diff --git a/.data/raw-cache/server/npcs.toml b/.data/raw-cache/server/npcs.toml
index e472a5caa..3701a5bd2 100644
--- a/.data/raw-cache/server/npcs.toml
+++ b/.data/raw-cache/server/npcs.toml
@@ -3773,6 +3773,8 @@ inherit = "npc.mm2_demon_gorilla_2_magic"
 "param.death_anim"="seq.demonic_gorilla_death"
 "param.killcount_varp"="varp.kc_demonic_gorilla"
 "param.killcount_notify"=false
+
+[[npc]]
 id = "npc.0_43_51_saltfish"
 inherit = "npc.0_43_51_saltfish"
 contentGroup = "content.net_bait_fishing_spot"
diff --git a/api/net/src/main/kotlin/org/rsmod/api/net/central/embed/CentralEmbeddedLifecycle.kt b/api/net/src/main/kotlin/org/rsmod/api/net/central/embed/CentralEmbeddedLifecycle.kt
index 1e6abbb1c..b786f5978 100644
--- a/api/net/src/main/kotlin/org/rsmod/api/net/central/embed/CentralEmbeddedLifecycle.kt
+++ b/api/net/src/main/kotlin/org/rsmod/api/net/central/embed/CentralEmbeddedLifecycle.kt
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 package org.rsmod.api.net.central.embed
 
 import com.github.michaelbull.logging.InlineLogger
-import dev.or2.central.util.config.centralRuntimeConfigFromJdbc
-import dev.or2.central.embed.OpenRuneCentralEmbeddedServer
 import dev.or2.central.auth.PasswordAuthConfig
+import dev.or2.central.embed.OpenRuneCentralEmbeddedServer
+import dev.or2.central.util.config.centralRuntimeConfigFromJdbc
 import jakarta.inject.Inject
 import jakarta.inject.Singleton
 import java.sql.DriverManager
+import java.sql.SQLException
 import org.rsmod.api.db.jdbc.EmbeddedSameInstancePostgres
 import org.rsmod.api.db.jdbc.PostgresPublicSchemaReset
 import org.rsmod.api.net.central.OpenRuneCentralWorldLink
@@ -81,10 +82,13 @@ constructor(
             server = centralServer
         } catch (t: Throwable) {
             runCatching { centralServer.stop() }
-            if (!usesEmbeddedJdbc) {
+            if (!usesEmbeddedJdbc || !CentralStartupFailure.indicatesUninitializedSchema(t)) {
+                // Either a non-embedded database (never safe to wipe someone else's DB), or a
+                // startup failure unrelated to the schema itself - e.g. a port-bind conflict.
+                // Only a genuinely missing/uninitialized schema is safe to auto-recover from.
                 throw t
             }
-            logger.warn(t) { "Embedded OpenRune Central failed to start." }
+            logger.warn(t) { "Embedded OpenRune Central failed to start: schema appears uninitialized." }
             runCatching {
                 DriverManager.getConnection(jdbc, dbUser, dbPassword).use { conn ->
                     conn.autoCommit = true
@@ -108,3 +112,35 @@ constructor(
         server = null
     }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Classifies whether a Central startup failure is safe to auto-recover from by wiping the
+ * embedded database's `public` schema. Only a genuinely missing/uninitialized schema qualifies -
+ * unrelated failures such as a port-bind conflict must never trigger a wipe.
+ */
+internal object CentralStartupFailure {
+    /**
+     * Only true for SQL errors whose SQLSTATE indicates Central's expected schema/tables don't
+     * exist yet (a fresh, never-initialized embedded database) - not for unrelated startup
+     * failures such as a port-bind conflict, which have no such cause. Walks the full cause chain
+     * since the originating [SQLException] is typically wrapped by higher-level framework/driver
+     * exceptions before reaching the caller's catch block.
+     */
+    internal fun indicatesUninitializedSchema(t: Throwable): Boolean {
+        var cause: Throwable? = t
+        while (cause != null) {
+            if (cause is SQLException && cause.sqlState in UNINITIALIZED_SCHEMA_SQL_STATES) {
+                return true
+            }
+            val next = cause.cause
+            cause = if (next === cause) null else next
+        }
+        return false
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Postgres SQLSTATEs for missing schema objects: undefined_table, undefined_column,
+     * invalid_schema_name. See https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/errcodes-appendix.html
+     */
+    private val UNINITIALIZED_SCHEMA_SQL_STATES = setOf("42P01", "42703", "3F000")
+}
diff --git a/api/net/src/test/kotlin/org/rsmod/api/net/central/embed/CentralStartupFailureTest.kt b/api/net/src/test/kotlin/org/rsmod/api/net/central/embed/CentralStartupFailureTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..888b8cf45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/net/src/test/kotlin/org/rsmod/api/net/central/embed/CentralStartupFailureTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+package org.rsmod.api.net.central.embed
+
+import java.net.BindException
+import java.sql.SQLException
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertFalse
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test
+
+/**
+ * Verifies [CentralStartupFailure.indicatesUninitializedSchema] only recognizes SQL errors that
+ * mean Central's schema hasn't been created yet, not unrelated startup failures such as a port
+ * already being bound - the bug the real fix in [CentralEmbeddedLifecycle] addresses (the
+ * embedded database used to get wiped on any startup exception whatsoever).
+ */
+class CentralStartupFailureTest {
+    @Test
+    fun `port bind conflict does not indicate an uninitialized schema`() {
+        val bindFailure = IllegalStateException("boom", BindException("Address already in use"))
+        assertFalse(CentralStartupFailure.indicatesUninitializedSchema(bindFailure))
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `unrelated runtime exception does not indicate an uninitialized schema`() {
+        assertFalse(
+            CentralStartupFailure.indicatesUninitializedSchema(RuntimeException("something else broke")),
+        )
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `undefined table sql error indicates an uninitialized schema`() {
+        val sqlEx = SQLException("relation \"world\" does not exist", "42P01")
+        val wrapped = RuntimeException("startup failed", sqlEx)
+        assertTrue(CentralStartupFailure.indicatesUninitializedSchema(wrapped))
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `undefined column sql error indicates an uninitialized schema`() {
+        val sqlEx = SQLException("column \"foo\" does not exist", "42703")
+        assertTrue(CentralStartupFailure.indicatesUninitializedSchema(sqlEx))
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `invalid schema name sql error indicates an uninitialized schema`() {
+        val sqlEx = SQLException("schema \"public\" does not exist", "3F000")
+        assertTrue(CentralStartupFailure.indicatesUninitializedSchema(sqlEx))
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `unrelated sql error does not indicate an uninitialized schema`() {
+        val sqlEx = SQLException("connection refused", "08001")
+        assertFalse(CentralStartupFailure.indicatesUninitializedSchema(sqlEx))
+    }
+}