---
id: resolve-sessions-accountid-cascade
name: Resolve sessions.accountId NOT NULL + SET NULL contradiction
status: completed
depends_on: []
scope: narrow
risk: critical
impact: phase
level: implementation
---

## Description

`sessions.accountId` is declared `text NOT NULL` in `sessions.md:17` but has `onDelete: SET NULL` in `table-reference.md:80`. PostgreSQL will reject the DELETE because it cannot nullify a NOT NULL column. This is a foundational schema decision — the resolution determines whether sessions survive account deletion and affects downstream cascade work.

## Decision (D1)

**Make the column nullable** with `SET NULL` cascade. Orphaned sessions (account deleted) are still valuable data for audit and debugging. This follows the "live session data: nullable FK + SET NULL" cascade pattern.

## Acceptance Criteria

- [ ] `sessions.accountId` is declared `text` (nullable) in `sessions.md` with an explicit note explaining why
- [ ] `table-reference.md` cascade entry for `sessions.accountId → accounts.id` uses `SET NULL` and the column is documented as nullable
- [ ] No other doc references `sessions.accountId` as `NOT NULL` without acknowledging the nullable change
- [ ] The doc note explains the semantic: "orphaned sessions preserve conversation history for audit and debugging"
- [ ] Any downstream tasks that depend on this decision (e.g., resolve-org-dual-ownership) can proceed

## References

- docs/reviews/storage-architecture-review-2026-04-21.md#C01
- docs/decisions/storage-spec-phase1-resolutions.md#D1
- docs/architecture/storage/sessions.md:17
- docs/architecture/storage/table-reference.md:80

## Notes

> To be filled by implementation agent

## Summary

> To be filled on completion