diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonRepository.java b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonRepository.java
index 50ff4ee9..75b265d0 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonRepository.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonRepository.java
@@ -194,12 +194,6 @@ public interface PersonRepository extends JpaRepository<Person, UUID> {
     @Query(value = "UPDATE documents SET sender_id = :target WHERE sender_id = :source", nativeQuery = true)
     void reassignSender(@Param("source") UUID source, @Param("target") UUID target);
 
-    // Used by deletePerson: detach a deleted person from documents they sent, so the hard
-    // delete cannot orphan a documents.sender_id FK (the column is nullable).
-    @Modifying
-    @Query(value = "UPDATE documents SET sender_id = NULL WHERE sender_id = :source", nativeQuery = true)
-    void reassignSenderToNull(@Param("source") UUID source);
-
     @Modifying
     @Query(value = """
             INSERT INTO document_receivers (document_id, person_id)
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonService.java b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonService.java
index 2dcdf777..8a8066fe 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonService.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonService.java
@@ -68,15 +68,13 @@ public class PersonService {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Hard-deletes a person used by triage. Detaches the person from any documents they
-     * sent (nulls sender_id) and from any received-document references first, so the delete
-     * cannot orphan an FK and fail with a 500.
+     * Hard-deletes a person used by triage. Referential integrity is enforced by the database
+     * (V71's {@code ON DELETE} constraints: sender_id {@code SET NULL}, receiver and @-mention
+     * rows {@code CASCADE}), so the service stays thin — it only verifies existence then deletes.
      */
     @Transactional
     public void deletePerson(UUID id) {
         getById(id);
-        personRepository.reassignSenderToNull(id);
-        personRepository.deleteReceiverReferences(id);
         personRepository.deleteById(id);
     }
 
diff --git a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonServiceTest.java b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonServiceTest.java
index a42a3051..18e70658 100644
--- a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonServiceTest.java
+++ b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/person/PersonServiceTest.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.any;
 import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.argThat;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.never;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.verifyNoMoreInteractions;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 @ExtendWith(MockitoExtension.class)
@@ -147,9 +148,11 @@ class PersonServiceTest {
 
         personService.deletePerson(id);
 
-        verify(personRepository).reassignSenderToNull(id);
-        verify(personRepository).deleteReceiverReferences(id);
+        // Integrity is enforced by V71's ON DELETE constraints — the service only checks
+        // existence then deletes; it no longer detaches sender/receiver references itself.
+        verify(personRepository).findById(id);
         verify(personRepository).deleteById(id);
+        verifyNoMoreInteractions(personRepository);
     }
 
     @Test