..e590f413d 100644
--- a/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.install.ex
+++ b/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.install.ex
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ if Code.ensure_loaded?(Igniter.Mix.Task) do
       BasicConfiguration,
       BrowserPipelineIntegration,
       CssIntegration,
+      DbConnectionCheck,
       DemoFiles,
       EndpointIntegration,
       LayoutConfig,
@@ -174,6 +175,9 @@ if Code.ensure_loaded?(Igniter.Mix.Task) do
             # Run standard igniter process
             result = super(argv)
 
+            # Simple database check - must succeed to continue
+            DbConnectionCheck.check!()
+
             # After igniter is done, handle interactive migration
             MigrationStrategy.handle_interactive_migration_after_config(elem(opts, 1))
 
diff --git a/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.status.ex b/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.status.ex
index bfb1243db..69c2668a1 100644
--- a/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.status.ex
+++ b/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.status.ex
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.PhoenixKit.Status do
 
   alias PhoenixKit.Config
   alias PhoenixKit.Install.Common
+  alias PhoenixKit.Install.DbConnectionCheck
   alias PhoenixKit.Migrations.Postgres
 
   @impl Mix.Task
@@ -70,6 +71,18 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.PhoenixKit.Status do
     {:ok, _} = Application.ensure_all_started(:ecto_sql)
     {:ok, _} = Application.ensure_all_started(:phoenix_kit)
 
+    # Ensure repo is started before DB check
+    case get_repo_with_fallback() do
+      nil ->
+        :ok
+
+      repo ->
+        ensure_repo_started(repo)
+    end
+
+    # Simple database check - must succeed to continue
+    DbConnectionCheck.check!()
+
     {opts, _argv, _errors} = OptionParser.parse(argv, switches: @switches, aliases: @aliases)
 
     prefix = opts[:prefix] || "public"
diff --git a/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.update.ex b/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.update.ex
index 221d421dc..295a71a6a 100644
--- a/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.update.ex
+++ b/lib/mix/tasks/phoenix_kit.update.ex
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ if Code.ensure_loaded?(Igniter.Mix.Task) do
       BasicConfiguration,
       Common,
       CssIntegration,
+      DbConnectionCheck,
       IgniterHelpers,
       ObanConfig,
       RateLimiterConfig
@@ -221,6 +222,10 @@ if Code.ensure_loaded?(Igniter.Mix.Task) do
               Application.put_env(:phoenix_kit, :update_mode, true)
 
               Mix.Task.run("app.start")
+
+              # Simple database check - must succeed to continue
+              DbConnectionCheck.check!()
+
               result = super(argv)
               post_igniter_tasks(elem(opts, 0))
 
diff --git a/lib/phoenix_kit/install/db_connection_check.ex b/lib/phoenix_kit/install/db_connection_check.ex
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f17646cc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/phoenix_kit/install/db_connection_check.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+defmodule PhoenixKit.Install.DbConnectionCheck do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Simple database connection check for PhoenixKit installation.
+  """
+  alias PhoenixKit.Config
+
+  @dialyzer {:nowarn_function, check!: 0}
+
+  @doc """
+  Check if database is reachable. Returns true if connected, false otherwise.
+  """
+  def check? do
+    case Config.get(:repo) do
+      {:ok, repo} when is_atom(repo) ->
+        check_repo?(repo)
+
+      _ ->
+        false
+    end
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Check DB connection and exit with error if not connected.
+  """
+  @spec check!() :: no_return()
+  def check! do
+    unless check?() do
+      Mix.shell().error("""
+      ❌ Cannot connect to database.
+
+      Please ensure:
+      1. PostgreSQL is running
+      2. Database exists (run: mix ecto.create)
+      3. Configuration in config/dev.exs is correct
+      """)
+
+      exit({:shutdown, 1})
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp check_repo?(repo) do
+    with true <- Code.ensure_loaded?(repo),
+         true <- function_exported?(repo, :__adapter__, 0),
+         {:ok, %{rows: [[1]]}} <- repo.query("SELECT 1", [], log: false) do
+      true
+    else
+      _ -> false
+    end
+  end
+end