diff --git a/deploy/kubernetes/README.md b/deploy/kubernetes/README.md
index 97cacaf33..0ff917c31 100644
--- a/deploy/kubernetes/README.md
+++ b/deploy/kubernetes/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ This directory deploys the control plane — Core and the Web console — to a K
 
 | Object | From | Notes |
 | --- | --- | --- |
-| Deployment and Service `oac-core` | `prod/core.yaml.tpl` | Core on port 8091. One replica: Core takes a PostgreSQL lease that gives one execution service per database, so a second replica exits at startup. An init container prepares the adapter state volume, then `oac-core-migrate` applies the schema |
+| Deployment and Service `oac-core` | `prod/core.yaml.tpl` | Core on port 8091. One replica: Core takes a PostgreSQL lease that gives one execution service per database, so a second replica exits at startup. An init container prepares the adapter state volume and secret files; Core applies the schema during startup before listening |
 | ConfigMap `oac-core-env` | `prod/core-env.yaml.tpl` | Core's process environment; no secret |
 | PersistentVolumeClaim `oac-core-state` | `prod/core-state.yaml.tpl` | `OAC_PROVIDER_STATE_ROOT`, required for E2B; see [the state volume](#the-state-volume). Back it up with the database and the credential key |
 | Deployment and Service `oac-web` | `prod/web.yaml.tpl` | The console on port 8080. One replica: Web holds sign-in sessions in process memory, so a cookie is valid only on the Pod that issued it |
diff --git a/deploy/kubernetes/prod/core.yaml.tpl b/deploy/kubernetes/prod/core.yaml.tpl
index d846823a4..f0c03712b 100644
--- a/deploy/kubernetes/prod/core.yaml.tpl
+++ b/deploy/kubernetes/prod/core.yaml.tpl
@@ -93,36 +93,6 @@ spec:
             limits:
               cpu: 200m
               memory: 128Mi
-        # Core never migrates its own schema. The schema must match the image
-        # before Core opens the database.
-        - name: migrate
-          image: "${OAC_CORE_IMAGE}"
-          imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
-          command: ["/usr/local/bin/oac-core-migrate"]
-          envFrom:
-            - configMapRef:
-                name: oac-core-env
-          securityContext:
-            runAsUser: 65532
-            runAsGroup: 65532
-            runAsNonRoot: true
-            allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
-            readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
-            capabilities:
-              drop: ["ALL"]
-          volumeMounts:
-            - name: secrets
-              mountPath: /run/oac
-              readOnly: true
-            - name: tmp
-              mountPath: /tmp
-          resources:
-            requests:
-              cpu: 100m
-              memory: 128Mi
-            limits:
-              cpu: "1"
-              memory: 512Mi
       containers:
         - name: core
           image: "${OAC_CORE_IMAGE}"