diff --git a/src/features/tickets/id-allocation.ts b/src/features/tickets/id-allocation.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cf72df95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/tickets/id-allocation.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/*
+Ticket-Bot is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License,
+version 3 only ("AGPL-3.0-only"). See LICENSE.md for the full license text.
+
+Additional Term under GNU AGPL v3, Section 7(b):
+
+You are required to preserve and display, in a location clearly visible
+to end users interacting with the bot (such as bot embeds, the bot's
+"Bio" Discord profile, status, or equivalent), a notice that the
+software is powered by Ticket-Bot, including a link to the original
+project repository or to its website.
+
+This notice must not be removed, obscured, or replaced.
+*/
+
+import { sql } from "drizzle-orm";
+import type { BotApp } from "@/core/types";
+import { appMetaTable, ticketsTable } from "@/db/schema";
+
+const TICKET_ID_SEQUENCE_KEY = "ticketIdSequence";
+
+export async function reserveTicketId(app: Pick<BotApp, "db">) {
+	const updatedAt = Date.now();
+	const rows = await app.db
+		.insert(appMetaTable)
+		.values({
+			key: TICKET_ID_SEQUENCE_KEY,
+			value: sql<string>`CAST(COALESCE((SELECT MAX(${ticketsTable.id}) FROM ${ticketsTable}), 0) + 1 AS TEXT)`,
+			updatedAt
+		})
+		.onConflictDoUpdate({
+			target: appMetaTable.key,
+			set: {
+				// One upsert both catches up with existing rows and serializes concurrent reservations.
+				value: sql<string>`CAST(MAX(CAST(${appMetaTable.value} AS INTEGER), COALESCE((SELECT MAX(${ticketsTable.id}) FROM ${ticketsTable}), 0)) + 1 AS TEXT)`,
+				updatedAt
+			}
+		})
+		.returning({ value: appMetaTable.value });
+	const ticketId = Number(rows[0]?.value);
+
+	if (!Number.isSafeInteger(ticketId) || ticketId < 1) {
+		throw new Error("Failed to reserve a valid ticket ID.");
+	}
+
+	return ticketId;
+}
+
+/*
+Ticket-Bot is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License,
+version 3 only ("AGPL-3.0-only"). See LICENSE.md for the full license text.
+
+Additional Term under GNU AGPL v3, Section 7(b):
+
+You are required to preserve and display, in a location clearly visible
+to end users interacting with the bot (such as bot embeds, the bot's
+"Bio" Discord profile, status, or equivalent), a notice that the
+software is powered by Ticket-Bot, including a link to the original
+project repository or to its website.
+
+This notice must not be removed, obscured, or replaced.
+*/
diff --git a/src/features/tickets/ticket-workflow.ts b/src/features/tickets/ticket-workflow.ts
index f522488f..dc5f6bc3 100644
--- a/src/features/tickets/ticket-workflow.ts
+++ b/src/features/tickets/ticket-workflow.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import {
 	userCanAccessTicketType
 } from "@/features/tickets/config-access";
 import { TICKET_ACCESS_ALLOW } from "@/features/tickets/constants";
+import { reserveTicketId } from "@/features/tickets/id-allocation";
 import {
 	appendMessageText,
 	finalizeMessageTemplate,
@@ -280,7 +281,9 @@ async function createTicket(
 	}
 
 	const user = getInteractionUser(interaction);
-	const ticketNumber = (await getNextTicketNumber(app)).toString();
+	// Reserve before Discord work so every rendered number matches the eventual database primary key.
+	const ticketId = await reserveTicketId(app);
+	const ticketNumber = ticketId.toString();
 	const createdAt = Date.now();
 	const channelName = renderChannelName(ticketType.channelNameTemplate ?? app.config.tickets.channelNameTemplate, {
 		createdById: user.id,
@@ -318,6 +321,7 @@ async function createTicket(
 	await pinTicketWelcomeMessage(app, channel.id, ticketMessage.id);
 
 	await app.db.insert(ticketsTable).values({
+		id: ticketId,
 		channelId: channel.id,
 		creationMessageId: ticketMessage.id,
 		type: ticketTypeKey,
@@ -610,11 +614,6 @@ async function getUserOpenTicketCount(app: BotApp, userId: string) {
 	return Number(rows[0]?.count ?? 0);
 }
 
-async function getNextTicketNumber(app: BotApp) {
-	const rows = await app.db.select({ count: count() }).from(ticketsTable);
-	return Number(rows[0]?.count ?? 0) + 1;
-}
-
 function createDefaultTicketOpenReason(app: BotApp): TicketOpenReasonData {
 	return {
 		answers: [],