diff --git a/codex-rs/state/src/runtime.rs b/codex-rs/state/src/runtime.rs
index b08545d7a..5ae41bcd8 100644
--- a/codex-rs/state/src/runtime.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/state/src/runtime.rs
@@ -384,6 +384,16 @@ async fn open_sqlite(
 pub(super) async fn ensure_backfill_state_row_in_pool(
     pool: &sqlx::SqlitePool,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    // Eagerly check if the operation would have no effect to avoid blocking waiting for a SQLite
+    // writer for no reason in the hot startup path.
+    if sqlx::query_scalar::<_, i64>("SELECT 1 FROM backfill_state WHERE id = 1")
+        .fetch_optional(pool)
+        .await?
+        .is_some()
+    {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
     sqlx::query(
         r#"
 INSERT INTO backfill_state (id, status, last_watermark, last_success_at, updated_at)
diff --git a/codex-rs/state/src/runtime/backfill.rs b/codex-rs/state/src/runtime/backfill.rs
index 77ab57fce..3bfa74fb9 100644
--- a/codex-rs/state/src/runtime/backfill.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/state/src/runtime/backfill.rs
@@ -110,9 +110,11 @@ WHERE id = 1
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::StateRuntime;
+    use super::base_sqlite_options;
     use super::test_support::unique_temp_dir;
     use chrono::Utc;
     use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
+    use sqlx::Connection;
 
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn backfill_state_persists_progress_and_completion() {
@@ -167,6 +169,61 @@ mod tests {
         let _ = tokio::fs::remove_dir_all(codex_home).await;
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn get_backfill_state_succeeds_while_another_connection_holds_writer_slot() {
+        let codex_home = unique_temp_dir();
+        let runtime = StateRuntime::init(codex_home.clone(), "test-provider".to_string())
+            .await
+            .expect("initialize runtime");
+        let mut write_connection = sqlx::SqliteConnection::connect_with(&base_sqlite_options(
+            &crate::state_db_path(codex_home.as_path()),
+        ))
+        .await
+        .expect("open write connection");
+        let write_transaction = write_connection
+            .begin_with("BEGIN IMMEDIATE")
+            .await
+            .expect("acquire write lock");
+
+        let state = runtime
+            .get_backfill_state()
+            .await
+            .expect("get backfill state");
+        assert_eq!(state, crate::BackfillState::default());
+
+        write_transaction
+            .rollback()
+            .await
+            .expect("release write lock");
+        let _ = tokio::fs::remove_dir_all(codex_home).await;
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn get_backfill_state_repairs_a_missing_singleton_row() {
+        let codex_home = unique_temp_dir();
+        let runtime = StateRuntime::init(codex_home.clone(), "test-provider".to_string())
+            .await
+            .expect("initialize runtime");
+        sqlx::query("DELETE FROM backfill_state WHERE id = 1")
+            .execute(runtime.pool.as_ref())
+            .await
+            .expect("delete backfill state row");
+
+        let state = runtime
+            .get_backfill_state()
+            .await
+            .expect("get repaired backfill state");
+        assert_eq!(state, crate::BackfillState::default());
+        let row_count =
+            sqlx::query_scalar::<_, i64>("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM backfill_state WHERE id = 1")
+                .fetch_one(runtime.pool.as_ref())
+                .await
+                .expect("count repaired backfill state rows");
+        assert_eq!(row_count, 1);
+
+        let _ = tokio::fs::remove_dir_all(codex_home).await;
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn backfill_claim_is_singleton_until_stale_and_blocked_when_complete() {
         let codex_home = unique_temp_dir();