diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 5b423adf..f6dee4da 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -83,4 +83,4 @@ jobs:
           push: true
           tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
           labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
-          build-args: FEATURES=sqlite,sqlite-federation
+          build-args: FEATURES=federation
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 839c63fc..2aeadf3a 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1154,6 +1154,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "sqlite-social",
  "sqlx",
  "tokio",
+ "tracing",
  "uuid",
 ]
 
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index d136920e..886a2f86 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -74,11 +74,10 @@ COPY crates ./crates
 # All sqlx queries use the runtime API (no query! macros), so no database
 # or .sqlx cache is needed at compile time.
 #
-# To build with PostgreSQL backend instead:
-#   --build-arg FEATURES=postgres,postgres-federation
-# To add NATS support (EVENT_BUS_BACKEND=nats):
-#   --build-arg FEATURES=sqlite,sqlite-federation,nats
-ARG FEATURES=sqlite,sqlite-federation
+# Features: federation (ActivityPub), nats (EVENT_BUS_BACKEND=nats).
+# Build without federation:  --build-arg FEATURES=
+# To add NATS support:       --build-arg FEATURES=federation,nats
+ARG FEATURES=federation
 RUN cargo build --release -p server -p worker --no-default-features --features "${FEATURES}"
 
 # ----- runtime -----
diff --git a/crates/composition/Cargo.toml b/crates/composition/Cargo.toml
index de444330..0599e0de 100644
--- a/crates/composition/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/composition/Cargo.toml
@@ -5,10 +5,8 @@ edition.workspace = true
 
 [features]
 default = []
-sqlite = ["dep:sqlite", "dep:sqlite-event-queue", "dep:sqlite-search", "dep:sqlite-social", "infra-wiring/sqlite"]
 nats = ["dep:nats", "infra-wiring/nats"]
-federation = ["application/federation"]
-sqlite-federation = ["sqlite", "dep:sqlite-federation", "dep:activitypub", "federation"]
+federation = ["application/federation", "dep:sqlite-federation", "dep:activitypub"]
 
 [dependencies]
 domain = { workspace = true }
@@ -21,11 +19,12 @@ object-storage = { workspace = true }
 jellyfin = { workspace = true }
 plex = { workspace = true }
 anyhow = { workspace = true }
+tracing = { workspace = true }
 
-sqlite = { workspace = true, optional = true }
-sqlite-event-queue = { workspace = true, optional = true }
-sqlite-search = { workspace = true, optional = true }
-sqlite-social = { workspace = true, optional = true }
+sqlite = { workspace = true }
+sqlite-event-queue = { workspace = true }
+sqlite-search = { workspace = true }
+sqlite-social = { workspace = true }
 nats = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 activitypub = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 sqlite-federation = { workspace = true, optional = true }
diff --git a/crates/composition/src/factory.rs b/crates/composition/src/factory.rs
index efe5fa16..34580381 100644
--- a/crates/composition/src/factory.rs
+++ b/crates/composition/src/factory.rs
@@ -123,9 +123,14 @@ pub fn build_profile_fields_repo(
     pool: &DbPool,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<Arc<dyn UserProfileFieldsRepository>> {
     match pool {
-        #[cfg(feature = "sqlite")]
         DbPool::Sqlite(pool) => Ok(sqlite::create_profile_fields_repo(pool.clone())),
-        #[cfg(not(feature = "sqlite"))]
-        _ => anyhow::bail!("no profile fields repo for this backend"),
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn warn_if_database_backend_set() {
+    if let Ok(v) = std::env::var("DATABASE_BACKEND")
+        && v != "sqlite"
+    {
+        tracing::warn!("DATABASE_BACKEND is ignored; SQLite is the only backend");
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/composition/src/tests/build.rs b/crates/composition/src/tests/build.rs
index 6a506570..e0746cf4 100644
--- a/crates/composition/src/tests/build.rs
+++ b/crates/composition/src/tests/build.rs
@@ -265,11 +265,7 @@ fn test_repositories() -> Repositories {
 }
 
