diff --git a/backend/migrations/versions/e5b6c7d8f9a0_add_missing_board_columns.py b/backend/migrations/versions/e5b6c7d8f9a0_add_missing_board_columns.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ab9339
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/migrations/versions/e5b6c7d8f9a0_add_missing_board_columns.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+"""Add missing board columns that the ORM model expects but DB lacks.
+
+The boards model has several fields (description, approval/review rules,
+status change blocking, lead-only status changes) that were never
+migrated into the database schema.
+
+Revision ID: e5b6c7d8f9a0
+Revises: d2a3b4c5e6f7
+Create Date: 2026-05-21 04:35:00.000000
+
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+from alembic import op
+
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = "e5b6c7d8f9a0"
+down_revision = "d2a3b4c5e6f7"
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    """Add missing columns to boards."""
+    op.add_column("boards", sa.Column("description", sa.String(), nullable=True, server_default=""))
+    op.add_column("boards", sa.Column("require_approval_for_done", sa.Boolean(), nullable=False, server_default="true"))
+    op.add_column("boards", sa.Column("require_review_before_done", sa.Boolean(), nullable=False, server_default="false"))
+    op.add_column("boards", sa.Column("block_status_changes_with_pending_approval", sa.Boolean(), nullable=False, server_default="false"))
+    op.add_column("boards", sa.Column("only_lead_can_change_status", sa.Boolean(), nullable=False, server_default="false"))
+
+    # Drop server defaults after adding with them (so existing rows get values)
+    op.alter_column("boards", "description", server_default=None)
+    op.alter_column("boards", "require_approval_for_done", server_default=None)
+    op.alter_column("boards", "require_review_before_done", server_default=None)
+    op.alter_column("boards", "block_status_changes_with_pending_approval", server_default=None)
+    op.alter_column("boards", "only_lead_can_change_status", server_default=None)
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    """Remove the columns added in this migration."""
+    op.drop_column("boards", "only_lead_can_change_status")
+    op.drop_column("boards", "block_status_changes_with_pending_approval")
+    op.drop_column("boards", "require_review_before_done")
+    op.drop_column("boards", "require_approval_for_done")
+    op.drop_column("boards", "description")
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