diff --git a/server/cmd/main.go b/server/cmd/main.go
index 5be35b8..cde32a3 100644
--- a/server/cmd/main.go
+++ b/server/cmd/main.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"database/sql"
+	_ "embed"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
@@ -12,6 +13,9 @@ import (
 	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3"
 )
 
+//go:embed schema.sql
+var schemaSQL string
+
 type Config struct {
 	Admins       []string
 	Port         int
@@ -88,6 +92,11 @@ func _main(opts *Opts) error {
 	}
 	defer teardown()
 
+	err = ensureSchema(*opts, "1.0.0")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	setupAPI(*opts)
 
 	// TODO TLS or SSL or something
@@ -99,6 +108,17 @@ func _main(opts *Opts) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func ensureSchema(opts Opts, version string) error {
+	// TODO make idempotent
+	// TODO actually respect version
+	_, err := opts.DB.Exec(schemaSQL)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to initialize database schema: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func handler(opts Opts, f http.HandlerFunc) http.HandlerFunc {
 	// TODO make this more real
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
diff --git a/server/cmd/schema.sql b/server/cmd/schema.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..43474d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/cmd/schema.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+create table meta (
+  version text      -- schema version
+);
+
+create table users (
+  user_id text,     -- string (uuid1)
+  user_name text,   -- string
+  auth_hash text,   -- string (sha256 hash)
+  quip text,        -- string (possibly empty)
+  bio text,         -- string (possibly empty)
+  color int,        -- int (from 0 to 6)
+  is_admin int,     -- bool
+  created real      -- floating point unix timestamp (when this user registered)
+);
+
+
+create table threads (
+  thread_id text,   -- uuid string
+  author text,      -- string (uuid1, user.user_id)
+  title text,       -- string
+  last_mod real,    -- floating point unix timestamp (of last post or post edit)
+  created real,     -- floating point unix timestamp (when thread was made)
+  reply_count int,  -- integer (incremental, starting with 0)
+  pinned int,       -- boolean
+  last_author text  -- uuid string
+);
+
+
+create table messages (
+  thread_id text,   -- string (uuid1 of parent thread)
+  post_id int,      -- integer (incrementing from 1)
+  author text,      -- string (uuid1, user.user_id)
+  created real,     -- floating point unix timestamp (when reply was posted)
+  edited int,       -- bool
+  body text,        -- string
+  send_raw int      -- bool (1/true == never apply formatting)
+);