diff --git a/src/tracker/app.py b/src/tracker/app.py
index 9dfceb5..e8d8c52 100644
--- a/src/tracker/app.py
+++ b/src/tracker/app.py
@@ -64,6 +64,15 @@ async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
             await conn.run_sync(Base.metadata.create_all)
         logger.info("Database tables ensured.")
 
+        # Auto-seed if DB is empty (dev only)
+        async with async_session() as session:
+            result = await session.execute(select(Member).limit(1))
+            if not result.scalar_one_or_none():
+                logger.info("Empty DB detected in dev mode — running seed...")
+                from tracker.init_db import seed_dev_data
+                await seed_dev_data(session)
+                logger.info("Dev seed complete.")
+
     heartbeat_task = asyncio.create_task(heartbeat_monitor())
     yield
     heartbeat_task.cancel()
diff --git a/src/tracker/init_db.py b/src/tracker/init_db.py
index 0ca4726..70004cc 100644
--- a/src/tracker/init_db.py
+++ b/src/tracker/init_db.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-"""Initialize database — drop all and create fresh tables + seed data."""
+"""Initialize database — dev seed data."""
 
 import asyncio
 import hashlib
 import logging
-import uuid
 
-from tracker.database import engine, async_session
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
+
 from tracker.enums import AuthMethod, ChatKind, MemberRole, MemberStatus, MemberType, ProjectStatus
 from tracker.models import Base, Member, Chat, Project, ProjectMember, AgentConfig
 
@@ -16,85 +16,72 @@ def hash_password(password: str) -> str:
     return hashlib.sha256(password.encode()).hexdigest()
 
 
-async def init_db():
-    """Drop all tables and recreate from models. Seed with admin + lobby."""
+async def seed_dev_data(session: AsyncSession):
+    """Seed dev data into an existing session. Expects empty DB."""
+    # Admin (owner)
+    admin = Member(
+        name="Admin",
+        slug="admin",
+        type=MemberType.HUMAN,
+        role=MemberRole.OWNER,
+        auth_method=AuthMethod.PASSWORD,
+        password_hash=hash_password("teamboard"),
+        status=MemberStatus.OFFLINE,
+    )
+    session.add(admin)
+
+    # Coder agent (for dev/testing)
+    coder = Member(
+        name="Coder",
+        slug="coder",
+        type=MemberType.AGENT,
+        role=MemberRole.MEMBER,
+        auth_method=AuthMethod.TOKEN,
+        token="tb-coder-dev-token",
+        status=MemberStatus.OFFLINE,
+    )
+    session.add(coder)
+    await session.flush()
+
+    # Team-board project
+    project = Project(
+        name="Team Board",
+        slug="team-board",
+        description="AI agent collaboration platform",
+        status=ProjectStatus.ACTIVE,
+    )
+    session.add(project)
+    await session.flush()
+
+    # Project chat
+    project_chat = Chat(kind=ChatKind.PROJECT, project_id=project.id)
+    session.add(project_chat)
+
+    # Project members
+    session.add(ProjectMember(project_id=project.id, member_id=admin.id, role=MemberRole.OWNER))
+    session.add(ProjectMember(project_id=project.id, member_id=coder.id, role=MemberRole.MEMBER))
+
+    # Lobby chat
+    lobby = Chat(kind=ChatKind.LOBBY, project_id=None)
+    session.add(lobby)
+
+    await session.commit()
+    logger.info("Dev seed: admin, coder, project team-board (id=%s), lobby", project.id)
+
+
+async def reset_db():
+    """Drop all tables, recreate, and seed. For dev use only."""
+    from tracker.database import engine, async_session
+
     async with engine.begin() as conn:
-        logger.info("Dropping all tables...")
         await conn.run_sync(Base.metadata.drop_all)
-        logger.info("Creating all tables...")
         await conn.run_sync(Base.metadata.create_all)
+    logger.info("Tables recreated.")
 
     async with async_session() as session:
-        # Create admin (owner)
-        admin = Member(
-            name="Admin",
-            slug="admin",
-            type=MemberType.HUMAN,
-            role=MemberRole.OWNER,
-            auth_method=AuthMethod.PASSWORD,
-            password_hash=hash_password("teamboard"),
-            status=MemberStatus.OFFLINE,
-        )
-        session.add(admin)
-
-        # Create coder agent
-        coder = Member(
-            name="Coder",
-            slug="coder",
-            type=MemberType.AGENT,
-            role=MemberRole.MEMBER,
-            auth_method=AuthMethod.TOKEN,
-            token="tb-coder-dev-token",
-            status=MemberStatus.OFFLINE,
-        )
-        session.add(coder)
-
-        # Flush to get member IDs
-        await session.flush()
-
-        # Create team-board project
-        project = Project(
-            name="Team Board",
-            slug="team-board",
-            description="AI agent collaboration platform",
-            status=ProjectStatus.ACTIVE,
-        )
-        session.add(project)
-        await session.flush()
-
-        # Create project chat
-        project_chat = Chat(
-            kind=ChatKind.PROJECT,
-            project_id=project.id,
-        )
-        session.add(project_chat)
-
-        # Create project members
-        admin_member = ProjectMember(
-            project_id=project.id,
-            member_id=admin.id,
-            role=MemberRole.OWNER,
-        )
-        session.add(admin_member)
-
-        coder_member = ProjectMember(
-            project_id=project.id,
-            member_id=coder.id,
-            role=MemberRole.MEMBER,
-        )
-        session.add(coder_member)
-
-        # Create lobby chat
-        lobby = Chat(
-            kind=ChatKind.LOBBY,
-            project_id=None,
-        )
-        session.add(lobby)
-
-        await session.commit()
-        logger.info("Seed data created: admin user, coder agent, team-board project (id=%s), lobby chat (id=%s)", project.id, lobby.id)
+        await seed_dev_data(session)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
-    asyncio.run(init_db())
+    asyncio.run(reset_db())