diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/presentation/more/AppMigratingScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/presentation/more/AppMigratingScreen.kt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d1831d88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/presentation/more/AppMigratingScreen.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package eu.kanade.presentation.more
+
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Arrangement
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.safeDrawingPadding
+import androidx.compose.material3.CircularProgressIndicator
+import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
+import androidx.compose.material3.Surface
+import androidx.compose.material3.Text
+import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
+import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
+import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
+import androidx.compose.ui.text.style.TextAlign
+import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
+import tachiyomi.i18n.MR
+import tachiyomi.presentation.core.i18n.stringResource
+
+/**
+ * Shown instead of the app while migrations from the previous version run, so a slow first launch
+ * after an update doesn't look like the app hanging.
+ */
+@Composable
+fun AppMigratingScreen() {
+    Surface(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
+        Column(
+            modifier = Modifier
+                .safeDrawingPadding()
+                .padding(horizontal = 32.dp),
+            verticalArrangement = Arrangement.spacedBy(16.dp, Alignment.CenterVertically),
+            horizontalAlignment = Alignment.CenterHorizontally,
+        ) {
+            CircularProgressIndicator()
+            Text(
+                text = stringResource(MR.strings.app_migrating_title),
+                style = MaterialTheme.typography.titleLarge,
+                textAlign = TextAlign.Center,
+            )
+            Text(
+                text = stringResource(MR.strings.app_migrating_summary),
+                style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodyMedium,
+                color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant,
+                textAlign = TextAlign.Center,
+            )
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/main/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/main/MainActivity.kt
index b995fa45a..f74d9d043 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/main/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/ui/main/MainActivity.kt
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ import eu.kanade.presentation.components.AppStateBanners
 import eu.kanade.presentation.components.DownloadedOnlyBannerBackgroundColor
 import eu.kanade.presentation.components.IncognitoModeBannerBackgroundColor
 import eu.kanade.presentation.components.IndexingBannerBackgroundColor
+import eu.kanade.presentation.more.AppMigratingScreen
 import eu.kanade.presentation.more.settings.screen.browse.ExtensionStoresScreen
 import eu.kanade.presentation.more.settings.screen.data.RestoreBackupScreen
 import eu.kanade.presentation.util.AssistContentScreen
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.system.isNavigationBarNeedsScrim
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.system.updaterEnabled
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.view.setComposeContent
 import kotlinx.coroutines.channels.awaitClose
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.callbackFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.collectLatest
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.drop
@@ -107,6 +109,7 @@ import mihon.app.di.AppGraph
 import mihon.app.di.appGraph
 import mihon.core.metro.metroGraph
 import mihon.core.migration.Migrator
+import mihon.domain.database.repository.DatabaseRepository
 import mihon.feature.support.SupportUsScreen
 import mihon.icons.materialsymbols.MaterialSymbols
 import mihon.icons.materialsymbols.automirroredrounded.OpenInNew
@@ -138,6 +141,10 @@ class MainActivity : BaseActivity() {
 
     @Inject private lateinit var chapterCache: ChapterCache
 
+    @Inject private lateinit var databaseRepository: DatabaseRepository
+
+    private val isAppMigrating = MutableStateFlow(Migrator.isRunning)
+
     @Inject private lateinit var getIncognitoState: GetIncognitoState
 
     @Inject private lateinit var extensionManager: ExtensionManager
@@ -160,7 +167,10 @@ class MainActivity : BaseActivity() {
 
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
 
-        Migrator.awaitAndRelease()
+        lifecycleScope.launch {
+            Migrator.awaitAndRelease()
+            isAppMigrating.value = false
+        }
 
         // Do not let the launcher create a new activity http://stackoverflow.com/questions/16283079
         if (!isTaskRoot) {
@@ -169,6 +179,15 @@ class MainActivity : BaseActivity() {
         }
 
         setComposeContent {
+            val appMigrating by isAppMigrating.collectAsState()
+            val databaseMigrating by databaseRepository.isMigrating.collectAsState()
+            if (appMigrating || databaseMigrating) {
+                AppMigratingScreen()
+                // Release the splash screen so the reason for the wait shows
+                LaunchedEffect(Unit) { ready = true }
+                return@setComposeContent
+            }
+
             val context = LocalContext.current
 
             var incognito by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/mihon/core/migration/Migrator.kt b/app/src/main/java/mihon/core/migration/Migrator.kt
index a7c1f4429..9110623bf 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/mihon/core/migration/Migrator.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/mihon/core/migration/Migrator.kt
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.CoroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Deferred
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Job
-import kotlinx.coroutines.runBlocking
 