 /// A lazily-connected in-memory sqlite pool — never actually opened in this test,
-/// just a value to satisfy `DatabaseOutput::db_pool`. Requires the `sqlite` feature,
-/// which `cargo test --workspace` enables transitively (presentation/worker both
-/// default to it), matching how `DbPool::Sqlite` is only constructible under that
-/// feature everywhere else in the workspace.
-#[cfg(feature = "sqlite")]
+/// just a value to satisfy `DatabaseOutput::db_pool`.
 fn test_db_pool() -> infra_wiring::DbPool {
     let pool = sqlx::sqlite::SqlitePoolOptions::new()
         .connect_lazy("sqlite::memory:")
@@ -277,14 +273,6 @@ fn test_db_pool() -> infra_wiring::DbPool {
     infra_wiring::DbPool::Sqlite(pool)
 }
 
-#[cfg(not(feature = "sqlite"))]
-fn test_db_pool() -> infra_wiring::DbPool {
-    unreachable!(
-        "worker_deps_wiring needs the sqlite feature; cargo test --workspace enables it \
-         transitively via presentation/worker's default features"
-    )
-}
-
 fn test_database_output() -> DatabaseOutput {
     let movies = InMemoryMovieRepository::new();
     let watch_events = InMemoryWatchEventRepository::new();
diff --git a/crates/infra-wiring/Cargo.toml b/crates/infra-wiring/Cargo.toml
index fcacb81f..228f8686 100644
--- a/crates/infra-wiring/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/infra-wiring/Cargo.toml
@@ -9,5 +9,4 @@ anyhow = { workspace = true }
 
 [features]
 default = []
-sqlite = []
 nats = []
diff --git a/crates/infra-wiring/src/lib.rs b/crates/infra-wiring/src/lib.rs
index bb9dc566..b4320c09 100644
--- a/crates/infra-wiring/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/infra-wiring/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ pub mod config;
 pub use config::{AppConfig, WrapUpConfig};
 
 pub enum DbPool {
-    #[cfg(feature = "sqlite")]
     Sqlite(sqlx::SqlitePool),
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/presentation/src/tests/extractors.rs b/crates/presentation/src/tests/extractors.rs
index 58ae5c3a..d6fc267b 100644
--- a/crates/presentation/src/tests/extractors.rs
+++ b/crates/presentation/src/tests/extractors.rs
@@ -495,7 +495,6 @@ impl SearchCommand for Panic {
         panic!()
     }
 }
-#[cfg(feature = "federation")]
 #[async_trait::async_trait]
 impl domain::ports::RemoteWatchlistRepository for Panic {
     async fn save(&self, _: domain::models::RemoteWatchlistEntry) -> Result<(), DomainError> {
diff --git a/crates/server/Cargo.toml b/crates/server/Cargo.toml
index bc333407..ca4fe627 100644
--- a/crates/server/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/server/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,19 +6,18 @@ description = "Self-hosted movie diary with REST API and ActivityPub federation"
 license = "MIT"
 
 [features]
-default = ["sqlite", "sqlite-federation"]
-sqlite = ["dep:sqlite", "dep:sqlite-event-queue", "dep:sqlite-search", "infra-wiring/sqlite", "composition/sqlite"]
-nats = ["dep:nats", "infra-wiring/nats", "composition/nats"]
-# Meta-feature: true when any federation adapter is active — keeps all #[cfg(feature = "federation")] gates working
-federation = ["application/federation", "presentation/federation"]
-sqlite-federation = [
-    "sqlite",
-    "dep:sqlite-federation",
-    "dep:sqlite-social",
+default = ["federation"]
+federation = [
     "dep:activitypub",
-    "federation",
-    "composition/sqlite-federation",
+    "dep:sqlite-federation",
+    "application/federation",
+    "presentation/federation",
+    "composition/federation",
 ]
+nats = ["dep:nats", "infra-wiring/nats", "composition/nats"]
+# deprecated aliases kept so existing deploy commands keep working
+sqlite = []
+sqlite-federation = ["federation"]
 
 [dependencies]
 axum = { workspace = true }
@@ -44,15 +43,14 @@ sqlx = { workspace = true }
 infra-wiring = { workspace = true }
 async-trait = { workspace = true }
 
-# Optional — database backends
-sqlite = { workspace = true, optional = true }
-sqlite-event-queue   = { workspace = true, optional = true }
-sqlite-search        = { workspace = true, optional = true }
+sqlite = { workspace = true }
+sqlite-event-queue = { workspace = true }
+sqlite-search = { workspace = true }
+sqlite-social = { workspace = true }
 
