diff --git a/features/environment.py b/features/environment.py
index 7d06891c7..b65b880c3 100644
--- a/features/environment.py
+++ b/features/environment.py
@@ -213,8 +213,13 @@ def _install_template_db_patch() -> None:
 
         # Only copy template for databases that don't exist yet or are empty
         # (SQLite auto-creates a 0-byte file on first engine open).
+        # If the DB already exists and is non-empty, it was either copied from
+        # the template or created by a prior step — either way it is already
+        # fully migrated.  Skipping the Alembic check avoids redundant engine
+        # creation, SQLite lock contention, and the cumulative overhead that
+        # causes intermittent hangs in parallel test runs.
         if db_path.exists() and db_path.stat().st_size > 0:
-            return _original_init_or_upgrade(self, **kwargs)
+            return
 
         # Copy the template — creates a fully-migrated DB in ~1ms
         db_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)