diff --git a/cmd/web/main.go b/cmd/web/main.go
index 11ab24e..1b6924f 100644
--- a/cmd/web/main.go
+++ b/cmd/web/main.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
 	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
-	"log"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
@@ -66,14 +65,11 @@ func main() {
 }
 
 func openDb() (*sql.DB, error) {
-	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", "./qv.sqlite")
+
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", "./qv.sqlite?_foreign_keys=on")
 	if err == nil {
 		err = db.Ping()
 	}
-	_, err = db.Exec("PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON")
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Failed to enable foreign key constraints: %v", err)
-	}
 
 	return db, err
 }
diff --git a/internal/migrations/sql/000001_init.up.sql b/internal/migrations/sql/000001_init.up.sql
index 1a236ac..754c3c8 100644
--- a/internal/migrations/sql/000001_init.up.sql
+++ b/internal/migrations/sql/000001_init.up.sql
@@ -70,5 +70,3 @@ CREATE TRIGGER prevent_created_at_update_votes
 BEGIN
     SELECT RAISE(FAIL, 'created_at column is read-only');
 END;
-
-PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON; -- run after opening the connection so foreign key constraints are checked
\ No newline at end of file