 object Migrator {
 
@@ -35,7 +34,10 @@ object Migrator {
         result = null
     }
 
-    fun awaitAndRelease(): Boolean = runBlocking {
-        await().also { release() }
+    val isRunning: Boolean
+        get() = result?.isCompleted == false
+
+    suspend fun awaitAndRelease(): Boolean {
+        return await().also { release() }
     }
 }
diff --git a/data/src/main/java/mihon/data/database/DatabaseRepositoryImpl.kt b/data/src/main/java/mihon/data/database/DatabaseRepositoryImpl.kt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2dbd4e1e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/src/main/java/mihon/data/database/DatabaseRepositoryImpl.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+package mihon.data.database
+
+import dev.zacsweers.metro.AppScope
+import dev.zacsweers.metro.ContributesBinding
+import dev.zacsweers.metro.Inject
+import dev.zacsweers.metro.SingleIn
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow
+import mihon.domain.database.repository.DatabaseRepository
+
+@Inject
+@SingleIn(AppScope::class)
+@ContributesBinding(AppScope::class)
+class DatabaseRepositoryImpl : DatabaseRepository {
+
+    override val isMigrating = MutableStateFlow(false)
+}
diff --git a/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/DatabaseBindings.kt b/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/DatabaseBindings.kt
index c1af0f6f3..df38cef17 100644
--- a/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/DatabaseBindings.kt
+++ b/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/DatabaseBindings.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import androidx.sqlite.SQLiteConnection
 import androidx.sqlite.SQLiteDriver
 import androidx.sqlite.driver.bundled.BundledSQLiteDriver
 import androidx.sqlite.execSQL
+import app.cash.sqldelight.db.QueryResult
 import app.cash.sqldelight.db.SqlDriver
 import com.eygraber.sqldelight.androidx.driver.AndroidxSqliteConcurrencyModel.MultipleReadersSingleWriter
 import com.eygraber.sqldelight.androidx.driver.AndroidxSqliteConfiguration
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ import dev.zacsweers.metro.BindingContainer
 import dev.zacsweers.metro.ContributesTo
 import dev.zacsweers.metro.Provides
 import dev.zacsweers.metro.SingleIn
+import mihon.data.database.DatabaseRepositoryImpl
 
 @ContributesTo(AppScope::class)
 @BindingContainer
@@ -30,7 +32,7 @@ object DatabaseBindings {
      */
     @Provides
     @SingleIn(AppScope::class)
-    fun providesSqlDriver(context: Context): SqlDriver {
+    fun providesSqlDriver(context: Context, databaseRepository: DatabaseRepositoryImpl): SqlDriver {
         val isLowRam = context.getSystemService<ActivityManager>()?.isLowRamDevice == true
         return AndroidxSqliteDriver(
             connectionFactory = object : AndroidxSqliteConnectionFactory {
@@ -48,6 +50,14 @@ object DatabaseBindings {
                 isForeignKeyConstraintsEnabled = true,
                 concurrencyModel = MultipleReadersSingleWriter(isWal = true, walCount = if (isLowRam) 1 else 4),
             ),
+            // Runs before the driver compares the schema version, and onOpen once the schema is ready
+            onConfigure = {
+                val version = executePragmaQuery("user_version", { QueryResult.Value(it.apply { next() }.getLong(0)) })
+                databaseRepository.isMigrating.value = version in 1..<Database.Schema.version
+            },
+            onOpen = {
+                databaseRepository.isMigrating.value = false
+            },
         )
     }
 
diff --git a/domain/src/main/java/mihon/domain/database/repository/DatabaseRepository.kt b/domain/src/main/java/mihon/domain/database/repository/DatabaseRepository.kt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dfc52725c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/domain/src/main/java/mihon/domain/database/repository/DatabaseRepository.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package mihon.domain.database.repository
+
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.StateFlow
+
+interface DatabaseRepository {
+
+    /**
+     * True while the database is being migrated from an older schema, which happens on its first use after an
+     * app update.
+     */
+    val isMigrating: StateFlow<Boolean>
+}
diff --git a/i18n/src/commonMain/moko-resources/base/strings.xml b/i18n/src/commonMain/moko-resources/base/strings.xml
index 9116e336f..f3840acc3 100644
--- a/i18n/src/commonMain/moko-resources/base/strings.xml
+++ b/i18n/src/commonMain/moko-resources/base/strings.xml
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@
     <string name="onboarding_storage_selection_required">A folder must be selected</string>
     <string name="onboarding_storage_help_info">Updating from an older version and not sure what to select? Refer to the storage guide for more information.</string>
     <string name="onboarding_storage_help_action">Storage guide</string>
+    <string name="app_migrating_title">Finishing the update</string>
+    <string name="app_migrating_summary">Getting things ready after the update. This can take a few minutes, so keep the app open.</string>
     <string name="onboarding_permission_install_apps">Install apps permission</string>
     <string name="onboarding_permission_install_apps_description">To install source extensions.</string>
     <string name="onboarding_permission_notifications">Notification permission</string>