diff --git a/internal/cli/discourse_reset.go b/internal/cli/discourse_reset.go
index 7790a82..63a8f41 100644
--- a/internal/cli/discourse_reset.go
+++ b/internal/cli/discourse_reset.go
@@ -62,6 +62,18 @@ func buildAssetsClobberCommands() []string {
 	)
 }
 
+// buildSchemaCacheClearCommands generates commands to remove any cached schema
+// YAML files after a branch switch. The cache is tied to a specific schema
+// version; leaving it in place after switching branches causes Rails to
+// misread column types (e.g. boolean instead of integer defaults), which
+// crashes boot before assets:clobber or migrations can run.
+func buildSchemaCacheClearCommands() []string {
+	return []string{
+		"echo 'Clearing stale schema cache...'",
+		"find . -name 'schema_cache.yml*' -delete 2>/dev/null || true",
+	}
+}
+
 // buildDatabaseDropCreateMigrateCommands generates commands to drop, create, and migrate databases.
 // When skipDBReset is true, db:drop and db:create are omitted, as well as user seeding.
 // Only migrations and later steps run.
@@ -168,6 +180,9 @@ func buildDiscourseResetScript(checkoutCmds []string, opts discourseResetScriptO
 	// Post-checkout steps
 	lines = append(lines, buildPostCheckoutCommands()...)
 
+	// Schema cache must be cleared before Rails boots on the new branch
+	lines = append(lines, buildSchemaCacheClearCommands()...)
+
 	// Rails asset cleanup
 	lines = append(lines, buildAssetsClobberCommands()...)
 
diff --git a/internal/cli/new.go b/internal/cli/new.go
index 6c4383a..8724162 100644
--- a/internal/cli/new.go
+++ b/internal/cli/new.go
@@ -536,13 +536,15 @@ git fetch origin "$_branch" --tags --prune --force
 git checkout -B "$_branch" "origin/$_branch"
 git reset --hard "origin/$_branch"
 %s
-`, shellQuote(branchName), strings.Join(buildAssetsClobberCommands(), "\n"))
+%s
+`, shellQuote(branchName), strings.Join(buildSchemaCacheClearCommands(), "\n"), strings.Join(buildAssetsClobberCommands(), "\n"))
 	return docker.ExecInteractive(name, workdir, envs, []string{"bash", "-lc", script})
 }
 
 func checkoutBranch(cmd *cobra.Command, cfg config.Config, name, workdir, branchName string, envs docker.Envs, withoutTestDB bool) error {
 	if branchName == "main" || branchName == "master" {
 		fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Updating %s branch...\n", branchName)
+		schemaClearCmds := strings.Join(buildSchemaCacheClearCommands(), "\n")
 		assetClobberCmds := strings.Join(buildAssetsClobberCommands(), "\n")
 		script := fmt.Sprintf(`
 set -e
@@ -552,7 +554,8 @@ git checkout %s > /tmp/dv-git-checkout.log 2>&1
 echo "Pulling latest..."
 git pull > /tmp/dv-git-pull.log 2>&1
 %s
-`, branchName, branchName, assetClobberCmds)
+%s
+`, branchName, branchName, schemaClearCmds, assetClobberCmds)
 		return docker.ExecInteractive(name, workdir, envs, []string{"bash", "-lc", script})
 	}
 	checkoutCmds := buildBranchCheckoutCommands(branchName)