 # Optional — federation
-activitypub       = { workspace = true, optional = true }
+activitypub = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 sqlite-federation = { workspace = true, optional = true }
-sqlite-social = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 bytes = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/crates/server/src/main.rs b/crates/server/src/main.rs
index 8d14a952..72c47a4a 100644
--- a/crates/server/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/server/src/main.rs
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ use rss::RssAdapter;
 use domain::ports::{DiaryExporter, DocumentParser, EventPublisher};
 use infra_wiring::EventBusBackend;
 
-#[cfg(not(feature = "sqlite"))]
-compile_error!("The sqlite feature must be enabled. Use --features sqlite");
-
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     dotenvy::dotenv().ok();
@@ -48,7 +45,7 @@ async fn wire_dependencies() -> anyhow::Result<(AppState, axum::Router)> {
     let app_config = AppConfig::from_env();
     let instance = domain::value_objects::InstanceIdentity::new(app_config.base_url.clone());
     let database_url = std::env::var("DATABASE_URL").context("DATABASE_URL must be set")?;
-    warn_if_database_backend_set();
+    composition::factory::warn_if_database_backend_set();
 
     let (auth_service, password_hasher) = composition::factory::build_auth_adapters()?;
     let metadata_client = composition::factory::build_metadata_client()?;
@@ -76,7 +73,6 @@ async fn wire_dependencies() -> anyhow::Result<(AppState, axum::Router)> {
         block_query_arc,
     ) = {
         let fed_repos = match &db_pool {
-            #[cfg(feature = "sqlite-federation")]
             composition::DbPool::Sqlite(pool) => {
                 sqlite_federation::wire(pool.clone(), instance.clone())
             }
@@ -214,7 +210,6 @@ async fn wire_dependencies() -> anyhow::Result<(AppState, axum::Router)> {
         #[cfg(feature = "federation")]
         federated_profile: Some({
             match &db_pool {
-                #[cfg(feature = "sqlite-federation")]
                 composition::DbPool::Sqlite(pool) => {
                     sqlite_social::create_federated_profile_query(pool.clone(), instance.clone())
                 }
@@ -272,7 +267,6 @@ async fn create_event_publisher(
         EventBusBackend::Db => {
             tracing::info!("event bus: DB queue");
             Ok(match db_pool {
-                #[cfg(feature = "sqlite")]
                 composition::DbPool::Sqlite(pool) => {
                     sqlite_event_queue::SqliteEventQueue::create_publisher(pool.clone()).await?
                 }
@@ -288,14 +282,6 @@ async fn create_event_publisher(
     }
 }
 
-fn warn_if_database_backend_set() {
-    if let Ok(v) = std::env::var("DATABASE_BACKEND")
-        && v != "sqlite"
-    {
-        tracing::warn!("DATABASE_BACKEND is ignored; SQLite is the only backend");
-    }
-}
-
 fn init_tracing() {
     tracing_subscriber::registry()
         .with(log_filter("server=debug,tower_http=debug"))
diff --git a/crates/server/tests/api_test.rs b/crates/server/tests/api_test.rs
index a8698c22..0ff2a4f9 100644
--- a/crates/server/tests/api_test.rs
+++ b/crates/server/tests/api_test.rs
@@ -362,9 +362,7 @@ impl SearchCommand for PanicSearchCommand {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "federation")]
 struct PanicRemoteWatchlist;
-#[cfg(feature = "federation")]
 #[async_trait::async_trait]
 impl domain::ports::RemoteWatchlistRepository for PanicRemoteWatchlist {
     async fn save(&self, _: domain::models::RemoteWatchlistEntry) -> Result<(), DomainError> {
diff --git a/crates/worker/Cargo.toml b/crates/worker/Cargo.toml
index d81add48..de04f955 100644
--- a/crates/worker/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/worker/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,17 +4,17 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 edition.workspace = true
 
 [features]
-default = ["sqlite", "sqlite-federation"]
-sqlite = ["dep:sqlite", "dep:sqlite-event-queue", "dep:sqlite-search", "infra-wiring/sqlite", "composition/sqlite"]
-nats = ["dep:nats", "infra-wiring/nats", "composition/nats"]
-federation = ["application/federation"]
-sqlite-federation = [
-    "sqlite",
-    "dep:sqlite-federation",
+default = ["federation"]
+federation = [
     "dep:activitypub",
-    "federation",
-    "composition/sqlite-federation",
+    "dep:sqlite-federation",
+    "application/federation",
+    "composition/federation",
 ]
+nats = ["dep:nats", "infra-wiring/nats", "composition/nats"]
+# deprecated aliases kept so existing deploy commands keep working
+sqlite = []
+sqlite-federation = ["federation"]
 
