diff --git a/helm/gohoarder/templates/_helpers.tpl b/helm/gohoarder/templates/_helpers.tpl
index b3232b5..859f65a 100644
--- a/helm/gohoarder/templates/_helpers.tpl
+++ b/helm/gohoarder/templates/_helpers.tpl
@@ -172,3 +172,17 @@ Trivy cache volume configuration
   emptyDir: {}
 {{- end }}
 {{- end }}
+
+{{/*
+Validate SQLite configuration - SQLite cannot be used with SMB/NFS network storage
+*/}}
+{{- define "gohoarder.validateSQLiteConfig" -}}
+{{- if eq .Values.metadata.backend "sqlite" }}
+  {{- if .Values.metadata.sqlite.persistence.enabled }}
+    {{- $storageClass := .Values.metadata.sqlite.persistence.storageClass | default .Values.storage.storageClass }}
+    {{- if or (contains "smb" ($storageClass | lower)) (contains "cifs" ($storageClass | lower)) (contains "nfs" ($storageClass | lower)) }}
+      {{- fail "\n\n❌ ERROR: SQLite cannot be used with SMB/CIFS/NFS network storage!\n\nSQLite requires POSIX file locking which is not reliably supported over network filesystems.\nThis will cause 'database is locked' errors and data corruption.\n\nPlease choose ONE of the following solutions:\n\n1. Use PostgreSQL for network storage (RECOMMENDED for production):\n   metadata:\n     backend: postgresql\n     postgresql:\n       host: your-postgres-host\n       ...\n\n2. Use local storage for SQLite (OK for development):\n   metadata:\n     sqlite:\n       persistence:\n         enabled: true\n         storageClass: local-path  # or another local storage class\n\n3. Disable persistence (data will be lost on pod restart):\n   metadata:\n     sqlite:\n       persistence:\n         enabled: false\n\nFor more information, see: https://www.sqlite.org/lockingv3.html\n" }}
+    {{- end }}
+  {{- end }}
+{{- end }}
+{{- end }}
diff --git a/helm/gohoarder/templates/deployment-scanner.yaml b/helm/gohoarder/templates/deployment-scanner.yaml
index c1182f1..d0fbe92 100644
--- a/helm/gohoarder/templates/deployment-scanner.yaml
+++ b/helm/gohoarder/templates/deployment-scanner.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {{- if .Values.security.enabled }}
+{{- include "gohoarder.validateSQLiteConfig" . }}
 apiVersion: apps/v1
 kind: Deployment
 metadata:
diff --git a/helm/gohoarder/templates/deployment-server.yaml b/helm/gohoarder/templates/deployment-server.yaml
index 9bbd6d4..92dd164 100644
--- a/helm/gohoarder/templates/deployment-server.yaml
+++ b/helm/gohoarder/templates/deployment-server.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+{{- include "gohoarder.validateSQLiteConfig" . }}
 apiVersion: apps/v1
 kind: Deployment
 metadata:
diff --git a/helm/gohoarder/values.yaml b/helm/gohoarder/values.yaml
index 5db7f39..205f54f 100644
--- a/helm/gohoarder/values.yaml
+++ b/helm/gohoarder/values.yaml
@@ -273,15 +273,30 @@ storage:
 # Metadata storage configuration
 metadata:
   # Backend: sqlite, postgresql
-  # For multiple server replicas: postgresql is recommended (sqlite has concurrency limitations)
+  #
+  # IMPORTANT: SQLite CANNOT be used with SMB/CIFS/NFS network storage!
+  # SQLite requires POSIX file locking which causes "database is locked" errors on network filesystems.
+  #
+  # Choose your configuration:
+  # 1. SQLite with local storage (development/single-node only)
+  #    - Set backend: sqlite
+  #    - Set sqlite.persistence.storageClass to a LOCAL storage class (e.g., "local-path")
+  #    - OR set sqlite.persistence.enabled: false to use emptyDir (data lost on pod restart)
+  #
+  # 2. PostgreSQL with any storage (RECOMMENDED for production)
+  #    - Set backend: postgresql
+  #    - Configure postgresql settings below
+  #
   backend: "sqlite"
 
   # SQLite configuration
+  # WARNING: Do NOT use SMB/CIFS/NFS storage classes with SQLite!
   sqlite:
     # Use PVC for SQLite database
+    # IMPORTANT: storageClass must be LOCAL storage, NOT network storage (smb/nfs)
     persistence:
-      enabled: true
-      storageClass: ""
+      enabled: false  # Changed to false by default - use emptyDir unless you have local storage
+      storageClass: ""  # Must be local-path or similar LOCAL storage class if enabled
       size: "10Gi"
       accessMode: "ReadWriteOnce"
       existingClaim: ""