diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 1563659a..c998322d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ jobs:
           tar -xzf /tmp/pql.tgz -C /tmp
           sudo install -m 0755 /tmp/pql /usr/local/bin/pql
           pql --version
+          # The pql tests query the repo's vault, but .pql/pql.db is gitignored
+          # (the post-checkout hook rebuilds it from the committed changelog).
+          # A fresh CI checkout has the changelog but no db — materialize it.
+          pql plan import
       # test-coverage runs the full fast suite WITH coverage (it includes the
       # a11y suite — see the push-check note in the Makefile), which is what
       # coverage-gate consumes.
@@ -55,6 +59,10 @@ jobs:
           tar -xzf /tmp/pql.tgz -C /tmp
           sudo install -m 0755 /tmp/pql /usr/local/bin/pql
           pql --version
+          # The pql tests query the repo's vault, but .pql/pql.db is gitignored
+          # (the post-checkout hook rebuilds it from the committed changelog).
+          # A fresh CI checkout has the changelog but no db — materialize it.
+          pql plan import
       - uses: coactions/setup-xvfb@v1
         with: { run: make test-integration }
 
@@ -76,6 +84,10 @@ jobs:
           tar -xzf /tmp/pql.tgz -C /tmp
           sudo install -m 0755 /tmp/pql /usr/local/bin/pql
           pql --version
+          # The pql tests query the repo's vault, but .pql/pql.db is gitignored
+          # (the post-checkout hook rebuilds it from the committed changelog).
+          # A fresh CI checkout has the changelog but no db — materialize it.
+          pql plan import
       - run: make smoke-bundle
 
   # The web-WASM Playwright job is withheld: `flutter build web --wasm` cannot