 [dependencies]
 domain = { workspace = true }
@@ -39,11 +39,10 @@ sqlx = { workspace = true }
 infra-wiring = { workspace = true }
 async-trait = { workspace = true }
 
-# Optional — database backends
-sqlite = { workspace = true, optional = true }
-sqlite-event-queue   = { workspace = true, optional = true }
-sqlite-search        = { workspace = true, optional = true }
+sqlite = { workspace = true }
+sqlite-event-queue = { workspace = true }
+sqlite-search = { workspace = true }
 
 # Optional — federation
-activitypub       = { workspace = true, optional = true }
+activitypub = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 sqlite-federation = { workspace = true, optional = true }
diff --git a/crates/worker/src/event_bus.rs b/crates/worker/src/event_bus.rs
index 24bfd543..556e302d 100644
--- a/crates/worker/src/event_bus.rs
+++ b/crates/worker/src/event_bus.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ pub async fn create(
         EventBusBackend::Db => {
             tracing::info!("event bus: DB queue");
             match db_pool {
-                #[cfg(feature = "sqlite")]
                 DbPool::Sqlite(pool) => {
                     Ok(sqlite_event_queue::SqliteEventQueue::create_channel(pool.clone()).await?)
                 }
diff --git a/crates/worker/src/main.rs b/crates/worker/src/main.rs
index f2505713..b20cea59 100644
--- a/crates/worker/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/worker/src/main.rs
@@ -13,16 +13,13 @@ use tracing_subscriber::{layer::SubscriberExt, util::SubscriberInitExt};
 
 use domain::ports::{EventHandler, MovieEnrichmentClient, PeriodicJob, PersonEnrichmentClient};
 
-#[cfg(not(feature = "sqlite"))]
-compile_error!("The sqlite feature must be enabled. Use --features sqlite");
-
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     dotenvy::dotenv().ok();
     init_tracing();
 
     let database_url = std::env::var("DATABASE_URL").context("DATABASE_URL must be set")?;
-    warn_if_database_backend_set();
+    composition::factory::warn_if_database_backend_set();
     let app_config = AppConfig::from_env();
     let instance = domain::value_objects::InstanceIdentity::new(app_config.base_url.clone());
 
@@ -82,7 +79,6 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     // Wire federation repos early to get remote_watchlist_repo for AppContext.
     #[cfg(feature = "federation")]
     let fed_repos = match &db.db_pool {
-        #[cfg(feature = "sqlite-federation")]
         composition::DbPool::Sqlite(pool) => {
             sqlite_federation::wire(pool.clone(), instance.clone())
         }
@@ -301,14 +297,6 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-fn warn_if_database_backend_set() {
-    if let Ok(v) = std::env::var("DATABASE_BACKEND")
-        && v != "sqlite"
-    {
-        tracing::warn!("DATABASE_BACKEND is ignored; SQLite is the only backend");
-    }
-}
-
 fn init_tracing() {
     tracing_subscriber::registry()
         .with(log_filter("worker=info,application=info,k_ap=info"))
diff --git a/deploy.sh b/deploy.sh
index 5e6f8ee5..8801669d 100755
--- a/deploy.sh
+++ b/deploy.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 REGISTRY="registry.gabrielkaszewski.dev"
 REPO="movies-diary"
-DEFAULT_FEATURES="sqlite,sqlite-federation,nats"
+DEFAULT_FEATURES="federation,nats"
 
 features="${FEATURES:-$DEFAULT_FEATURES}"
 tag="latest"
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 1c8a4994..c67f2596 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ services:
     # build:
     #   context: .
     #   args:
-    #     FEATURES: sqlite,sqlite-federation
+    #     FEATURES: federation
     ports:
       - "3000:3000"
     env_file: .env
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ services:
     # build:
     #   context: .
     #   args:
-    #     FEATURES: sqlite,sqlite-federation
+    #     FEATURES: federation
     entrypoint: ["./worker"]
     env_file: .env
     volumes: