diff --git a/ghost/core/server/data/migrations/versions/6.73/2026-10-21-21-22-05-convert-automation-dates-to-sqlite-text.js b/ghost/core/server/data/migrations/versions/6.73/2026-10-21-21-22-05-convert-automation-dates-to-sqlite-text.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..80a134c60683
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/server/data/migrations/versions/6.73/2026-10-21-21-22-05-convert-automation-dates-to-sqlite-text.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+const DatabaseInfo = require('@tryghost/database-info');
+const logging = require('@tryghost/logging');
+const { createIrreversibleMigration } = require('../../utils');
+
+const convertDateColumn = (knex, table, column) =>
+  knex.raw(
+    `UPDATE ??
+     SET ?? = strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%f', ?? / 1000.0, 'unixepoch')
+     WHERE typeof(??) = 'integer'`,
+    [table, column, column, column],
+  );
+
+module.exports = createIrreversibleMigration(async function up(knex) {
+  if (!DatabaseInfo.isSQLite(knex)) {
+    logging.info('Skipping SQLite-only automation timestamp migration on MySQL');
+    return;
+  }
+
+  await convertDateColumn(knex, 'automation_runs', 'created_at');
+  await convertDateColumn(knex, 'automation_runs', 'updated_at');
+  await convertDateColumn(knex, 'automation_run_steps', 'created_at');
+  await convertDateColumn(knex, 'automation_run_steps', 'updated_at');
+  await convertDateColumn(knex, 'automation_run_steps', 'ready_at');
+});
diff --git a/ghost/core/server/lib/db-types/date.ts b/ghost/core/server/lib/db-types/date.ts
index 61a67d27ef0a..7cc3218115da 100644
--- a/ghost/core/server/lib/db-types/date.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/server/lib/db-types/date.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import * as errors from '@tryghost/errors';
 import { z } from 'zod';
 
 const DATABASE_DATE_FORMAT = 'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss';
+const DATABASE_DATE_FORMAT_WITH_MILLISECONDS = 'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.SSS';
 
 const databaseDateInput = z.union([z.date(), z.string(), z.number()]);
 
@@ -42,6 +43,9 @@ const parseDatabaseDate = (date: DatabaseDate): DateTime => {
 export const toDatabaseDate = (date: DatabaseDate): string =>
   parseDatabaseDate(date).toFormat(DATABASE_DATE_FORMAT);
 
+export const toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds = (date: DatabaseDate): string =>
+  parseDatabaseDate(date).toFormat(DATABASE_DATE_FORMAT_WITH_MILLISECONDS);
+
 export const fromDatabaseDate = (date: DatabaseDate): Date => parseDatabaseDate(date).toJSDate();
 
 // A zod codec for datetime columns: MySQL returns a Date, SQLite a string/number;
diff --git a/ghost/core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository-2.ts b/ghost/core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository-2.ts
index e1b0a03f451b..39582ef9c62a 100644
--- a/ghost/core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository-2.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository-2.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type {
   AutomationsRepository2,
   AutomationTriggerTierScope,
 } from './automations-repository-2';
+import { toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds } from '../../lib/db-types/date';
 
 type Connection = Knex | Knex.Transaction;
 
