diff --git a/crates/node/src/builder.rs b/crates/node/src/builder.rs
index 3995070..68610f8 100644
--- a/crates/node/src/builder.rs
+++ b/crates/node/src/builder.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ use eyre::OptionExt;
 use signet_blobber::CacheHandle;
 use signet_block_processor::AliasOracleFactory;
 use signet_cold::BlockData;
-use signet_hot::db::{HotDbRead, UnsafeDbWrite};
+use signet_hot::{
+    db::{HotDbRead, UnsafeDbWrite},
+    model::HotKvWrite,
+    tables,
+};
 use signet_node_config::SignetNodeConfig;
 use signet_node_types::HostNotifier;
 use signet_rpc::{ServeConfig, StorageRpcConfig};
@@ -177,6 +181,23 @@ where
         self.notifier.as_ref().ok_or_eyre("Notifier must be set")?;
         let storage = self.storage.as_ref().ok_or_eyre("Storage must be set")?;
 
+        // Ensure all hot storage tables exist. On a fresh MDBX database,
+        // named tables must be created in a write transaction before
+        // read-only transactions can open them.
+        {
+            let writer = storage.hot().writer()?;
+            writer.queue_create::<tables::Headers>()?;
+            writer.queue_create::<tables::HeaderNumbers>()?;
+            writer.queue_create::<tables::Bytecodes>()?;
+            writer.queue_create::<tables::PlainAccountState>()?;
+            writer.queue_create::<tables::PlainStorageState>()?;
+            writer.queue_create::<tables::AccountsHistory>()?;
+            writer.queue_create::<tables::AccountChangeSets>()?;
+            writer.queue_create::<tables::StorageHistory>()?;
+            writer.queue_create::<tables::StorageChangeSets>()?;
+            writer.raw_commit()?;
+        }
+
         // Load genesis into hot storage if absent.
         let reader = storage.reader()?;
         let has_hot_genesis = reader.has_block(0)?;
diff --git a/crates/node/src/node.rs b/crates/node/src/node.rs
index ea045fc..ff8fc24 100644
--- a/crates/node/src/node.rs
+++ b/crates/node/src/node.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use signet_rpc::{
     ChainNotifier, NewBlockNotification, RemovedBlock, ReorgNotification, RpcServerGuard,
     ServeConfig, StorageRpcConfig,
 };
-use signet_storage::{DrainedBlock, HistoryRead, HotKv, HotKvRead, UnifiedStorage};
+use signet_storage::{DrainedBlock, HistoryRead, HotKv, HotKvRead, StorageError, UnifiedStorage};
 use signet_types::{PairedHeights, constants::SignetSystemConstants};
 use std::{fmt, sync::Arc};
 use tokio::sync::watch;
@@ -282,7 +282,15 @@ where
             );
             let executed = processor.process_block(block_extracts).await?;
             self.notify_new_block(&executed);
-            self.storage.append_blocks(vec![executed])?;
+            // Cold backpressure is non-fatal: hot storage is authoritative
+            // and cold will catch up once the channel drains.
+            match self.storage.append_blocks(vec![executed]) {
+                Ok(()) => {}
+                Err(StorageError::Cold(e)) => {
+                    tracing::debug!(%e, "cold storage backpressure, hot storage is ahead");
+                }
+                Err(e) => return Err(e.into()),
+            }
             processed = true;
         }
         Ok(processed)