diff --git a/server/app.ts b/server/app.ts
index 4ba0fd7..c175623 100644
--- a/server/app.ts
+++ b/server/app.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,14 @@ export const app = express();
 
 if (!process.env.DATABASE_URL) throw new Error("DATABASE_URL is required");
 
-const client = postgres(process.env.DATABASE_URL);
+// In dev, ssrLoadModule re-evaluates this file on every request. Cache the
+// client on globalThis so HMR re-loads reuse the same connection pool instead
+// of leaking a new one each time.
+declare global {
+  // TypeScript requires `var` in `declare global` blocks — `let`/`const` are not allowed here.
+  var __pgClient: ReturnType<typeof postgres> | undefined; // eslint-disable-line no-var
+}
+const client = (globalThis.__pgClient ??= postgres(process.env.DATABASE_URL));
 const db = drizzle(client, { schema });
 app.use((_, __, next) => DatabaseContext.run(db, next));