@@ -46,6 +47,11 @@ export const createDatabaseAutomationsRepository2 = ({
 }: Readonly<{
   knex: Knex;
 }>) => {
+  const dateForDatabase = (date: Date): Date | string =>
+    ['mysql', 'mysql2'].includes(knex.client.config.client)
+      ? date
+      : toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds(date);
+
   return {
     async findFirstActionRevisions(connection, memberStatus, memberTierIds) {
       const rows = await connection('automations as automation')
@@ -122,9 +128,9 @@ export const createDatabaseAutomationsRepository2 = ({
         await connection('automation_run_steps').insert(
           toInsert.map((step) => ({
             ...step,
-            created_at: step.created_at,
-            updated_at: step.updated_at,
-            ready_at: step.ready_at,
+            created_at: dateForDatabase(step.created_at),
+            updated_at: dateForDatabase(step.updated_at),
+            ready_at: dateForDatabase(step.ready_at),
           })),
         );
       }
@@ -135,8 +141,8 @@ export const createDatabaseAutomationsRepository2 = ({
         await connection('automation_runs').insert(
           toInsert.map((run) => ({
             ...run,
-            created_at: run.created_at,
-            updated_at: run.updated_at,
+            created_at: dateForDatabase(run.created_at),
+            updated_at: dateForDatabase(run.updated_at),
           })),
         );
       }
diff --git a/ghost/core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository.ts b/ghost/core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository.ts
index 7689aa754fb9..9446ccc25bf6 100644
--- a/ghost/core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository.ts
+++ b/ghost/core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import {
   DbDate,
   fromDatabaseDate,
   toDatabaseDate,
+  toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds,
   type DatabaseDate,
 } from '../../lib/db-types/date';
 import { getStaleLockCutoff } from './stale-lock-cutoff';
@@ -504,7 +505,7 @@ export function createDatabaseAutomationsRepository({
       steps: AutomationStepToRun[];
       nextStepReadyAt: null | Date;
     }> {
-      return await knex.transaction((trx) => fetchAndLockSteps(trx, limit));
+      return await knex.transaction((trx) => fetchAndLockSteps(trx, limit, knex));
     },
 
     async finishStepAndEnqueueNext(step: AutomationStepToRun): Promise<Date | null> {
@@ -1057,6 +1058,7 @@ function createRunStep({
 async function fetchAndLockSteps(
   trx: Knex.Transaction,
   limit: number,
+  knex: Knex,
 ): Promise<{
   steps: AutomationStepToRun[];
   nextStepReadyAt: null | Date;
@@ -1074,6 +1076,7 @@ async function fetchAndLockSteps(
 
