diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/db.go b/internal/manager/persistence/db.go
index b5b56abc..08e60779 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/db.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/db.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/glebarez/sqlite"
 )
 
-const vacuumPeriod = 1 * time.Hour
+const checkPeriod = 1 * time.Hour
 
 // DB provides the database interface.
 type DB struct {
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ func OpenDB(ctx context.Context, dsn string) (*DB, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Perfom some maintenance at startup.
+	if !db.performIntegrityCheck(ctx) {
+		return nil, ErrIntegrity
+	}
+
 	db.vacuum()
 
 	if err := db.migrate(); err != nil {
@@ -147,27 +151,6 @@ func nowFunc() time.Time {
 	return time.Now().UTC()
 }
 
-// PeriodicMaintenanceLoop periodically vacuums the database.
-// This function only returns when the context is done.
-func (db *DB) PeriodicMaintenanceLoop(ctx context.Context) {
-	log.Debug().Msg("periodic database maintenance loop starting")
-	defer log.Debug().Msg("periodic database maintenance loop stopping")
-
-	var waitTime time.Duration
-
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			return
-		case <-time.After(waitTime):
-			waitTime = vacuumPeriod
-		}
-
-		log.Debug().Msg("vacuuming database")
-		db.vacuum()
-	}
-}
-
 // vacuum executes the SQL "VACUUM" command, and logs any errors.
 func (db *DB) vacuum() {
 	tx := db.gormDB.Exec("vacuum")
diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/integrity.go b/internal/manager/persistence/integrity.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f2f15c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/integrity.go
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+package persistence
+
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
+)
+
+var ErrIntegrity = errors.New("database integrity check failed")
+
+const integrityCheckTimeout = 2 * time.Second
+
+type PragmaIntegrityCheckResult struct {
+	Description string `gorm:"column:integrity_check"`
+}
+
+type PragmaForeignKeyCheckResult struct {
+	Table  string `gorm:"column:table"`
+	RowID  int    `gorm:"column:rowid"`
+	Parent string `gorm:"column:parent"`
+	FKID   int    `gorm:"column:fkid"`
+}
+
+// performIntegrityCheck uses a few 'pragma' SQL statements to do some integrity checking.
+// Returns true on OK, false if there was an issue. Issues are always logged.
+func (db *DB) performIntegrityCheck(ctx context.Context) (ok bool) {
+	checkCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, integrityCheckTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	if !db.pragmaIntegrityCheck(checkCtx) {
+		return false
+	}
+	return db.pragmaForeignKeyCheck(checkCtx)
+}
+
+// pragmaIntegrityCheck checks database file integrity. This does not include
+// foreign key checks.
+//
+// Returns true on OK, false if there was an issue. Issues are always logged.
+//
+// See https: //www.sqlite.org/pragma.html#pragma_integrity_check
+func (db *DB) pragmaIntegrityCheck(ctx context.Context) (ok bool) {
+	var issues []PragmaIntegrityCheckResult
+
+	tx := db.gormDB.WithContext(ctx).
+		Raw("PRAGMA integrity_check").
+		Scan(&issues)
+	if tx.Error != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(tx.Error).Msg("database error checking integrity")
+		return false
+	}
+
+	switch len(issues) {
+	case 0:
+		log.Warn().Msg("database integrity check returned nothing, expected explicit 'ok'; treating as an implicit 'ok'")
+		return true
+	case 1:
+		if issues[0].Description == "ok" {
+			log.Debug().Msg("database integrity check ok")
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	log.Error().Int("num_issues", len(issues)).Msg("database integrity check failed")
+	for _, issue := range issues {
+		log.Error().
+			Str("description", issue.Description).
+			Msg("database integrity check failure")
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
+// pragmaForeignKeyCheck checks whether all foreign key constraints are still valid.
+//
+// SQLite has optional foreign key relations, so even though Flamenco Manager
+// always enables these on startup, at some point there could be some issue
+// causing these checks to be skipped.
+//
+// Returns true on OK, false if there was an issue. Issues are always logged.
+//
+// See https: //www.sqlite.org/pragma.html#pragma_foreign_key_check
+func (db *DB) pragmaForeignKeyCheck(ctx context.Context) (ok bool) {
+	var issues []PragmaForeignKeyCheckResult
+
+	tx := db.gormDB.WithContext(ctx).
+		Raw("PRAGMA foreign_key_check").
+		Scan(&issues)
+	if tx.Error != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(tx.Error).Msg("database error checking foreign keys")
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if len(issues) == 0 {
+		log.Debug().Msg("database foreign key check ok")
+		return true
+	}
+
+	log.Error().Int("num_issues", len(issues)).Msg("database foreign key check failed")
+	for _, issue := range issues {
+		log.Error().
+			Str("table", issue.Table).
+			Int("rowid", issue.RowID).
+			Str("parent", issue.Parent).
+			Int("fkid", issue.FKID).
+			Msg("database foreign key relation missing")
+	}
+
+	return false
+}