diff --git a/unwind/db.py b/unwind/db.py
index 5cb72e5..176db9b 100644
--- a/unwind/db.py
+++ b/unwind/db.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ async def open_connection_pool() -> None:
     db = shared_connection()
     await db.connect()
 
-    await init_db(db)
+    await apply_db_patches(db)
 
 
 async def close_connection_pool() -> None:
@@ -42,6 +42,81 @@ async def close_connection_pool() -> None:
     await db.disconnect()
 
 
+async def _create_patch_db(db):
+    query = """
+        CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS db_patches (
+            id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
+            current TEXT
+        )
+    """
+    await db.execute(query)
+
+
+async def current_patch_level(db) -> str:
+    await _create_patch_db(db)
+
+    query = "SELECT current FROM db_patches"
+    current = await db.fetch_val(query)
+    return current or ""
+
+
+async def set_current_patch_level(db, current: str):
+    await _create_patch_db(db)
+
+    query = """
+        INSERT INTO db_patches VALUES (1, :current)
+        ON CONFLICT DO UPDATE SET current=excluded.current
+    """
+    await db.execute(query, values={"current": current})
+
+
+db_patches_dir = Path(__file__).parent / "sql"
+
+
+async def apply_db_patches(db: Database):
+    """Apply all remaining patches to the database.
+
+    Beware that patches will be applied in lexicographical order,
+    i.e. "10" comes before "9".
+
+    The current patch state is recorded in the DB itself.
+
+    Please note that every SQL statement in a patch file MUST be terminated
+    using two consecutive semi-colons (;).
+    Failing to do so will result in an error.
+    """
+    applied_lvl = await current_patch_level(db)
+
+    did_patch = False
+
+    for patchfile in sorted(db_patches_dir.glob("*.sql"), key=lambda p: p.stem):
+        patch_lvl = patchfile.stem
+        if patch_lvl <= applied_lvl:
+            continue
+
+        log.info("Applying patch: %s", patch_lvl)
+
+        sql = patchfile.read_text()
+        queries = sql.split(";;")
+        if len(queries) < 2:
+            log.error(
+                "Patch file is missing statement terminator (`;;'): %s", patchfile
+            )
+            raise RuntimeError("No statement found.")
+
+        async with db.transaction():
+
+            for query in queries:
+                await db.execute(query)
+
+            await set_current_patch_level(db, patch_lvl)
+
+            did_patch = True
+
+    if did_patch:
+        await db.execute("vacuum")
+
+
 def shared_connection() -> Database:
     global _shared_connection
 
@@ -52,13 +127,6 @@ def shared_connection() -> Database:
     return _shared_connection
 
 
-async def init_db(db):
-    sql = Path(__file__).with_name("init.sql").read_text()
-    async with db.transaction():
-        for stmt in sql.split(";;"):
-            await db.execute(query=stmt)
-
-
 async def add(item):
     # Support late initializing of `id` (used for optimization).
     if hasattr(item, "id") and getattr(item, "id") is None:
diff --git a/unwind/init.sql b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-0.sql
similarity index 69%
rename from unwind/init.sql
rename to unwind/sql/00000000-init-0.sql
index eea5530..d0bd446 100644
--- a/unwind/init.sql
+++ b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-0.sql
@@ -1,32 +1,31 @@
 PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON;;
 
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
-    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,
+    id TEXT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
     imdb_id TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
     name TEXT NOT NULL
 );;
 
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS movies (
-    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,
+    id TEXT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
     title TEXT NOT NULL,
-    original_title TEXT,
-    release_year INTEGER NOT NULL,
+    release_year NUMBER NOT NULL,
     media_type TEXT NOT NULL,
     imdb_id TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
-    score INTEGER,
-    runtime INTEGER,
+    score NUMBER NOT NULL,
+    runtime NUMBER,
     genres TEXT NOT NULL,
     updated TEXT NOT NULL
 );;
 