   const now = new Date();
   const nowString = toDatabaseDate(now);
+  const readyAtCutoff = isMysql(knex) ? toDatabaseDate(now) : toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds(now);
   const staleLockCutoff = getStaleLockCutoff(now);
   const staleLockCutoffString = toDatabaseDate(staleLockCutoff);
   const lockId = crypto.randomUUID();
@@ -1082,7 +1085,7 @@ async function fetchAndLockSteps(
   const candidates: ReadonlyArray<{ id: string }> = await trx('automation_run_steps')
     .select('id')
     .where('status', 'pending')
-    .where('ready_at', '<=', nowString)
+    .where('ready_at', '<=', readyAtCutoff)
     .where((builder) => {
       builder.whereNull('locked_by').orWhere('locked_at', '<', staleLockCutoffString);
     })
@@ -1108,7 +1111,7 @@ async function fetchAndLockSteps(
     .increment('step_attempts', 1)
     .whereIn('id', candidateIds)
     .where('status', 'pending')
-    .where('ready_at', '<=', nowString)
+    .where('ready_at', '<=', readyAtCutoff)
     .where((builder) => {
       builder.whereNull('locked_by').orWhere('locked_at', '<', staleLockCutoffString);
     });
diff --git a/ghost/test/integration/services/automations/automation-run-date-storage.test.ts b/ghost/test/integration/services/automations/automation-run-date-storage.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c8ac97a5b8b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/test/integration/services/automations/automation-run-date-storage.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,241 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import createKnex, { type Knex } from 'knex';
+import { vi } from 'vitest';
+import { configure } from '../../../../core/server/data/db/configure-knex';
+import { createDatabaseAutomationsRepository } from '../../../../core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository';
+import { createDatabaseAutomationsRepository2 } from '../../../../core/server/services/automations/database-automations-repository-2';
+import { toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds } from '../../../../core/server/lib/db-types/date';
+
+const DatabaseInfo = require('@tryghost/database-info');
+const migration = require('../../../../core/server/data/migrations/versions/6.73/2026-10-21-21-22-05-convert-automation-dates-to-sqlite-text');
+const sqliteConfig = configure({
+  client: 'better-sqlite3',
+  connection: { filename: ':memory:' },
+  useNullAsDefault: true,
+});
+
+describe('SQLite automation date storage', function () {
+  let knex: Knex;
+
+  beforeEach(async function () {
+    knex = createKnex({
+      ...sqliteConfig,
+      connection: { filename: ':memory:' },
+    });
+
+    await knex.schema.createTable('automations', (table) => {
+      table.string('id').primary();
+      table.string('status').notNullable();
+      table.string('trigger_tier_scope').notNullable();
+    });
+    await knex.schema.createTable('automation_actions', (table) => {
+      table.string('id').primary();
+      table.string('type').notNullable();
+    });
+    await knex.schema.createTable('automation_action_revisions', (table) => {
+      table.string('id').primary();
+      table.string('action_id').notNullable();
+      table.integer('wait_hours');
+      table.string('email_subject');
+      table.text('email_lexical');
+      table.string('email_design_setting_id');
+    });
+    await knex.schema.createTable('automation_runs', (table) => {
+      table.string('id').primary();
+      table.dateTime('created_at').notNullable();
+      table.dateTime('updated_at').notNullable();
+      table.string('automation_id').notNullable();
+      table.string('member_id').notNullable();
+      table.string('member_email').notNullable();
+    });
+    await knex.schema.createTable('automation_run_steps', (table) => {
+      table.string('id').primary();
+      table.dateTime('created_at').notNullable();
+      table.dateTime('updated_at').notNullable();
+      table.string('automation_run_id').notNullable();
+      table.string('automation_action_revision_id').notNullable();
+      table.dateTime('ready_at').notNullable();
+      table.integer('step_attempts').notNullable().defaultTo(0);
+      table.string('status').notNullable().defaultTo('pending');
+      table.string('locked_by');
+      table.dateTime('locked_at');
+      table.dateTime('started_at');
+    });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async function () {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+    await knex.destroy();
+  });
+
+  it('converts old integer timestamps to millisecond text and is idempotent', async function () {
+    const createdAt = new Date('2026-01-02T03:04:05.123Z');
+    const readyAt = new Date('2026-01-02T03:05:05.456Z');
+    await knex('automation_runs').insert({
+      id: 'legacy-run',
+      created_at: createdAt,
+      updated_at: createdAt,
+      automation_id: 'automation',
+      member_id: 'member',
+      member_email: 'member@example.com',
+    });
+    await knex('automation_run_steps').insert({
+      id: 'legacy-step',
+      created_at: createdAt,
+      updated_at: createdAt,
+      automation_run_id: 'legacy-run',
+      automation_action_revision_id: 'revision',
+      ready_at: readyAt,
+      status: 'pending',
+    });
+
+    const beforeMigration = await knex('automation_run_steps')
