diff --git a/services/postgresql.nix b/services/postgresql.nix
index 3fb4463..3757e7b 100644
--- a/services/postgresql.nix
+++ b/services/postgresql.nix
@@ -5,6 +5,30 @@
   lib,
   ...
 }:
+let
+  pgCheckpoint = pkgs.writeShellScript "pg-checkpoint" ''
+    # Flush PostgreSQL dirty buffers to disk before ZFS snapshot so the
+    # on-disk state is consistent and the snapshot is recoverable.
+    # On failure: log a warning but exit 0 so sanoid still takes the
+    # snapshot (an inconsistent snapshot beats no snapshot).
+    if ! ${pkgs.systemd}/bin/systemctl is-active --quiet postgresql.service; then
+      echo "postgresql is not running, skipping checkpoint" >&2
+      exit 0
+    fi
+
+    if ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/timeout 120 \
+      ${pkgs.util-linux}/bin/runuser -u postgres -- \
+        ${lib.getExe' config.services.postgresql.package "psql"} \
+          -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -c "CHECKPOINT" 2>&1; then
+      echo "postgresql checkpoint completed"
+    else
+      echo "WARNING: postgresql checkpoint failed, snapshot may be inconsistent" >&2
+    fi
+
+    # Always exit 0 — sanoid must run regardless
+    exit 0
+  '';
+in
 {
   imports = [
     (lib.serviceMountWithZpool "postgresql" service_configs.zpool_ssds [
@@ -29,4 +53,10 @@
     };
   };
 
+  # Run a PostgreSQL CHECKPOINT before sanoid snapshots so the on-disk
+  # state is consistent (required since full_page_writes = false).
+  systemd.services.sanoid.serviceConfig = {
+    ExecStartPre = lib.mkAfter [ "+${pgCheckpoint}" ];
+    TimeoutStartSec = lib.mkForce 300; # checkpoint can be slow with large txg_timeout
+  };
 }