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS ratings (
-    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,
+    id TEXT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
     movie_id TEXT NOT NULL,
     user_id TEXT NOT NULL,
-    score INTEGER NOT NULL,
+    score NUMBER NOT NULL,
     rating_date TEXT NOT NULL,
-    favorite BOOL,
-    finished BOOL,
+    favorite NUMBER,
+    finished NUMBER,
     FOREIGN KEY(movie_id) REFERENCES movies(id),
     FOREIGN KEY(user_id) REFERENCES users(id)
 );;
diff --git a/unwind/sql/00000000-init-1.sql b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-1.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85d40a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-1.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+-- add original_title to movies table
+
+-- see https://www.sqlite.org/lang_altertable.html#caution
+-- 1. Create new table
+-- 2. Copy data
+-- 3. Drop old table
+-- 4. Rename new into old 
+
+CREATE TABLE _migrate_movies (
+    id TEXT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
+    title TEXT NOT NULL,
+    original_title TEXT,
+    release_year NUMBER NOT NULL,
+    media_type TEXT NOT NULL,
+    imdb_id TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
+    score NUMBER,
+    runtime NUMBER,
+    genres TEXT NOT NULL,
+    updated TEXT NOT NULL
+);;
+
+INSERT INTO _migrate_movies
+SELECT
+    id,
+    title,
+    NULL,
+    release_year,
+    media_type,
+    imdb_id,
+    score,
+    runtime,
+    genres,
+    updated
+FROM movies
+WHERE true;;
+
+DROP TABLE movies;;
+
+ALTER TABLE _migrate_movies
+RENAME TO movies;;
diff --git a/unwind/sql/00000000-init-2.sql b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-2.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..68fad70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-2.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+-- only set original_title if it differs from title,
+-- and normalize media_type with an extra table.
+
+CREATE TABLE mediatypes (
+    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,
+    name TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE
+);;
+
+INSERT INTO mediatypes (name)
+SELECT DISTINCT media_type
+FROM movies
+WHERE true;;
+
+CREATE TABLE _migrate_movies (
+    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,
+    title TEXT NOT NULL,
+    original_title TEXT,
+    release_year INTEGER NOT NULL,
+    media_type_id INTEGER NOT NULL,
+    imdb_id TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
+    score INTEGER,
+    runtime INTEGER,
+    genres TEXT NOT NULL,
+    updated TEXT NOT NULL,
+    FOREIGN KEY(media_type_id) REFERENCES mediatypes(id)
+);;
+
+INSERT INTO _migrate_movies
+SELECT
+    id,
+    title,
+    (CASE WHEN original_title=title THEN NULL ELSE original_title END),
+    release_year,
+    (SELECT id FROM mediatypes WHERE name=media_type) AS media_type_id,
+    imdb_id,
+    score,
+    runtime,
+    genres,
+    updated
+FROM movies
+WHERE true;;
+
+DROP TABLE movies;;
+
+ALTER TABLE _migrate_movies
+RENAME TO movies;;
diff --git a/unwind/sql/00000000-init-3.sql b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-3.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98380c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-3.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+-- add convenient view for movies
+
+CREATE VIEW IF NOT EXISTS movies_view
+AS SELECT
+    movies.id,
+    movies.title,
+    movies.original_title,
+    movies.release_year,
+    mediatypes.name AS media_type,
+    movies.imdb_id,
+    movies.score,
+    movies.runtime,
+    movies.genres,
+    movies.updated
+FROM movies
+JOIN mediatypes ON mediatypes.id=movies.media_type_id;;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS insert_movies_view
+    INSTEAD OF INSERT
+    ON movies_view
+BEGIN
+    INSERT INTO movies (
+        id,
+        title,
+        original_title,
+        release_year,
+        media_type_id,
+        imdb_id,
+        score,
+        runtime,
+        genres,
+        updated
+    ) VALUES (
+        NEW.id,
+        NEW.title,
+        NEW.original_title,
+        NEW.release_year,
+        (SELECT id FROM mediatypes WHERE name=NEW.media_type),
+        NEW.imdb_id,
+        NEW.score,
+        NEW.runtime,
+        NEW.genres,
+        NEW.updated
+    );
+END;;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS update_movies_view
+    INSTEAD OF UPDATE OF media_type
+    ON movies_view
+BEGIN
+    UPDATE movies
+    SET media_type_id=(SELECT id FROM mediatypes WHERE name=NEW.media_type)
+    WHERE id=OLD.id;
+END;;
+
+CREATE TRIGGER IF NOT EXISTS delete_movies_view
+    INSTEAD OF DELETE
+    ON movies_view
+BEGIN
+    DELETE FROM movies
+    WHERE movies.id=OLD.id;
+END;;
diff --git a/unwind/sql/00000000-init-4.sql b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-4.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4d7590e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unwind/sql/00000000-init-4.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+-- denormalize movie media_type
+
+CREATE TABLE _migrate_movies (
+    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,
+    title TEXT NOT NULL,
+    original_title TEXT,
+    release_year INTEGER NOT NULL,
+    media_type TEXT NOT NULL,
+    imdb_id TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE,
+    score INTEGER,
+    runtime INTEGER,
+    genres TEXT NOT NULL,
+    updated TEXT NOT NULL
+);;
+
+INSERT INTO _migrate_movies
+SELECT
+    id,
+    title,
+    original_title,
+    release_year,
+    (SELECT name FROM mediatypes WHERE id=media_type_id) AS media_type,
+    imdb_id,
+    score,
+    runtime,
+    genres,
+    updated
+FROM movies
+WHERE true;;
+
+DROP TABLE movies;;
+
+ALTER TABLE _migrate_movies
+RENAME TO movies;;
+
+DROP VIEW movies_view;;
+DROP TABLE mediatypes;;
diff --git a/unwind/sql/00000001-fix-db.sql.disabled b/unwind/sql/00000001-fix-db.sql.disabled
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6376a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unwind/sql/00000001-fix-db.sql.disabled
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+-- see the commit of this file for details.
+;;