+      .select(knex.raw('typeof(ready_at) as ready_at_type'))
+      .where('id', 'legacy-step')
+      .first<{ ready_at_type: string }>();
+    assert.equal(beforeMigration?.ready_at_type, 'integer');
+
+    await migration.up({ connection: knex });
+    await migration.up({ connection: knex });
+
+    const migratedRun = await knex('automation_runs')
+      .select(
+        'created_at',
+        'updated_at',
+        knex.raw('typeof(created_at) as created_at_type'),
+        knex.raw('typeof(updated_at) as updated_at_type'),
+      )
+      .where('id', 'legacy-run')
+      .first();
+    assert.equal(migratedRun.created_at_type, 'text');
+    assert.equal(migratedRun.updated_at_type, 'text');
+    assert.equal(migratedRun.created_at, toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds(createdAt));
+
+    const migratedStep = await knex('automation_run_steps')
+      .select(
+        'created_at',
+        'updated_at',
+        'ready_at',
+        knex.raw('typeof(created_at) as created_at_type'),
+        knex.raw('typeof(updated_at) as updated_at_type'),
+        knex.raw('typeof(ready_at) as ready_at_type'),
+      )
+      .where('id', 'legacy-step')
+      .first();
+    assert.equal(migratedStep.created_at_type, 'text');
+    assert.equal(migratedStep.updated_at_type, 'text');
+    assert.equal(migratedStep.ready_at_type, 'text');
+    assert.equal(migratedStep.created_at, toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds(createdAt));
+    assert.equal(migratedStep.updated_at, toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds(createdAt));
+    assert.equal(migratedStep.ready_at, toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds(readyAt));
+  });
+
+  it('leaves SQLite values untouched on the MySQL migration path', async function () {
+    const createdAt = new Date('2026-01-02T03:04:05.123Z');
+    await knex('automation_runs').insert({
+      id: 'mysql-path-run',
+      created_at: createdAt,
+      updated_at: createdAt,
+      automation_id: 'automation',
+      member_id: 'member',
+      member_email: 'member@example.com',
+    });
+
+    vi.spyOn(DatabaseInfo, 'isSQLite').mockReturnValue(false);
+    await migration.up({ connection: knex });
+
+    const row = await knex('automation_runs')
+      .select(knex.raw('typeof(created_at) as created_at_type'))
+      .where('id', 'mysql-path-run')
+      .first<{ created_at_type: string }>();
+    assert.equal(row?.created_at_type, 'integer');
+  });
+
+  it('stores millisecond dates and handles the ready_at boundary', async function () {
+    const now = new Date('2026-10-21T12:00:00.500Z');
+    const legacyReadyAt = new Date(now.getTime() - 60_000);
+    const boundaryReadyAt = new Date(now.getTime() - 1);
+    const futureReadyAt = new Date(now.getTime() + 1);
+
+    await knex('automations').insert({
+      id: 'automation',
+      status: 'active',
+      trigger_tier_scope: 'free',
+    });
+    await knex('automation_actions').insert({ id: 'action', type: 'wait' });
+    await knex('automation_action_revisions').insert({
+      id: 'revision',
+      action_id: 'action',
+      wait_hours: 1,
+    });
+
+    await knex('automation_runs').insert({
+      id: 'legacy-run',
+      created_at: now,
+      updated_at: now,
+      automation_id: 'automation',
+      member_id: 'member',
+      member_email: 'member@example.com',
+    });
+    await knex('automation_run_steps').insert({
+      id: 'legacy-step',
+      created_at: now,
+      updated_at: now,
+      automation_run_id: 'legacy-run',
+      automation_action_revision_id: 'revision',
+      ready_at: legacyReadyAt,
+      status: 'pending',
+    });
+    await migration.up({ connection: knex });
+
+    const repository2 = createDatabaseAutomationsRepository2({ knex });
+    await repository2.insertRuns(knex, [
+      {
+        id: 'future-run',
+        created_at: now,
+        updated_at: now,
+        automation_id: 'automation',
+        member_id: 'member',
+        member_email: 'member@example.com',
+      },
+    ]);
+    await repository2.insertRunSteps(knex, [
+      {
+        id: 'boundary-step',
+        created_at: now,
+        updated_at: now,
+        automation_run_id: 'future-run',
+        automation_action_revision_id: 'revision',
+        ready_at: boundaryReadyAt,
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'future-step',
+        created_at: now,
+        updated_at: now,
+        automation_run_id: 'future-run',
+        automation_action_revision_id: 'revision',
+        ready_at: futureReadyAt,
+      },
+    ]);
+
+    const storedFutureStep = await knex('automation_run_steps')
+      .select('ready_at', knex.raw('typeof(ready_at) as ready_at_type'))
+      .where('id', 'future-step')
+      .first<{ ready_at: string; ready_at_type: string }>();
+    const repository = createDatabaseAutomationsRepository({
+      knex,
+      fakeWaitHoursMultiplier: null,
+    });
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ['Date'] });
+    vi.setSystemTime(now);
+    const { steps } = await repository.fetchAndLockSteps(10);
+    assert.deepEqual(
+      steps.map((step) => step.id),
+      ['legacy-step', 'boundary-step'],
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(storedFutureStep?.ready_at_type, 'text');
+    assert.equal(storedFutureStep?.ready_at, toDatabaseDateWithMilliseconds(futureReadyAt));
+  });
+});