diff --git a/app/config/sequelize-cli.config.js b/app/config/sequelize-cli.config.js
index b7535a0..dfc6f5d 100644
--- a/app/config/sequelize-cli.config.js
+++ b/app/config/sequelize-cli.config.js
@@ -20,7 +20,18 @@ const common = {
     dialect: 'postgres',
     define: {
         schema: 'dbo',
-        timestamps: false,
+        // Keep in sync with db.config.js's `define.timestamps`.
+        // The runtime flipped this to `true` in PR #148 so every
+        // domain model inherits auto-populated createdAt/updatedAt
+        // instead of carrying an explicit per-model override.
+        // sequelize-cli's migration runner doesn't currently exercise
+        // this default (migrations use queryInterface directly, not
+        // models), but a future contributor adding model-based code
+        // paths to a migration would otherwise get silently
+        // inconsistent behavior between `npm start` and
+        // `npm run migrate`. tests/unit/sequelize-cli-config.test.js
+        // pins the two configs in agreement.
+        timestamps: true,
     },
     // Migrations land in the dbo schema's SequelizeMeta table so we
     // don't pollute the public schema with framework bookkeeping.
diff --git a/tests/unit/sequelize-cli-config.test.js b/tests/unit/sequelize-cli-config.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3286c30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/sequelize-cli-config.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// Copyright 2026 Aaron K. Clark
+//
+// Pin that `app/config/sequelize-cli.config.js` and
+// `app/config/db.config.js` agree on the global Sequelize `define`
+// defaults that affect schema-shape decisions (schema, timestamps).
+// Drift between them is a silent bug source — npm start vs.
+// npm run migrate could otherwise inherit different defaults.
+// PR #148 flipped db.config.js's `timestamps` from false to true and
+// missed sequelize-cli.config.js; this guards against a recurrence.
+
+import { describe, test, expect } from 'vitest';
+
+const dbConfig = require('../../app/config/db.config.js');
+const cliConfig = require('../../app/config/sequelize-cli.config.js');
+
+describe('sequelize-cli.config.js stays in sync with db.config.js', () => {
+    const runtimeDefine = dbConfig.sequelize.options.define;
+
+    test('cli `development` env mirrors runtime `define.timestamps`', () => {
+        expect(cliConfig.development.define.timestamps).toBe(runtimeDefine.timestamps);
+    });
+    test('cli `test` env mirrors runtime `define.timestamps`', () => {
+        expect(cliConfig.test.define.timestamps).toBe(runtimeDefine.timestamps);
+    });
+    test('cli `production` env mirrors runtime `define.timestamps`', () => {
+        expect(cliConfig.production.define.timestamps).toBe(runtimeDefine.timestamps);
+    });
+
+    test('cli `development` env mirrors runtime `define.schema`', () => {
+        expect(cliConfig.development.define.schema).toBe(runtimeDefine.schema);
+    });
+    test('cli `test` env mirrors runtime `define.schema`', () => {
+        expect(cliConfig.test.define.schema).toBe(runtimeDefine.schema);
+    });
+    test('cli `production` env mirrors runtime `define.schema`', () => {
+        expect(cliConfig.production.define.schema).toBe(runtimeDefine.schema);
+    });
+});