diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/geschichte/journeyitem/JourneyItemRepository.java b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/geschichte/journeyitem/JourneyItemRepository.java
index 130490f7..7f7d38ab 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/geschichte/journeyitem/JourneyItemRepository.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/geschichte/journeyitem/JourneyItemRepository.java
@@ -51,9 +51,10 @@ public interface JourneyItemRepository extends JpaRepository<JourneyItem, UUID>
      * Explicit JPQL — same trap as existsByGeschichteIdAndDocumentId: the transient
      * getDocumentId() getter makes Spring Data unable to resolve a derived query path.
      * clearAutomatically = true invalidates the L1 cache so AC-2's "note-carrying survives"
-     * assertion never reads a stale entity.
+     * assertion never reads a stale entity. flushAutomatically = true makes the
+     * flush-before-delete contract explicit rather than relying on Hibernate AUTO flush mode.
      */
-    @Modifying(clearAutomatically = true)
+    @Modifying(clearAutomatically = true, flushAutomatically = true)
     @Query("DELETE FROM JourneyItem i WHERE i.document.id = :documentId AND (i.note IS NULL OR i.note = '')")
     int deleteNoteLessByDocumentId(@Param("documentId") UUID documentId);